EQUALITY OF SACRIFICE.

Press, Volume LXVII, Issue 20169, 23 February 1931, Page 16

EQUALITY OF SACRIFICE.

TO THE EDITOR Of THE PBEBS. Sir,—l was pleased'to note that" Miss Mackay is not in favour of wage inductions, especially for the lower paidThe equitable way to deal .witn higher incomes is to tax all, wbetner they be public servants or not, o^" 6 , basis of ability to pay. Mr Forte* J proposal is to reduce the salaries the public servants, and then increase, their taxation in common with w» rest of the community. could alßo agree regarding the «m-r way men. The Union was.asJied w sanction rationing to find work tor .>« men. This variation of the wa f? might have been carried out oy arrangement with the Labour Depart- j mentj but the Tramway Board in- i sisted first that the alteration should be made by the Arbitration. Court, and secondly that there should bo unlimited right, at the option of tne Board, further to ration the cause the Board contemplated, furtner reductions in the number of tneir employees. The Board at made it clear that it desired the earliest opportunity to. .challenge. w» jurisdiction of the Arbitration Court, and if possible destroy the existing Had'the Union agreed fc> submit th| question of rationing to the.Court tne opportunity to challenge the Court*, jurisdiction would have occurred in* Board had previously made that it wanted reductions • in wages, plus abolition of overtime rates tne. reductions totalling many thousands ot pounds. . „ + t, A The Union, which comprises all tne men in the service; rejected tne Board's menacing proposals by, a- n ve to one vote of the rank and .«}?•.,. Miss Mackay will have noticed tnav Mr Snowden has now made it.„P ertec *J ly dear than equality of sacrifice ana national economy, so far as he is concerned, does not include wage reductions. His references to 'imminent sacrifices," he says, meant V™ 0 ™ 4 " 6 " taxation and suspension of scHemes of social development, and in nowise implied a possible attack on wages. Miss Mackay and I™» »? a,n Jr in agreement, if in pursuit of n»s proposal to increase indirect taxation air Snowden increases taxation on wine, beer, and spirits.—Yours, etc., E. B. McOOMBS.

I February 21st. 1930. TO THK WMTOB 0» TH« PBMS Sir,—lt is to be deplored that Miss Mackay will not define- what is meant by "equality of sacrifice." In spite of her words, we ore still at a loss as to her point of view. . Sacrifice—what does it mean? A full and simple and expressive word will express it: "selfdenial," a' deprivation of ones sett, which.will give us discomfort or curtail our enjoyment of living. How can we apportion this equally among all, however willing we may be?. - Let us see how 'the poor exist. I** us interview Captain Dry, of the Salvation Army, and ask him 1» enlighten us. He will tell us how many thousands of free meals be has given during the last month. He m* add also that»he has been taxed to the utmost to provide.' shelter for. homeless men. Sometimes 160 have rested ott'tbe floor, of his rooms. Or let us pay ajvxsit to the' Hospital Board on the day,; when the charity,- hard won from'our cit*-. tens, is being dispensed.'On the out- - skirts of the crowd you can perceive at a glance one whoso first application ■it is. Imagine- having to undergo that inquisition, before your "claim is con-, sidereal Your age? Maraedotr single? Numbe* of , dependents? ,-, : .-- Religion? Relatives living?/Their position P Will fdrgetf; Can sacrifice be- carried to a further point than thia? .-'■'' : V ■ .' •' . Those of us'who. live sheltered lives, who are protected from' every-adverse wind that f Mows, should' Ours- should not -be the i*ongws to speak of equality «f sacrifice..; V,There ■ can be no equality of- sacrifice- unless, we are all prepared to descend-to jm depths of poverty and-privatum... This morning I lay awake .in jny cosy; : bed. I could'nt r'estj my mind was , .full of what I know and what I feel. I could almost hear', stutaess, the scarcely, s|gh of. *he'mother after her experience, of wow* p™, the Makeshift cot tbe/wajl", of. the. underfedvcbild., '.,,.* ;'* . '/-.J , Thatf&she have made and'they a>» Mnakrog.it every day. And y«t their, poferjron; tf -■ to be made * still ■ harder,.) more : unbear* ablefby more taxes on necessities on. the plea that all must t&jire;the den. It is not sacrifice, thasynefededj but; restoration. That ?s my remedy,-! You^.eto.,;^^..;'-,;.,^-,,; ' ' February 21st,; 1930.. '■*■!. : V J ' /;: ; •_ !