SOCIAL CREDIT

King Country Chronicle, Volume XXX, Issue 4874, 23 July 1936, Page 4

SOCIAL CREDIT

CHAMPIONS AT VARIANCE. ABERHART AND MAJOR DOUGLAS Attacks on him by Major C. R. Douglas, founder of Social Credit, were described by Premier William Aberhart of Alberta as “in bad taste, to say the least of them,” reports the Edmonton correspondent of the - Christian Science Monitor. Almost at the same time, the Premier announced that he understood the order-in-council, which would authorise the issue of “prosperity certificates” by the Province, was about to be signed. The amount to be issued will depend on their acceptance by merchants, he said. When his attention was drawn to an interview cabled from London in which Major Douglas had declared “Aberhart’s plan to resore Alberta finances as just stuff and nonsense,” the Premier said: “It would seem to me that when Major Douglas was released from his contract, in which he had agreed to assist in the establishment of Social Credit, he should be courteous enough to refrain from criticism in any way whatever. Confident of Future. “He, of course, could not be responsible even if there were mistakes made. I feel satisfied that when the task is accomplished, to which we have set our minds, he will have some difficulty in explaining his position to the public.” Turning to the matter of the correspondence between the Londoner and the Provincial Government, which Major Douglas had made public, Mr. Aberhart declared it revealed the Major’s unfitness to advise the Province at so long a range.

“I am sure those who read the correspondence,” said the Premier, “as published from London by Major Douglas, would not fail to notice that his order to buy bonds at five or six points lower than the market price could not have a stabilising, effect on the market, but rather the reverse. It really indicates how little Major Douglas knew of the condition at the time and how incapable he was of giving sound advice at such a distance. “Time to Act—Not Talk.”

“I do not wish to take time in any dogmatic discussion with Major Douglas at this time. The proof of the pudding is in the eating, not in the recipe. We are too busy to be bothered by the criticism of those who will not lend a hand in the slightest degree in delivering our people from the economic slavery in which they find themselves.

“The present moment calls for sincere action —not intoxicated discussion,” Premier Aberhart suggested. Sympathy is being turned toward Premier Aberhart in his battle to carry out his promises to the people because of the unmerciful opposition and criticism of political opponents in Alberta. And there are few people in this Province, even among those who criticise the Government’s plans, who have much respect for the views of Major Douglas, whose attitude toward Premier Aberhart is regarded as a breach of fair play and the action of a jealous man. While passing through Edmonton on his way to Scotland for a visit, Mr. J. Kirkness, civil councillor of Oamaru, New Zealand, this week, said there was much interest in that Dominion in what the Alberta Social Credit Government is doing. New Zealand Watches. “New Zealand is waiting to see if Alberta is successful in producing basic dividends,” he said. Major Douglas, Mr. Kirkness declared, had given a bad blow to his own cause while there, however. “When Major Douglas went to New Zealand some time ago without a prepared plan, he delivered a death blow to Social Credit in that country,” he said. As a definite step in the implementing of its promises, the Alberta Government will put into circulation at least 2,000,000 dollars of “prosperity bonds,” or certificates, with which it will provide for the cost of various public works. Premier Aberhart states thes bonds will bear a stamp tax to bep ut on them each week amounting to 2 per cent., 'which will in a year’s time redeem them by providing the cash for the Government. Should the bonds be made redeemable in two years they will bear at 1 per cent, stamp tax. “This will be a definite step in teaching the people what they can do by using their own, or the Province’s credit. The bonds should be turned over at least 100 times and the velocity of circulation will be greater than that of real money because nobody will want to hold them or save them and put the stamp tax on them,” the Premier explained. “I expect the new Donas will double or treble the business now being done in Alberta,” he said. This latest move is an answer to Major Douglas’s charge that the Alberta Government was doing nothing to put Social Credit into operation, the Premier suggested.