“THE GREAT REJECTION.”

Evening Star, Issue 22632, 26 April 1937, Page 11

“THE GREAT REJECTION.”

TO THE EDITOR. Sir.—The above heading is the only way to describe the reception given by ratepayers to the proposal by our Labour Council to foist a loan of £IOO,OOO on the city, mainly for the benefit of members of the Unemployed Workers’ Movement, of which Or Silverstone is president. I say “ foist.” because if the mayor, Messrs Silverstone and company bad had their way the ratepayers would have had no say in the matter, but. thanks to the steps taken by “ nine grouchers who feared an increase in

the rates,” the ratepayers ,have emphatically given the death strangle to the designs of the Labour Council. Instead of taking their utter defeat in a good spirit, Messrs Cox and Silverstone, the chief mouthpieces of the council, now proceed to make threats against those ivho opposed them, and say they will take steps to deprive ratepayers, who find the money, of their rights by enlarging the franchise. If tins is done it’means that even citizens who make a habit of not, paying their rent and in many cases damage the houses in which they live before doing a midnight flit, will have the same rights or voting as the landlord they have defrauded. Will the _ mayor toll us if he considers this is British justice? _ Perhaps the mayor, as a landed proprietor, has been more fortunate with nis tenants than many other landlords in the city. As, according to Cr Silverstone, “ in future citizens will vote, ' not . property, which" lias no right to vote.” I suggest that he immediately gives his employees the right to decide by vote what shall be done with his property. Of conrse, he won’t, but yet he threatens to give every Tom, Dick, and Harry, the right to force .ratepayers to pay_ higher rates whether ■ they can afford it or not.—l am, etc., Ratepayer. April 24.