FREEDOM.

Evening Star, Issue 25226, 13 July 1944, Page 7

FREEDOM.

TO THE EDITOK.

Sir, —I wa*s rather amused to read in last night's ' Star ' how Bishop Holland interprets that great word, freedom. It comes rather strange from an Anglican bishop who, so far as 1 am aware, has never protested against the freedom enjoyed .by Englishmen "and Scotsmen to pay tithes compulsorily to Anglican and Presbyterian Churches, in which the majority of the people have not the (slightest interest. During the depression, many ex-servicemen had the glorious freedom on a maximum wage of 37s 6d a week to pay Is unemployment levy to subsidise a rugged individualist in this town who could afford to pay £70,000 for a building. I have in front of me now a whole chapter of the freedom enjoyed by certain people, namely, the wrecking of 100 shipyards by Shipbuilders' Security Ltd., in 1937, and the scrapping ot large numbers of mills by the Wool Combers' Mutual Association; further, the Spinners' Board, in November, 1938, was able to announce that four and a-half million spindles had been scrapped. While this was going on we were told to keep the cradles full and the pram wheels turning; but, sad to say, rubber for tyres and oil for lubrication were also being restricted. In November, 1936, it was illegal to sell milk for human consumption at less than 2s a gallon, but quite legal to sell it to manufacturers at 6d a gallon, and that is why many umbrella handles were much better in condition than the babies' teeth were. During this time there was much rejoicing in all the associated chambers of commerce, for was not all this regimentation very beneficial to a privileged few, and healthy people were not required, as there was no war at the time. Is is passing strange that, while all the Allies are putting forth a " communal " effort to crush the Fascist beast whose praises 'were sung not so long ago, we hear so much of the curse of nationalisation, as instanced by the speech reported to-night by (Mr Stronach Paterson. Surely if a State hydro-electric can give good service, or as postal union, why not a : State mine? In any case, who were the gentlemen who' planted the coal firstP I should love to meet them; they must have used a very longhandled shovel indeed.—l am, etc.,

Popoffski

July 12