FIVE-YEAR PLAN.

Star (Christchurch), Volume XLIV, Issue 193, 15 August 1931, Page 25

FIVE-YEAR PLAN.

“ Has Not Made Good,” Declares Financier. ADVICE TO OTHER NATIONS (Special to ths “Star.”) VANCOUVER, July 2. That other countries are already doing that which the Soviet is talking loudly about, and that the Communist system in Russia has not yet made good, are the declarations of Mr J. P. I). Malkin, a leading financier and mcichant of Vancouver, who has just completed a tour of Russia, in a trip around the world. “Italy, Germany and Austria are all doing what Russia is talking about. And if Russia catches up to Europe in a generation I shall be surprised," said Mr Malkin. “Living conditions there are as bad as the world believes them to be—crowded tenements, food scarcity, but not famine and no danger of it, for the scarcity is voluntary and artificially caused by the desire to create credits abroad for machinery. “While clothed in much verbiage, the present Russian ideal is entirely material. They deny the existence of a soul, and defy material progress, expressed in more things for the people. When they get the things in twenty /ears their standard will then only approximate our general standard. What then? “The greatest thing they have done t*, to create an incentive to work . . .

the State and not self-interest. So far they have succeeded. If they finally are able to maintain this ideal, and if human selfishness does not overtake them, they will be a dominating force for real good in the world, even if their system does not become world-wide. “And what should be our attitude in Canada?" Mr Malkin asked. “To boldly recognise that our system has produced a higher standard of living and a greater mental development,” he answered. "Secondly, to recognise the Russian experiment simply as the result of some strong men taking advantage of the conditions created by the Great W r ar, by the senility and degradation of the old Russian regime, by the servile character of the majority of the old Russian population, dominated formerly by the Czarist Government and now by an autocratic Communist minority." “Government Must Lead." Thirdly, Mr Malkin believes Canada should recognise and profit by what is good in the present Russian regime. He suggests this be done as follows: (1) In educating our children in the history of our progress and how it all came about, stressing political economy and teaching them that the precious legacy they have received can only be maintained by constant vigilance on their part. (2) By educating the young to realise what the country does for them, and demanding in return a corresponding service from them.

By taking a leaf from the Russian book, we should demand from every college student who has received a practically free college education a return commensurate with that education, and no college student educated in Canada should be free to go to the United States or elsewhere simply because wages are higher. (3) Our Government must budget, not for one year, but for five or ten years. It must plan so that public works shall be carried out in times of economic stress and not in times of prosperity. It should not follow public sentiment as it does now. should lead.

Successful Men's Dut j. (4) There must be a keener social consciousness on the part of our successful men. They, like the college men who have received an education, must realise that wealth was not given them to use selfishly. They must not fight every new tax for social service. They must more and more recognise that they are only trustees and not owners. (5) We must see that every citizen has subsistence, and that in return he performs a service for it. With all our wealth in food and clothes and minerals and building material, surely we can afford to keep our people properly, and in return demand from them a return in services that will add to the amenities and conveniences of our complicated modern life. Action Must Be National 1 (6) In business relations our Government must recognise that a new factor has arisen. A country which sells regardless of cost and while competition exists must take means to fight it. No single industry in Canada can fight the Russian Government. Means must be found to keep our salmon industry, our lumber industry, our wheat industry alive. We cannot allow these industries to be killed off one by one, leaving Russia monarch of all she surveys. This is a national question, and will never be settled by the puerile method of refusing to recognise Russia and refusing to do business with her, “In summing up," concludes Mr Malkin, "I know of no truer saying than ‘by their fruits ye shall know them.* and using this yardstick I am content that our system is the best." *