DOUGLAS SOCIAL CREDIT

Evening Star, Issue 21570, 16 November 1933, Page 16

DOUGLAS SOCIAL CREDIT

Last Tuesday night, in the Thcosophical Hall, Miss M, H. King, M.A., continued her series of public lectures on ‘ Obstacles to Douglas Social Credit,’ dealing Avith Socialism and Communism, Mr I. E. Sutherland was in the chair. Miss King said that there Avas one point Ayhicli Douglas folloAvers held to be of paramount importance—the freedom of the individual—Avhich Avas not subscribed to by Socialists. No one could go Avith Douglas unless he Avas prepared to assert his right to freedom and at the same time recognise everybody else’s. The implement by which Douglas Avould obtain this objective was .social credit, and social credit was not to be confused Avith commodity money, or money based on any particular commodity. These two points were to be found only in the Douglas proposals. Tho real field of debate betAveen tho tAvo schools of thought Avas the means to be taken to distribute the admitted abundance of real Avealth. Another point of difference was tho question of ownership. What Marx termed “ surplus values ” he claimed as the property of tho “ workers,” and the only means by Avhich they could obtain possession was by seizing and holding the means of production; not only the product of industry, but the industries also. They Avere prone to point to Russia as an example to the rest of the world. The financial system in Russia Avas the same as elseAvhfflfco. Interest Avas paid on loans, and the Avorkers were being encouraged to invest their savings in national undertakings. Douglas claimed that “ the unearned increment of association ” belonged not to the “ workers ” but to the Avhole community, as it Avas largely due to the inventions of people long since gone from our midst that Ave Avere able to create this unearned increment—it Avas therefore our inheritance, not the property of any section. Douglas advocates Avere being asked for a definite scheme. Miss King asked : “ Was there to he found in Avorks of Socialism any method to distribute the admitted plenty as Major Douglas had set forth in his scheme for Scotland?” What Avas it that gave control over industry? concluded Miss King—purchasing in the hands of the avJiOiO community, Avith freedom to spend it as it pleased.