“RAISE WORLD PRICES”

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LX, Issue 18193, 14 September 1933, Page 7

“RAISE WORLD PRICES”

EMPIRE & U.S.A. EFFORT ECONOMIST’S SUGGESTION MELBOURNE, Aug. 20. Dr. E. R. Walker, Lecturer in Economics at the University of Sydney, who arrived in Melbourne by the Morcton Bay to-day, said that everywhere he met people who expressed pleasure at the way Australia had met her difficulties.' She had done much to prepare the way for her own recovery when world (prices improved. “The improvement of prices is the key to the situation,’’ Dr. Walker declared. “I would favor a joint effort by the Dominions, Great Britain, and the United States to raise prices, expand credit, and undertake public works, in the face of the unwillingness of the gold standard bloc to cooperate. ’ ’ As a Fellow of the Rockefeller Foundation, Dr. Walker lias spent two years and a half in the study of general economic conditions in Europe, and unemployment in particular. Italy, ho said, had made a noteworthy effort to solve unemployment. Her good position was due partly to the low rates of payment to the unemployed and partly to the policy of huge public works undertaken by Mussolini. Large areas of hitherto unavailable land were being drained and reclaimed for the support of Italy’s increasing population. Italy was the only country where unemployment insurance systems had not been in debt to the Government. GERMAN LABOR CAMPS

Dr. Walker referred to the introduction of labor camps in Germany under the Hitler regime. These at present were voluntary, he said, but they would be made compulsory. The system was being extended to compel university students to spend six months in a labor camp. Although a uniform was provided for each man and the camps were'placed under military discipline, the camps could not ho regarded as a danger to international peace. Other countries probably would adopt such a form of labor service, if only to keep unemployed men fit and accustomed to working. In most European countries there was a large number of youths who had never had a job, and had never learned to work. A few years of idleness would make them unfit, for work. Governments must combat that possibility. Reports of German atrocities had been slightly exaggerated, Dr. Walker proceeded. In the early stages of Nazi rule there was a reign of terror among small minorities. To-day Germany’s troubles were due to unemployment. Hitler’s propaganda seemed to be nonsensical to Englishmen, who had no regard for his plans of reconstruction. Hitler was making a cleaner and quicker sweep of Germany than Mussolini had done of Italy. When he had achieved his aim’ Hitler would be comparable with MUwOli&i,