THE A PLUS B THEOREM

Otago Daily Times, Issue 22519, 13 March 1935, Page 5

THE A PLUS B THEOREM

TO THE EDtTOB

Sir, —" E. W. F.," having himself failed' to arrive at an understanding as to the truth of the correctness of,the A plus B theorem of social credit, tries to bluff bis opponents by calling on them to prove its fallacy. When taken in conjunction with bis oft-repeated statement that focial credit or the A plus B theorem requires for its own understanding the understanding of the present

system, tfhis serves to prove beyond question his own ignorance of the present system. It is this that serves to prevent "E. W. F." from entering into any honest and intelligent discussion on the subject upon which he writes < so frequently and so laboriously. It is a pity that he had not in the beginning taken to himself the advice he gives free gratis to his opponents and have gpne to some authoritative source for the purpose of his own understanding of the_ present system, and, incidentally, of Bccial credit. This, doubtless, would have saved him from the fatal error of having to admit his own ignorance of same, "E. W. F." has himself accomplished what he sees fit to challenge his opponents to do —he has demolished the central Soint of the Douglas analysis, the A plus • theorem. How, I ask, can the Douglas analysis be said to have a central point in view of the fact that not only "E. W. F." but the supporters of social credit in general—and I might add Major Douglas himself —have failed to demonstrate the truth of the correctness of the theorem? I arrived at my version of the A plus B theorem by taking the concrete example afforded b\ "E. W. F.," together with the oftstated objective of social credit, and reasoning it out to its logical conclusion, knowing at the same time that such conclusion, however true it may be of itself, stands in direct opposition to the real objective of social credit. Again, as the answer to any question is aye or nay, it follows that the version arrived at by me of the A plus B theorem, " when taken in its relation to the real objective " is, as " E. W. F." has it, false and ridiculous—but, only by virtue of such relationship. It is ignorance of the present system, its mode of production and exchange, which goes to prevent the supporters of social credit from reasoning out their own statements to a logical conclusion.

" E. W. F." might inform the. critics — those . Socialists and capitalists who find fault with the Douglas analysis and remedy—as to whom or to what authoritative source he would have them go so that they may arrive at an understanding of the present system. Surely he would not refer them to Major Douglas's works seeing that h e himself after all his study of them, has, as he admits himself, failed to arrive at an understanding as to the truth of the correctness of the A plus B theorem. It has been said that there are none so blind as those who will not see and I ask whether this can be said to explain why your correspondent still continues to fling his unproved assertions into the teeth of his opponents, or is it that " E. W. F.' ; is ignorant of .the effects of such admission on his written words and on social credit in general?--1 am, etc., Greg.