FEDERAL UNION
Sir,-Your correspondent, Mr. Martin, appears to have skimmed over "Union Now" and picked out a few points which he thinks form a strong case
against Federal Union. Actually, all he has done is make it clear that he is unable to read with any more than a superficial understanding. He says that Streit suggests a return to the Gold Standard, which would assure America (the greatest holder of gold) of control of the Union. This is not the case at all. All gold would be handed over to the Federal Union Bank to form the backing for the Union’s currency. This gold, which might be scattered all over the world, would belong, not to any one State, but to the Union as a whole. Thus America, while not handing over to the Federal Government any colonial territories, or any property of real or imaginary value, would be supplying the greatest gold reserves in the world. Another point your correspondent makes is that America, with her population of 126,000,000, would have a complete control of the Union policy. Now, this might be so if England and America were to combine without any other countries, but if Streit’s plans were put into operation, the voting power of the other countries of the Union would be much greater than that of the U.S.A. It is also most unlikely that all the representatives of America would vote the same way on all matters. Within the Union Parliament, parties would be formed of all persons of similar views, whatever their country. Socialists, for example, from New Zealand would most certainly work with American Socialists, rather than with New Zealand capitalists. This would be true of all political creeds. Mr. Martin seems outraged that a Union should be even suggested without changes (radical, I fear) in the economic systems. It may be that changes are necessary, and when the time comes to draw up the Constitution, they will receive the treatment they deserve. The last point Mr. Martin made was the observation that, under Hitler, there is a form of Federal Union in Europe. He asks if Federal Unionists would accept this? The answer is, of course, "no." Streit’s plan was essentially democratic, and no union which encroaches upon the libertiés of the individual is acceptable.
FEDERAL UNION
(Maraekakaho).
‘More " Letters from Listeners" will be found on Page 14.
LETTERS FROM LISTENERS
(Continued from page 4)
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New Zealand Listener, Volume 3, Issue 64, 13 September 1940, Page 4
Word count
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402FEDERAL UNION New Zealand Listener, Volume 3, Issue 64, 13 September 1940, Page 4
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