"BACK TO THE LAND"

Evening Post, Volume CIX, Issue 119, 22 May 1930, Page 9

"BACK TO THE LAND"

MOSLEY MEMORANDUM

THOMAS METHOD RIDICULED

1 Some time ago Sir Oswald. Mosley, according to newspaper reports, foJt dissatisfied with the manner in which the Government was dealing with unemployment and considered resigning his post as Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster. ' . -

; Previously ho had prepared a memo. randum. on unemployment and sub' mittod it to Cabinet.

There are many noteworthy features in the, Mosley memorandum, wrote the political correspondent 'of tho "Manchester Guardian" at the end of March. The first part is a review of all the existing administration for dealing with unemployment; the second is devoted to schemes of immediate needs, under a short-term plan, and a scheme of national reconstruction on a long-term plan. Tho critical part is extremely outspoken, and condemns every plan advocated by the Lord Privy Seal and the Cabinet. Tho Unemployment Committee itself is condemned as useless as it functions at present, becauso it merely sanctions schemes which must eventually pass through an examination by an already, existing Department. No road scheme can bo started without the sanction of tho officials at tho Ministry of Transport, whilst virtually every other work scheme cornea under the

Ministry of Health. Thus in practice all work schemes now run the gauntlet of two committees instead of one as formerly. A NATIONAL COUNCIL. Sir Oswald advocates that all work schemes should be carried out by a National Planning Council, which should have full powers to plan and carry out schemes, both under the long and short term schemes. This involves the principle of State responsibility for unemployment, and gats back to the Labour policy of making unemployment a national charge. Under the shortterm scheme the National Planning Council would mako a complete inventory of all necessary BchpHiea of work. The unemployed would bo mobilised and used by the- Council to work on those schemes without the vexatious haggling about grants and percentages of transferred labour. The Council, in fact, would bo the sole employer, and the oust of all scliemes would be a national charge. The finance for the scheme would bo by public loan. No specific figure can be put on this loan, as it is contingent upon the amount of work planned by the Council. NO HOPE IN EXPORTS. Tho long-term schemes also show bold' thought and originality. It may be said at once that Sir Oswald does not accept tho policy of the Lord Privy Seal or tho Cabinet in any of its details. The belief that Britain can solvo the unemployment problem by. capturing the foreign markets is ridiculed. Figures are quoted showing her total exports and the numbers who find employment in- working for the export trades. Sir Oswald essays to show by figures that an increase- of 50 per cent, in the volume of foreign trade wouldnot find work for one-half of tho men now unemployed. Bationalisation -by the aid of the banks is also condemned.. ' The changed industrial conditions' by which other countries now produce goods formerly a monopoly of tho British manufacturer leads Sir Oswald to the conclusion that there is no immediate hope of any extension of the foreign market oven under rationalisation; at its best-it cannot find work for tho numbers who would be displaced by the schemes of rationalisation which made an extension of exports possible. BACK TO THE LAND. Sir Oswald then turns to the stimulation of the home market as offering the only real solution. Tho export trado should only be maintained in order to pay for necessary imports. Accordingly if Britain cannot extend her exports she- must try-to reduce her imports. The first necessary step .here is a complete survey of the potential productive power of the nation. Sir Oswald thinks that Britain must develop her agriculture first as the only immediate method of placing men in productive work, and, secondly, as a sound means.of reducing her necessity to export goods to pay for food imports. The Planning Council should therefore try to bring every available acre under cultivation, tho farmer and grower to bo protected from- foreign competition by the establishment of a National Import Board , which , would buy only what the country could not produce herself. BEOBGANISATION. The Planning Council, it is also proposed, should, be responsible with the employers for .the reorganisation of industry. The Council should decide what industries should be rationalised and the method of doing it. This involves State planning of exports as well as imports, with the possibility of soiling umter cost in the foreign markets in order to pay for necessary imports. In short, Sir Oswald seems to visualise a complete, change in the- national economy. " . . . The extension of tho public-utility idea to tho basic trades is also advocated. But underneath it.all is the philosophy that Britain should begin to trade as a nation rather than as.a group of isolated individuals. The' immediato things in which the Labour M.P.'s are especially interested are tho suggestions for tho raisiug of the school age and a scheme of old-age retirement. Sir Oswald has submitted a special temporary scheme of old-age retirement, but in spite of' many attempts by'baek-benchers to find out nobody can say definitely whether this scheme is "impracticable," whether it is "under consideration," or whether it is "still to be considered." Replies giving all three impressions have been given by Ministers from time to time. One thing seems certain, however, and that is that the Mosley1 memorandum is to be the main topic in Labour quarters for some time. '