The Guardian And Evening Star, with which is incorporated the West Coast Times TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 13, 1932. WORLD PROBLEMS.

Hokitika Guardian, 13 September 1932, Page 4

The Guardian And Evening Star, with which is incorporated the West Coast Times TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 13, 1932. WORLD PROBLEMS.

An appeal was made by the Prince of Wales recently for the mastery of tli© task of bringing consumption, and production into proper relationship, in the course of which he said we have all been learning through the surest and hardiest of lessons —adversity—how closely the prosperity of till the nations of the world depends upon the prosperity of each, and aill of them. Without losing one’s sense of proportion, one may justly say that the holding of this conference in these difficult and anxious days., and the splendid attendance here from all over the world, substantially confirms the evidence of Lausanne that the spirit of international co-operation and goodwill is'burning more brightly than at .any time within living memory, and for that we may be al 1 profoundly grateful. It will not be indiscreet now to teil'l you that only in this year the question was raised and seriously considered whether in the present state of the world it wtrs wise to proceed with an international conference to be held six months liorce. Was it not almost bound to fail for lack of suppmt. for lack of both the money and the goodwill essential for success? lb was very glad that the British or.ynisi’T, committee agreed unanimously to take the courageous course and refuse to do anything that might have, signalled to the world

that they despaired of the situation, and had not faith in the ultimate wisdom and goodwill of the nations. The Prince then explained the nature of the task confronting all civilised nations, having led the conference up to the subject of declaring tjiat the world-wide trade depression and economic disturbance, from which all had > suffered .so much had been largely caused by maladjustment of distribution and consumption to the world's capacity for production. The potententi.al output of the existing means of production in the world is far greater than ever before. If all the employable labour were employed foa reasonable, number of hours per week the world would have at its disposal a volume of commodities and services that would ou'ablfe the entire population to live on a higher level of comfort and well-being) tCia.n has ever been contemplated in the rosiest terms of the social reformer. The urgent task for the world is to bring about the adjustments necessary to bring consumption and production into proper relationship—not a simple, not »>,n easy, but quite a possible task, which this conference will' in some measure render teas difficult. The problem is largely one of distribution, using the term in its broadest sense, and It is much to the good that the Intern ationnl Chamber of Cbmmeroe -has recently set up an international committee on distribution to deal with it,