BROKEN PROMISES

Evening Post, Volume CXXIII, Issue 51, 2 March 1937, Page 10

BROKEN PROMISES

18 MONTHS OF OFFICE

Mr. Aberhart's Social Credit Government has been eighteen months in office and its promise to pay monthly dividends of £5 a month to all adult citizens is almost a forgotten issue. Mr. Aberhart says it would be inadvisable to begin such payments under two years, said the "Daily Telegraph" on February 2.

Other points in the record of the Cabinet are: The Prosperity Certificates plan was put on the scrapheap when it was proved that the scrip would not circulate; retail codes for price fixing were dropped, and no attempt has been made to fix the promised just price for farm products; legislation about debt reduction and interest cuts is awaiting the Court's verdict on its validity, and an appeal to the Privy Council is likely; a drive by all Government branches to collect the highest taxation levy ever made; regular defaults on Government bond payments; interest payments cut to half; public services reduced; and a continued Budget deficit.

Two moderate members of the Cabinet have been forced to resign—Mr. Cross (the Minister of Lands in the midst of the greatest oilfield development for years) and the. Provincial Treasurer (Mr. Cockcroft), while preparing- the annual Estimates for the Legislature. The Deputy Treasurer resigned yesterday. There was also a bitter break with Mr. John Hargrave, the British Social Credit expert, after he had been asked to advise the Government.

The first real Social Credit legislation is forecast in the coming session of the Assembly, but no outline of the proposals is given. „ *

Every effort has been made to get the Federal Government to assume heavier provincial responsibilities, yet, despite broken promises and changed policies, Mr. Aberhart's following is probably as strong as it was a year ago.