Wirarapa Times-Age THURSDAY, MARCH 21, 1940. OUR ECONOMIC WAR EFFORT.

Wairarapa Times-Age, 21 March 1940, Page 4

Wirarapa Times-Age THURSDAY, MARCH 21, 1940. OUR ECONOMIC WAR EFFORT.

MINISTERS of tho Crown and others who have made themselves heard on the subject of late evidently are on firm around in affirming that the economic war effort of t conn • is not less important than its military eftoit. A thoiou effective organisation and use of onr economic resources is needed in ihe first place in order that we imiy meet as h 11} and with as little strain as possible the direct demands of the war It is needed also in order that the after-effects of war mav be minimised. The least that those of us who remain at home can do is to establish such conditions hat the of our fitting forces, when they return, will not return to a country that has gone -to pieces economically in. their absence. We should the more readily endeavour to honour this obligation since it is very much in the interests of every individua in the population that it should be honoured to the lull. The problems involved are many-sided and some ol them are of great difficulty. It is inevitable, for exanip e, that the war, particularly if it is destined to be a. lengthy ordeal, should add heavilv to our burden of national debt. Much mav be done, however, bv wisely-directed and courageous enterprise to reduce the relative weight of war and other burdens. Ihe ke} to onr total material problem is a progressive expansion ol production, not only in the export, industries by means of which we mav at once increase the supplies of foodstuff's and othei materials available to the Mother Country and build up our sterling resources, but, in all forms of useful industry in. which it is open to ns to engage. In steadily enlarging production we have a means both of limiting the absolute and relative weight of war burdens, and of setting limits to the vicious ascending spiral of rising costs and prices which added so terribly to tho economic confusion and disaster arising out. of the last war. At the annual meeting of the Wellington Chamber of Commerce, its president, Captain S. Holm, urged that m tunes of danger, parties must be subservient to the country and that all must unite and work together for the common welfare. This Dominion (he added) will play its part in the anxious days ahead. For it is peopled by descendants o£ the best stock and is loyal, sound and patriotic. There is, however, too much internal strife and dissension, and my own opinion is that an political parties should unite for the duration of the war. that contentious legislation should be held in abeyance and the best possible national effort should be made toward the successful prosecution of our war effort. We would then have the best leadership. Given that, internal troubles would cease, criticism and obstruction would fade, and we would be united against the common enemy and within we would have peace among our people. Provided it is interpreted positively, this is the counsel that the times and emergency demand. What, is needed is not merely a truce between contending groups and sections, but generous, active and wholehearted co-operation in a united war effort — a harnessing of all available energies in the prosecution ol the war with jnaxiinmn vigour and in doing what may Jie done permanently to strengthen onr national economy. The most essential demand of all, (where economic factors are concerned, is that the clearest, possible field should be opened up for all useful and helpful enterprise. Great and formidable as the difficulties confronting the Dominion admittedly are, there are encouraging signs of an awakening and expansion in our community of a spirit and outlook which will make it possible to attack these problems hopefully. Not. least noteworthy from that standpoint is tho extending list of offers to the State of interest-free loans and donations in furtherance of the prosecution of the war. Those by whom these public-spirited offerings are being made have found an admirable way of placing helpful service Io the community above self-interest. Nothing will do more to nurture the spirit of service thus manifested, and to create from the broadest standpoint the atmosphere and conditions in which a united national’ war effort may take effective shape, than a genuinely wise lead by the Government in the management, and control of ihe financial and economic affairs of the Dominion. On behalf of the Government, the Minister of Finance has stated that, it will in no circumstances pass on the sacrifices of war to those least able to bear them. For that stand there will be no lack of support. But it is the bonnden duty of Ihe Government also to excise from our huge national Budget, not only all items of needless or wasteful expenditure, but. all outlays, whether from revenue or capital, that, ought, to be dispensed with or postponed in the present war emergency. It is open to the Government in that way to remove many obstacles to. the expansion of productive industry which is or should be an exceedingly important part of onr total war effort.