Dear Sir,

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 9, Issue 25, 20 November 1945, Page 4

Dear Sir,

Letters to the Editor must be clearly written on one side of the paper only and where a nom-de-plume is used the name of the writer must be included for reference purposes. The Editor reserves the right to amend or withhold any letter or letters. WHITHER BOUND HUMANITY Sir —Your correspondents Mr Dar_ ran and Mr Ardath both allege that my ideas are fundemtnally erroneous while the arguments they use appear to me quite untenable. That being the case it seems necessary for us £o clear the air somewhat in order to understand, each other better. For my part I am quite prepared to admit being Avrong if my opponents in debate can prove satisfactorily that they are right. In order to clear the air therefore I would ask either or both of your correspondents to answer a lew questions. Both talk glibly about economic freedom and free enterprise. What do they mean by economic freedom and what is the relationship between economic freedom and free enterprise? Mr Darrau states that economic controls were only abolished same 100 years ago. To what economic controls was he referring and who exercised the controlling authority? A study of economic history reveals that at no period has economic control been exercised by what might be generally termed the working class of any society. I might point out here that socialist theory aims at creating a classless society by cooperative ownership of the means of production etc. The working classes ave distinct inasmuch as they own no productive property f and such classes have never yet possessed sufficient political power to enable them to exercise economic control. But to.go on. Assuming that these two gentlemen are defending the present economic upset 1 must ask them to explain the very close relationship that existed before the war between the Conservative Party of England (big business) and the Fascist Government of Germany? A relationship that lead to Munich and eventually war. Do they claim that the German economic system was not based on the production for profit anjl if so what proof have they that it was co-operatively controlled with production for use as the motive? With regards to Mr Ardath's statement re the 3,000 000 Poles alleged to have been sent to Siberia and generally mistreated what proof has he that the alleged incident occurred? 1 must admit to an element of truth in the statement that free enterprose allows us to change govern-? ments by peaceful means. There is the classic example of the refusal by England of a loan of } I think to France unless the then socialist government of France under Leon Blum was de-r posed. The government was deposed and France got the loan. The gov-» eminent at that time w T as Conservative and very staunch upholders of the theory of free enterprise. Another example is the undermining of the first Labour Government in England by the same class of people. Of course there was the Republican Government of Spain only in that case the people objected with the result that the change of Government had to be brought about by violent means. I would ask these two gentlemen if such examples are to their liking and if they can deny the truth of them. I would like to conclude Mr Editor? by congratulating you on the freedom you extend to correspond-? ents. Tf all newspapers were as free as yours in this respect and in other respects as well, perhaps: there would be a greater understanding of the other man's point of view with a consequent casing of, the problems that face mankind. Yours etc., S. MAYOW.