SOCIALISM

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXXIII, Issue 22011, 3 May 1946, Page 2

SOCIALISM

Sir. —"Fiat Lux” refers to history as being the best guide to truth. That is a matter of opinion. li. G. Wells has told us that history has been largely falsified to suit a particular angle, and Henry Ford is noted for his claim, "History is file bunk,” again meaning falsified. “Fiat Lux’s” claim that the

greatest single factor in Russia’s defeat of Germany was the vastness of the country falls to the ground when we consider Russia’s record in the 1914-18 war. His claim that the second factor was the tremendous volume of Allied materials shows he is not conversant with the facts. The Gisborne Herald some time back published an article by H. Dyson Carter, M.Sc., which gave enlightening facts about war production. An extract reads: “All of a sudden the Red Army hurled forward enormous amounts of new mechanical equipment. Where did it come from and who made it, for only a small amount came from the United Nations? Just as Red Army war material lias proved superior in quality so now the quantity of Soviet production exceeds anything thought possible. . . These iovish reserves poured into a 2000-miie irunt were turned out by absolutely mow production methods. Every nation uses electronic devices but only in the Soviet Union have they proved their superhuman powers.” The whole story was published in “Scientific American” and most can be read in “Belter Business July, 1944” (hardly Socialist papers). As to the suggestion of long hours! The eminent British statistician Kuczinsky gives the lie to that. Prior to

1941 the Soviet had easily the shortest working day and week in the world. Socialism (a workers’ movement) is diametrically opposed to Fascism (.the last stage of capitalism). The fact that Germany, Italy and Spain fought the Soviet is sufficient proof for the average man. To write of moral disregard of treaties is naive when one thinks of Abyssinia, Austria. Munich, etc. VERA PRO GRATIIS. [Letter slightly abridged.—Ed.. Herald.l