“Production and Consumption'

Manawatu Times, Volume LIV, Issue 7282, 9 October 1933, Page 5

“Production and Consumption'

(To tho Editor.) Sir,—Every sane individual must surely realise that there is now no problem of production, and that the only problem before us is that of consumption. Tho difficulty is to get things that aro so easily produced to the people who need them. If we can once grasp this fact, then we see the utter futility of improving productive methods and attaining to greater efficiency, as undor the present system of distribution such improvements will accentuate the trouble all the time. The faci that tho only problem is that of consumption is glaringly obvious to anyone engaged in production. But so soaked are economists in “orthodox” Stone Age teachings that nothing is considered “sound economies” which does not aim at increased production. The idea of tackling the problem of consumption is the blackest of heresies. Marketing schemes, advertising, salesmanship are the lines along which the most desperate efforts have to be made to sell the goods that are so easily produced. Wc are eternally being urged to use more of this or that, industry cannot possibly recover unless we buy more. And in almost the same breath we are told that it is impossible for the country to prosper unless we spend Jess and save, our money in order to produce more, so that the . outlook does not appear very encouraging. On Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays civilisation invents new ways for abolishing labour, and on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays new ideas for tho relief of unemployment. Until the problem of consumption is recognised, faced and solved there is no possibility of relief from this eternal struggle for existence. We have the remedy awaiting to be applied and as soon as the whole community aro properly caught in tho “blizzard,” wo may be assured of tho desired alteration in our financial system'in favour of the proposals outlined by Major C. H. Douglas for a costless credit issue which belongs to the community and can bo crea/ted and distributed at nobody’s expense, but to everyone’s enrichment. More wages, more salaries, moro dividends. Wealth may be defined as tho “capacity to consume.” Ruskin says it is “the possession of useful things which wo can use.”—l am, etc., “PROGRESS.” Palmerston North, Oct. 7.