Our Troubles Are Economic

Dominion, Volume 32, Issue 99, 20 January 1939, Page 11

Our Troubles Are Economic

Sir, —The majority will be in full accord with the sentiment expressed by Mr. Savage as reported in thia morning's “Dominion,” namely, “there must be some fundamental cause of international strife and big opinion was that the cause was an economic one.” Mr. Savage suggests the need for a conference of all nations to talk things over frankly. Incidentally, our troubles in New Zealand today are “economic” and of our own making. Electors of average intelligence are asking themselves many questions for the simple reason that the present high level of internal expenditure and standard of living depend entirely on export prices and increased production at reasonable cost. It is impossible to “insulate” against a fall in export prices and increase production under the present burden of rising costs and all manner of restrictions. If a conference of nations can save us New Zealanders being herded and controlled by State Socialism as we know it today then there is a chance, even if a remote one, of safeguarding all standards and the culture that we were once so proud of. The suggestion of such a conference D not original; thus, in fairness to the Marquess of Londonderry, it is only right to quote from page 22 oi his book, “Ourselves and Germany”:— It seems foolish to condone all breaches of the Versailles Treaty and petulantly to lecture Germany for her misdeeds. Why not revise all these treaties by competent international authorities and get old grievances out . of the way? Why not make up our minds that we condemn and oppose the international doctrine of Communism? Why not definitely assert the sphere of influence in the world we propose to maintain, and carry out a realist policy in Europe which should not be, as it now appears, a querulous mistrust of every German aspiration? We could then demand from the Germans a precise definition of their policy and this would change the whole atmosphere of foreign politics. _ It could not be changed for the worse, and there is a chance, ■ and a good chance, of a change for the better. I have advocated elsewhere, in the Press and on the platform, a conference between the great Powers of Europe, in which those Powers should be represented by men who possess the confidence of their people and can act in a very real sense as pienipotenaries. Furthermore, if this arrangement is implemented by the determination that there shall be no more war a great achievement for the repose and security of the, people of the world will have been realized.

I am, etc., T. A. FRASER. Wellington, January 19.