A CONSTRUCTIVE SCHEME

Evening Post, Volume CXV, Issue 38, 15 February 1933, Page 5

A CONSTRUCTIVE SCHEME

(To the Editor.)

Sir. —The thanks of the community are due, to Mr. E. ,G. Buckleton for coming forward with a really constructive scheme for restoring prosperity to the country, and it is greatly to- be hoped that' public opinion will insist on his proposals being thoroughly investigated at once. It is to be regretted that Mr. Buckleton did not suggest his scheme before the dangerous and possibly' disastrous policy of exchange inflation was proceeded with, but it may not yet be-too late to'undo the harm. No thinking person questions that the root-cause ,of :our troubles to-day is the -inflated value .of farm lands, t that until,the load-of mortgage debts based on false values has been very considerably lightened we have noteven' begun' to attack the grave problems- confronting us. It is passing strange that the ■ Government has apparently deliberately; ignored this plain fact,.butitis more than strange—amazing, : in fact—;that Parliament—always so ready to criticise the;Governmentshould have allowed them to do so. Presumably, this uncanny- silence is in some way connected with the game of politics. At all events.it is beyond the plain man, who says, wherever one turns: "Why don't they tackle the land values?" Well, if tho people's representatives won't get down to it voluntarily it only remains for the people, to compel them to —and before Parliament rises! Mr. Buckleton's scheme should be examined.without delay. I believe that in - essentials it - would •be - found work-

able, and that it could be put into effect. Personally, I think Mr. Buckleton is a little optimistic in assuming that 50 per cent. o£ the mortgages are good, and that only 15 per cent, of the farmers are in a hopeless position, but that could be gone into when more data are available. The point is that a constructive scheme has been submitted, a scheme which at least offers some hope. It is greatly to be hoped that pressure of public opinion will be sufficient to prevent its being ignored by Parliament merely because it emanates from an outside source.—l am, etc., SPECTATOR.