CORRESPONDENCE

Evening Post, Volume CXVIII, Issue 58, 6 September 1934, Page 12

CORRESPONDENCE

NATIONAL COHESION

(To the Editor.)

Sir, —National Budgets do not always tell the whole story. Life is still very bleak for thousands of families—the father without permanent employment, the mother without hope, and the children without prospects.

Members of Cabinet continue to complain of "carping criticism," but the faot remains that nothing short of a bold and comprehensive policy will drive away the baying ', hunger-wolf from the homes of even those who endure silent distress.'

Fortunately the world at large is at last beginning to realise that no sound economic progress can be accomplished by defying natural laws. Juggling with currencies, tariffs, subsidies, and launching grotesque marketing schemes, with attendant cpstly officialdom, must .collapse under the weight of their own stupidity. Happily this fact is at long last making itself known in all its ugliness. In Great Britain, as in this Dominion, the restrictive and regulative policies of. the respective Governments, if permitted to continue indefinitely, would bring disaster to all concerned. The consumer is the one who is victimised, under protection mentioned. He pays heavily in taxes to subsidise the producer, costly boards, and an unreasonable price for the com-modity-—but he' can't be bled' all the time. . , : ; . . •

During the period, this; Dominion is awaiting adjustment of tho world economic and trading obstacles, tho Coalition Government ..'should get to grips with our internal problems. Abaud-' oned railways, involving the expenditure of millions of pounds, can be mentioned as convincing proof that many of our difficulties can be traced to past Governments failing to look to the future and appreciating the heavy burden of commitments, that can be incurred following the imprudent expenditure of borrowed money. Far better to have mortgaged the future for a definite creative purpose such as establishing group settlements or small holdings.

. It is to be hoped that the leaders of the Coalition will make some 'effort to bring about the national cohesion of all anti-Socialist elements, as anything in the nature of a political upheaval would intensify our difficulties and at tho same time inflict irreparable harm upon the Dominion as a whole. Tho crying need of the hour is the long overdue caucus to bo called to reconstruct the present "patched Cabinet" for the reason that as a means to progress, Cabinet as constituted, ■is not by any means impressive. It must be known to the leaders of the Coalition there aro forces <it work deliberately seething to provoke both industrial and political strife.

As party politics (within the Coalition) are supposed to have been submerged in the demand for national unity, it is surely of supreme importance that some organisation, representative of the great middle class section, of tho electors, be established -in preparation for next election. The need is very real, for sane education in political and economic history to be able to distinguish between the wheat and the chaff and at tho same .time foster tho genuine spirit of partnership so imperative if we are to create an organised community to combat a common menace..

Tho world, has become impatient listening to "financial and economic exports" propounding their ponderous theories for tho bringing about of, world'recovery, andprosperity. Theories] or no theories the peoples of the world1 must be provided with adequate food, fuc], and housing. It requires but the simple truth as the basis of a policy of any Government, and more liberalism, as stated by the Rev. Armstrong in his trenchant sermon as published in the "Evening Post" on Monday. Government is supposed to be a contrivance of human wisdom to provide for human wants. These human wants can never bo provided unless Cabinet is reconstructed at full strength and individual members of the Coalition are permitted to take an active part, under vigorous, leadership, in the rehabilitation of this fair Dominion.— I "am, etc., FUSIONIST.