W.E.A. Syllabus of Talks

Radio Record, Volume V, Issue 43, 6 May 1932, Page 28

W.E.A. Syllabus of Talks

° ‘ From 1YA Heginuing on May 11 and 12, two series of four talks each will be broadcast weekly at 7.30 p.m. from 1YA, as follows :--

"Financial Policy and the Crisis" . By Mr. N. M. Richmond, B.A. 1. "Factors in Economic Dislocation Since the War." "How Money Comes into the Question." 2. 3. "The Case for a ‘Managed’ Currency." 4, "Keeping up Purchasing Power."

Rwn re "Ways of Wild Birds" By Mr. R. A. Falla, M.A. . "Birds as Minstrels." . "Birds as Travellers." . "Birds as Home Builders." . "Birds and Man."

N outline of the first talk in each of the accompanying series appears below : "Factors in Economic Dislocation Since the War." "Poverty in the midst of plenty" is ihe outstanding paradox of modern society. It is not merely that some are rich and others poor, but rather that all of us are much poorer than we ought to be. In a world where skill and invention have made possible a production of wealth which if properly organised could afford us all a high standard of living, the existing unemployment and distress would seem to be inexcusable. What are the causes of our failure? In the first place, industry and trade have been too slow in responding to our changing wants. Owing to the modern tendency of population to become stationary, those industries which supply comparative luxuries have been stimulated at the expense of those supplying necessaries. This is the reason why primary producing industries are: severcly depressed the world over. Secondly, while before the war there was a broad tendency for the world to become a single economic unit-for the various kinds of raw materials and manufactured goods to be produced wherever the local advantages are greatest and to be exchanged in a world-wide market-the war and its uftermath have driven us into a phase of economic nationalism which is far from economic in its results, A third factor is seen in the progressive concentration of the control of industrial operations, carrying with it the necessity for more and more elaborate organisation to carry out the distribution of goods and services to consumers. On the whole, the central problem would seem to be a problem of balance. "Mere material things, which science cnables us to produce in ‘increasing quantities, may be a nuisance unless some sort of proportion is maintained between the different things produced." This proportion or balance "is not easy to maintain in an economic organisation that covers the whole world, and that works through the spontaneous ¢o-operation of millions of independent firms. . .. And the balance, such as it was, which was attained before the war was upset by the war." It is argued by some that the crisis in which we find ourselves. is alone sufficient to condemn our existing economic arrangements, and that the methods of either Russia or Italy would be preferable. Others maintaii that our money and banking methods are chiefly at fault. The three following talks.will discuss this contention. ((The ideas in the present talk are largely suggested by Clay’s pamphlet, "Industry and Trade," published by the 3B.B.C. in connection with a broadcast series on "The Changing World." A limited supply of these pumphlets will] shortly be available; price about 6d.) No. 1; Birds as Minstrels. (a) Birds, the only living creatures except man, capable of sustained song. (b) Dismissing for the present the interesting questions of how and why they sing, we go on to consider the rich variety of bird-song. (c) Birds are singing even in these shortening days of late autumn-illus-tration from the song of the thrush and fhe spasmodic autumn efforts of the tui. Autuinn song indicates revival of energy after tha.autumn moult.

(d) The richest development of song is in early spring. Many birds sing only at this season. The arrival of sweet-voiced migrants from the north tions from the call of spring songsters and th? shining cuckoo.

A Guide Through the Depression

Lectures from 4YA May 6-The Agricultural Problem. May 13-The Industrial Problem. May 20-The Monetary Problem. May 27-The National Problem. All Lectures at 7.30. Lecturer-~Mr. Lloyd Ross, M.A., LL.B. OST people are afraid of the depression, not merely because they may suffer personally, but also because they are afraid of the unknown. They are lost in a lurge and strange city, They want to find a guide through this eity. They want to understand what

