PLAIN ANSWERS TO “ARGOLD.”

Waikato Times, Volume 114, Issue 19100, 10 November 1933, Page 9

PLAIN ANSWERS TO “ARGOLD.”

(To the Editor). Sir, —Until a man rises above personal self-interest in his outlook, hi 1 I pronouncement upon the motives o j others are bound to be much colourec j If not wholly derived from the rulinj 1 motive of his own heE(rt. “Argold" opens his last letter Ir { answer to myself with the following , statement: ".'ir Hansen's efforts to Obj tain supremacy afford me the humorI ous relief that this discussion woulf j otherwise lack”. . . . With regard tc | the first part I can say that I have nol j sought to appear personally | “supreme," but rather to establish anc I maintain the supremacy of truth Ir ; the minds of readers. It should be realised that to be loyal to the hlghesl truth as one sees it often means tc suffer seeming extinguishment sit the hands cf an antagonist, who uses fertile wit and imagination to play upon the people’s traditional beliefs and | sentiments, which never go hand in hand with the forward, fearless guest of truth. As regards the second part ol “Argold's opening "remark, it seems in itself a sufficient -indication of his attitude in facing the subjects he has been so profusely discoursing. To me, if one can but be sure that one Is doing something, at, however, great a cost, to hasten on the Golden Age of human happiness and abundant wellbeing, which waits upon a greater recognition of each man’s right to freedom of self-determination, that, surely, should be all the “meat and drink" desired by the earnest striver. I cannot see how “Argold's" Idea of "humorous relief" fits into this picture by any means. "Argold” suggests that I have apparently given up the unprofitable occupation of “collecting honey," having turned my attention to cost accountancy. "Argold" might pause to reflect on the significance of my previous remarks re the unpayable nature of honey production as illustrating the fact that cost accountancy is not related, under the present credit system, to the creation and liberation of purchasing power. That is to say, by mere reference to cost accountancy you can by no means argue that an amount of purchasing power equal to the legitimate costs recorded has been distributed. The case of . business men whose accounts record an -item known as “ drawings," (personal profit) does not Invalidate anything I have said. As I pointed out before, allocated (and B costs generally), can be, and are recovered from the community’s purse, provided the -community goes on increasing its (unpayable) indebtedness to the banking system with sufficient acceleration. Needless to say, that is not altogether the case. Whereas it is true that some Industries and businesses still succeed in ing items called “drawings,” it will not, I think, be disputed that such industries and businesses only flourish at the expense of the many others Into which capital is being continually poured—and lostl "Argold," however, persists in putting the cart before the horse in regard to allocated costs. Before any cost can be met (general principle again) a sum ol money equal to it must have been previously distributed. In the case of an allocated oost this does not happen. • In conclusion let me frinkly state that I have not given up collecting honey, and that my time is so much required for this work and also for looking after my home that it Is not feasible to attempt to write long letters such as “Argold’s".—l am, etc., R. E. HANSEN. Orini, November 9. 1933.