NEARING THE END

King Country Chronicle, Volume XXXI, Issue 4565, 5 November 1937, Page 6

NEARING THE END

SOCIAL CREDIT. POSITION IN ALBERTA. Vancouver, October 15. Events moved so rapidly during the one-week special session of the Alberta Legislature, its fourth- meeting within a year, that a person of average intelligence could not keep abreast of ■ them. Mr. Aberhart's crowning achievement was to repeal the Recall Act passed by him in his first session. He repealed it while a petition was being circulated in his own constituency demanding his recall. While the House was throwing the Act into the discard, a public meeting, attended by 7000 persons in Calgary, where the Premier has lived for thirty years, passed a resolution demanding his resignation.

The new law to control the Press is without counterpart in British countries in modern times. It authorises

the chairman of the Social Credit Board, who is not a member of the Cabinet, to demand free use of one page of space per day from each daily newspaper in Alberta, without payment, for statements made on behalf of the Government. These statements, according to the "Accurate News and Information Act," as the new law is intituled, shall embrace "the objects of any policies of the Government," the means for attaining them, and "the circumstances, matters and things which hinder or make difficult the achievement of any such objects."

The sources of a newspaper's information must be disclosed, within twenty-four hours, on demand, to the chairman of the Social Credit Board. The names and addresses of all persons by whom such information was furnished, as well as the name of the writer of any news item, article or editorial must be disclosed. The chairman of the Social Credit Board is protected against proceedings for libel or slander. Penalties include suspension of a newspaper, prohibition on the writings of any offending journalist or contributor, accompanied by fines, up to £2OO. A special clause authorises these penalties to be imposed "either by suit brought by the chairman in any court of competent information, or complaint of the chairman, or of some person authorised in writing by the chairman to lay such information."

The Government rejected the appeal of the newspapers to present their case before a committee of the House. The new Act is protected, as are other Acts passed by the Legislature, against the ordinary process of appeal in the Courts. Mr. Aberhart has given a tenyear contract, at £I2OO a year, to one of Major Douglas's two envoys, as head of a commission to control the policy of the banks.

Several companies operating in the rich Alberta oil fields have transferred their funds to British Columbia banks. Business houses are following suit, in view of Mr. Aberhart's decision to defy the Dominion Government, which disallowed his legislation to control the banks.

Recent history will be repeated. The Federal Government will again quash Mr. Aberhart's legislation. His Whip has been arrested, charged with libel, in connection with a leaflet, urging "Bankers' Toadies," who are specifically named, to be "exterminated." The last chapter of Social Credit will have been written presently in an appeal to the country. We may then turn for diversion to Mr. McGeer or Mr. Hepburn.