PURCHASING POWER

Evening Post, Volume CXVI, Issue 35, 10 August 1933, Page 10

PURCHASING POWER

(To the Editor.)

Sir,—l would be pleased if "Melly" could give a more detailed explanation of his ideas on purchasing power, as set out in his letter. Increased purchasing power ■ as we generally know it is to 'receive increased money wages, usually after commodity prices had increased, so we merely regained purchasing power lost. True increased purchasing power is where the money value of wages without being increased is given the ability,to.purchase larger amounts of goods'.1 That is, a given number of-wage units are enabled to command a greater number of goods units, than they previously could. This I contend is great benefit to us all, as it directly lilts a burden from _ the ■ State, rather than places one upon it. According to "Molly's" reasoning, because a few spend their spare time playing golf or bridge to excess, it is not proper to give the whole of the people more spare time. Regarding the negro slaves, I think the point was missed completely. After being freed they were only so much free labour, ..just as we are. to be used to full capacity and then discarded ' This glut of free labour-naturally was to the detriment of all otlicrfree labour available, because, the Aniencans only half-finished the job an-freeing the slaves. They should have also freed the land from private ownership,'and giveu equal opportunity for-all.—l am, etc., _T b: saxe.