DUNEDIN PLEBS LEAGUE

Otago Daily Times, Issue 21599, 21 March 1932, Page 9

DUNEDIN PLEBS LEAGUE

At the weekly meeting of the Dunedin Plebs League held in the Trades Hah on Wednesday evening Mr M. Silverstone dealt with the. Economy Commission composed of professors. . Prior to opening, the speaker said this was an educational class, and the matter to be discussed was an educational subject. The class had chosen for this years study “New Zealand Problems.’ ibis would be adhered to as far as possible, although, to make a greater point, it became necessary at times to refer to the international viewpoint. We were always asked, continued the speaker, when dealin" with our problems, to look at them from the capitalist standpoint of social economy-, A commission was set up of professors to report on the economic affairs of the Dominion, but it was Ictt to another commission to report on methods to be applied in effecting a remedy This would be the subject ot anotiier address. There was not much to find fault with in these commissions, provided one looked at it from the capitalist viewpoint, but then there were always two points of view. In modern society from the school upwards we were taught that the present system must be maintained. But there was another point of view, and that was the workers. This class, the speaker maintained, was dependent on the dominant class for its very existence, and in a society where this pertained constant friction nearly always operated. While a certain state of apparent prosperity existed, then this did not obtrude itself so conspiculously, but in times like the present all sorts of devices, such as were portrayed in this commission’s findings, were put forth, such as that which proposed to revive industry by the depleted incomes of the workers. The workers would not be in any better position, no matter what economies were brought about, and, as long as the present system obtained, just so long would that, continue. ... , , A large number of questions were asked, and a hearty vote of thanks was accorded to the speaker.