ALBERTA'S PLIGHT

Evening Post, Volume CXXI, Issue 137, 11 June 1936, Page 5

ALBERTA'S PLIGHT

PREMIER WILL RETIRE ONE TERM OF PARLIAMENT CONFUSION PREVALENT (From "The Post's" Representative.) VANCOUVER, May 20.

The Social Credit Premier of Ali berta, William Aberhart, is throwing up the sponge. Doubtless observing the writing on the wall, he says he will ■ retire after one term in Parliament, • and return to his teaching at the girls' : high school in Calgary, the committee . of which retained him on their staff as on leave of absence. Mr. Aberhart does not indicate how long his one : term of office will last. The state of , public feeling in Alberta would suggest that it will last not more than a year. Mr. Aberhart, and the province of Alberta, are getting more publicity than any other public man or pro- , vince in Canada. His unorthodox methods and bitterness towards the 1 Dominion Government have made him very difficult to approach. He does 1 not acknowledge the Press as a medium of news or public opinion, and attacks it ih his weekly statements on Alberta administration affairs from his Prophetic Bible Institute. The authorities at Ottawa have been extraordinarily patient. Any other provincial Premier would have been sharply disciplined if he indulged in the abuse that has become the daily routine of Mr. Aberhart. The whole of Canada feels sorry for Alberta, which alone, under its quaint Government, is holding itself outside the communion of the provinces. The utmost confusion prevails. Hastily-conceived legislation was "steam-rollered" through the Legislature by the unwieldy majority at Edmonton. These laws are now in force, as instalments of Social Credit. A sales tax of 2 per cent, was imposed a fortnight before the Federal Budget increased the sales tax from 6 to 8 per cent. Alberta residents are now paying 10 per cent, on their purchases. In addition, they are subject to further increases on the cost of retail goods, due to the "just price" legislation, which fixes the price of all goods, with exemptions. Retailers, say this fantastic piece of legislation adds 10 or 15 per cent, to the price of goods. Mr. Aberhart and his Ministers are opposing the Dominion at every turn of its administrative functions, while other provinces are co-operating, with the reservation of spasmodic outbursts against the higher sales tax. For example, the Alberta Premier says that the allotment of relief subsidy and of public works subvention, made at Ottawa, is not nearly sufficient, although it is on the same basis as was made to other provinces, which have accepted it. The relations between the province and the Dominion are threatened by Mr. Aberhart's determination, next month, to attempt to convert the Public Debt of his province, £32,000,000, to lower interest, without the Dominion guarantee that is to be accorded the general conversion of provincial debt, under the aegis of the new Federal Loan Council, which Mr. Aberhart alone refuses to accept. CABINET NOT UNITED. There is evidence of a split in the Social Credit Cabinet. How seriotis, it is difficult to judge, apart from the rare: public pronouncements Ministers are permitted to make. One member of the Aberhart Cabinet, on a visit to the United States, in a public address, stated that his Government Intended to use scrip in paying workers \ in its road construction programme. Mr. Aberhart promptly denied that this I had been decided. In spite of his demurrer, the Minister concerned repeated the statement in Canada when he learned of the amount allotted to Alberta for public works. In addition to this, a new member of the Cabinet, just sworn in, has been instructed to report on the question of scrip for wages, in connection with his commission to advise on the best means of introducing Social Credit. When Mr. Aberhart announced his intention to retire, he coupled it with a threat to dispose of what he termed "the interest racket." Next day, one of his Ministers stated it Was intended, by Order in Council, to put a tax of 50 per cent, on interest, to produce £5,000,000 a year, to pay an instalment of the Social Credit dividend. This also was denied by Mr. Aberhart, who said it had not been discussed by the Cabinet. The Minister countered with the statement that it had been informally discussed and approved by the party, and was obviously the surest means of producing the nucleus of the dividend. A movement is already on foot in Alberta to establish a Nationalist Party. At its head is the Conservative leader, who realises that only by a coalition of the United Farmers, Liberal, and his own party would it be possible to disturb the. hold, already weakening, ' the fanatical Social Credit doctrines have on the people. As the time for the promised dividend draws near, rumblings of discontent are heard in greater volume. The approach of next winter will see Mr. Aberhart and his followers face the crucial test. Civil servants are already disgruntled at the decline of provincial bonds, which they are obliged to accept in part payment of their salary. One or two more defaults by the Government on its loans will throw this and other semi-public bodies into the arms of the Opposition. Meantime, every Canadian is genuinely sorry for the impasse in which Alberta finds itself.