Strikes in Wartime

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXXI, Issue 21385, 21 April 1944, Page 4

Strikes in Wartime

Sir—lt would appear that the opinions of "Student" and Sir Georgh Parish may be reconciled. The economist told us that Russia is working under a co-operative economic system but "Student” maintains that co-operatives are an integral part of the socialist system. If tiffs can be taken to mean that co-operation is a form of socialism, then "Student” is justified in believing that Russia is working under socialism. Should we also class the activities of the Gisborne dairy companies as a form ,of socialism, seeing that both are run co-operatively? "Student”., ends his letter by stating that in Russia “one man cannot employ another.” I wonder who does the work that provides the huge profits of the concession companies. The Year Book of the Soviet Union stales that in one year the rate of profit made by the concessionaries upon their invested .capital averaged over 81 per cent and the year following this increased to nearly 96 per cent on the capital. invested. How envious must the shareholders, in our socialist dairy companies in. Gisborne feel when they hear of such returns. and how disconcerting to “Student” to be told that, such, profits are being reaped by the hated capitalists under a socialist regime! "ROCHDALE.” [As the correspondents have wandered from the original issue _ of strikes in wartime, no good purpose can be served by continuing this discussion.—Ed. Herald.]