DOUGLAS CREDIT.

Evening Star, Issue 22030, 16 May 1935, Page 13

DOUGLAS CREDIT.

TO THE EDITOR., Sir, —Permit me to comment on the ‘ Charter of Freedom ’ as set out by one of the speakers at a recent meeting of workers in North-east Valley. The speaker prefaced his remarks by informing the assembled gathering of the amount of latitude that is allowed amongst members of the Douglas Credit Association. He stated that the ambition of the sponsors of this' Charter of Freedom was to have these charters circulating in every electorate of the dominion, and to obtain the signatures of at least 80 per cent, of the electors —the voice of ■ the people. _ We then patiently listened to a recital of the contents of the charter, the first clauses of which commenced with the words. “We know.” Then comes a clause commencing “Wo _ demand, ’ being a demand on the sitting member for the constituency. Then follows a number of clauses, the first two opening words of which are “ We insist,” and finally came a declaration and a promise that advisors will be supplied on application to members of Parliament who need knowledge and advice. Imagine Air J. W. Alunro or the Hon. W. D. Stewart asking for advisors on monetary questions when they spent a considerable amount of time listening to monetary reforms, and had the Douglas system of credit explained to them by its greatest exponent in the person of the major himself. The speaker regaled us with readings from pamphlets about Major Douglas’s talks with prominent Canadians and about his audience with the King of Norway. Question time came and the speaker was asked: Did he think that the signatories on the charter knew what they were signing? “ Oh, yes.” One man signed it be-, cause be did not believe in poverty. That man swallowed the bait, hook, sinker, apd line. Alore the pity that he did not swallow the fisherman. To my mind this Charter of Freedom can be likened to a cake decoratively covered with icing, but when the crust is broken the interior is filled with sawdust. Is history about to repeat itself? Are we of this British dominion about to pass on to posterity a New Zealand Alagna Carta ? Are the sponsors of this Charter of Freedom about to emulate the barons of old, when they forced King John beside the sweet waters of Runnymede to sign the Alagna Carta ? Perhaps they have visions of seeing the elected l rulers of the dominion signing a great charter on a dais in the Government grounds, with the minions of the social creditites holding aloft in one hand the Charter of Freedom and in the other hand the naked sword. Who knows? We are passing through strange times; perhaps stranger are to follow.—l am, etc.. Square Deal. May 15,