TRADE, MONEY, AND WAR

Press, Volume LXXI, Issue 21420, 12 March 1935, Page 7

TRADE, MONEY, AND WAR

TO THB EDITOR OF THE PHISS. Sir, —The publication of the White Paper is advancing the meat question a stage further to the point where it will become a burning question, or perhaps a dumping-at-sea question. There is, of course, the alternative of turning the surplus into manure in order to increase the productivity of our soil. It is so hard to get away from the idea that our debts can be paid by the mere production of more goods or that we live by our exports. If the old saw is true, that only experience teaches fools, it seems as if we are due shortly for a sharp lesson. It is at least becoming evident that Britain is determined to restrict the imports of meat from Australia and New Zealand. The same will soon apply t6 butter. Because the belief is world-wide that a country lives by its exports, all countries are contending for foreign markets. This is war in some degree—bloodless, but nevertheless war. Later on it will develop to bloody war. Britain has given lip service to the cause of peace and disarmament, but because her statemen still allow the Bank of England to impose the economic policy which must eventually lead to armed conflict, she has to prepare for realities. Thus we see the development of a policy of increased expenditure on defence. This serves two purposes, both imposed by the incongruities of the false doctrines of finance. It prepares for the realities of the armed conflict which is inevitable under the policy imjfosed by the world hegemony of finance. It also restores a measure of prosperity (so called) by imposing on the people an increased amount of work in making war material. It is important to note two points in this connexion. There is no difficulty in finding the money to pay the workers who man the factories and the units of the army, navy, and air forces. These men will not spend this money on war material, but on food, clothing, and shelter, trades supplying which will become more prosperous. Secondly, the theory of restoring prosperity by working hard will be vindicated. The people will still be poor because they have produced a great deal of material which is of no use to individuals and have gone deeper into debt to do so. The unthinking majority will be happy because they have had work to do. They do not realise that they, in common with the workers of other nations, have made huge quantities of goods which they never buy simply because under the present financial system they cannot buy all the goods they make. If they were compelled to make a surplus of goods which they had a desire for, the Iruth would eventually dawn on them. It can be more or less successfully disguised under the stress of fear of possible war and under actual war conditions it can be firmly suppressed. The progress in • the technique of warfare is making the further pursuit of the old technique, by which finance imposes its policy on the nations, dangerous not only to the peoples concerned, who. as normal beings, do not want war, but also to the financial system itself. We see this exemplified in the meat situation. If Britain is to prepare for war she must develop her food production to the point where she can be independent of outside supplies. This means the closing of export markets for the Dominions and making it Impossible for them to pay their debts. The theory that we live by our exports will go. The situation is gradually getting beyond the control of those responsible for the present impasse. It must dawn on them sooner or later that the only path to safety for themselves and the peoples of the world is to administer the financial system so that the people can buy the whole of the goods they create. When people realise that they live by what they use they will see the folly of making mountains of war material for which there need be no use. Instead of opposing the meat restrictions we should welcome them as the best means of putting an end to the policy which imposes the farce of poverty amidst plenty.—Yours, etc.. W. B. BRAY. March 11. 1935.