is happening to them. They read ar‘ticles and books and hear lectures, and declare that they are more confused than ever, as they would be if they tried to find their way about London town by using pages torn from different guide books, and if they tried to follow every piece. of advice given by passers by. Our citizen, wondering about the depression, comes to the conclusion that the expert economist is ignorant and a big bluff, and that he cannot obtain any good advice from him, since economists disagree. (So do doctors and clergymen, by the way.) Then he gen‘erally gives up the whole study as hopeless, or he takes refuge in one simple explanation that seems to settle everything. The point of view that will be tuken in these lectures is that the problem facing the world to-day is a complicated one, but that it is still possible for the inquirer to find his way about if he is prepared to arrange his information and thoughts. The problem is complicated, for the same reason as the streets in an old ‘city are complicated-they are the product of centuries of change and influ- ence and modifications without plan or purpose. Our economic system has grown up like a city has grown. Just as it would be impossible to find your way through

a city by turning to the right at every second corner, so there is no adequate simple account of the world’s economic ills, The blame is not on the economist, but on the complexity of the economic system itself. _ Yet, just as there are main thoroughfares in a city, so in the study of the depression there are main forces. We will find that economists differ chiefly on the stress that they will give to these forces. Is the Strand or the British Museum, or Charing Cross or Whitehall, a better land mark? Is it better to concentrate on the agricultural or the monetary factor? If we want a potted and simple solution because we are too lazy, then we may pretend that only one of the many causes is the important one, and so need not bother about the others. If we really and sincerely want to understand, we will begin by grouping the main types of explanations given. Then as we read or hear ey tures we will add more information vo these different groups. This is the method that we propose to follow in ‘this series of lectures, You will see at the head of these notes the main headings that have been selected. We shall summarise the causes under these divisions, and discover in the time allotted all that can be said about each in turn. It may be that when we have followed through these particular causes that we will be able to fit our analysis into a simple formula, but the more scientific and rational method is to investigate the facts first. Remember that the W.E.A. of Otago will be pleased to assist in sending books and information, and particularly draws attention to its correspondence course on the world crisis. Be ready then on May 6 with pencil and paper to accompany the tutor on the first of the perconally conducted tours of the depression. We will seek a way through this old industrial system by looking at the position of the primary producer. Lecture from 4YA on the Agricultural Depression. HE disaster that has overtaken the primary producers has been due to a great fall in prices. Since all costs have not fallen in the same proportion, the primary producer is suffering partly because his own returns have been decreased, and _ partly because he is unable to buy the same «mount of manufactured goods with these decreased returns. The fall in purchasing power of the primary producer thus extends to the manuf jy turer, but not rapidly enough to mii.se up to cause prices to fall to reimburse the primary producer. In any case, the fall in prices is bad for production, if the fall is too rapid. Why have prices fallen? Such is the question that Mr. Ross is setting out to answer in the series of lectures that he is giving from 4YA. Prices may fall because of a restriction of the amount of money available, and partly by a sudden increase in goods on the market. A great mistake was being made by people who are looking only at an apparent monetary restriction, and are led thereby to blame conspiracies of bankers and: financiers for the present depression. It is frequently forgotten that changes on the side of production are just as important, and that in fact the fall in prices may be due to an increase in the production of certain goods so that the prices of some goods would (Continued on page 80.)

W.E.A. Talks

(Continued from page 28.) fall relatively to other goods. Myr. Ross will analyse the position of primary products just before the depression, paying a special attention to.

_--- wheat. The League of Nations has issued a number of reports on the position of primary production, and these will be used by Mr. Ross. The following points might be discussed: Is there any fundamental reason why the fall in the price of primary products is not always followed by an increase in demand? If prices fall too far and producers are ruined, will not production be limited, so that prices will again rise? | Are there any factors preventing this in the modern world? If the world is able to satisfy the needs of primary production with the expenditure of less energy what comments should be made on the campaign of economy, the proposals to put more men on the land, and the general position of New Zealand? Do not forget that the W.H.A. of Otago will be pleased to enter into correspondence with listeners-in on these questions. ee led... on aoe YE ever ve" a oe oe UF