CONTRADICTIONS

Evening Post, Volume CXXVII, Issue 118, 22 May 1939, Page 8

CONTRADICTIONS

(To the Editor.)

Sir, —Having read the letter under the above heading by "Observer" in Friday's "Post," I was wondering if he could inform us what excessive profit the Government is making out of the railways? The answer must be "None!" Then, there is certainly no profiteering. If the Government reduced the charges quoted, there would be a corresponding drop in revenue; and perhaps a debit on the balance-sheet, in which case a cry from the Tory interests. He does not say anything about the prices ten years ago. I remember paying the same for a cup of tea as today, and 4d for a sandwich compared with 3d today. Certainly, taken all round, these prices are higher today than in the depression; but the difference is we have a decent wage to pay for them today, where before we had a little or no wage and could not have them even at the lower price. What does "Observer" want from a "poor man's Government"? Surely he has a job today, and an increase in wages.

Your correspondent's remarks concerning the iron industry and social security lead me to believe he is guided by prejudice, and is content so long as he makes a smack at Labour. Does "Observer" want the Government to waste five millions of public money without investigating if it is justifiable? Before they could investigate even, legislative authority had to be obtained. As for his statement on social security, I ask him to prove it. —I am, etc.,

NOT PREJUDICED,