The economy

Press, 18 June 1982, Page 12

The economy

Sir,—Listening to the Prime Minister's patriotic avowal of support for Britain in the Falklands War. despite the extremely dubious historicaleconomic background of the region, followed by the Defence Minister's insistence on the necessity of modernising our military equipment at" the overburdened taxpayer’s expense, it strains credulity simultaneously to hear Messrs Bolger, Trqtter and Rowe make dogmatic assertions about the pressing need for self-sacrifice and restraint among the workers. These experts persistently pontificate about such matters despite, in the case of defence-spending, the demonstrable vulnerability of the extremely costly and sophisticated warships in the Falklands; In the case of the already overtaxed worker, his existing predations and sacrifices are ironically co-existent with the burgeoning profits of many of the conglomerates, monopolies, and financial institutions. One may be forgiven for asking what sacrifices these, the true betes noir of our time, are prepared to make for us. — Yours, etc., BILL FILSHIE. June 15, 1982.