RALPH NADER THE SOCIALIST

"The sort of female to suit his style and pace would be hard to find? Ralph examples the coupling of Beatrice Webb and her consort Sydney. (regarded as among the chief architects of the Welfare State) The remarkable Beatrice Webb threw her energies into social reform and became a well-known, forceful, relentless public figure. Ralph Nader conceded that there is a shortage of Beatrice Webbs." - From interview of Ralph Nader by Claudia Wright, The Herald, Melbourne, July 8.

Although he is only one of many who have criticised the bad effects of the present economic system, Mr. Ralph Nader has been much more successful than all others in achieving mass publicity for his activities. It is true that the American writer Vance Packer has obtained a wide circulation for his book, The Wastemakers, which presents the story of "built-in obsolescence." And some of the anti pollution groups have been well publicised. But Nader has been given such lavish publicity by the news media that the question must be asked why should this be.

There is little doubt that Mr. Nader is a most dedicated man, but he is also a man with a Socialist philosophy, as witnessed by his admiration for Beatrice Webb. The Webbs were pioneers of the Fabian Socialist movement and played a major role in the establishment of the London School of Economics. It was the Webbs who visited the Soviet Union in 1931, and returned home to issue their two-volume report, Soviet Communism - A New Civilisation a work, which misled large numbers of people. But as was revealed later, this work was but a re-hash of Soviet Foreign Office material.

Now it may be argued that Mr. Nader does not understand the role of the Fabian Socialists. But Mr. Nader goes right along with the Fabians on his approach to many major issues. He is all for lowering the voting age to 18, pandering to the modern dogma that there is some special virtue in the young. Mr. Nader advocates that international pressure should be brought to bear upon Australia to do something - Mr. Nader did not say what - for the Aborigines. Mr. Nader is, naturally, against pollution. But he is rather selective.

When asked a very precise question at his first Australian meeting, chaired by Fabian Socialist Mr. Gough Whitlam, concerning fluoridation of public water supplies, Mr. Nader gave an answer, which even Mr. Whitlam must have admired. He completely evaded that part of the question concerning ethics. Mr. Nader has drawn attention to the serious and dangerous deficiencies in many modern motorcars. He is correct in much of his criticism of the modern giant corporation. But like most of his fellow antipollutionists, Mr. Nader never gets beyond effects.

He draws attention to the obvious truth that the big cities of the world are generating major problems. These problems were listed long before Mr. Nader was born. One of Mr. Nader's "solutions" to big city pollution is to make it impossible for the private car to be used. Mr. Nader advocates public transport, which would be "free". Mr. Nader did promise to have a look at the present financial system, but his report is a classic example of how to evade the basic issue. Mr. Nader very carefully confined himself to question of administration.

As far as we know, Mr. Nader has never once dealt with the basic causes of that excessive economic centralism which is destroying Civilisation. It is certain that Mr. Barry Jones and his Fabian-Socialist colleagues did not invite Mr. Nader to Australia unless they were satisfied that he would make a major contribution to the furtherance of their philosophy. And they knew that they could rely upon the news media to assist them. If Mr. Nader ever gets around to tackling basic issues, we can predict that from then on he will cease to be featured by the mass media!

"TIMELY HINT FROM AFRICA"

"Tardily, and under threat of international embarrassment, the Government has decided not to renew the passports of three Australians representing the Rhodesian External Relations Department. The decision is correct and should have been taken much sooner, but it appears that the Minister for Immigration (Dr. Forbes) was prodded into action by pressure from the Ghanian Government....." - The Age, Melbourne, July 7th.

The Age has such a phobia about Rhodesia that it sees pressure from an African dictatorship as a "timely hint from Africa." It would be instructive to know how Ghana came to know that three Australians were applying to have their Australian passports renewed. The three men are all returned servicemen. We do not deny that the appropriate Ministers have the right to deny or to cancel passports, but it is disgraceful that Australia should deny Australians passports because of the pressure from a military dictatorship in Africa. Australians are working all over the world, including in the United Nations, and associated international organisations. They do not lose their passports. Australians can visit Red China, where the Government is not recognised by the Australian Government, and use their passports. Will the next step in the anti-Rhodesian vendetta be the denial of passports to Australians who want to visit Rhodesia?

COMING BIG LEAGUE OF RIGHTS EVENTS

The well -known South African journalist, author and lecturer, Mr. Ivor Benson, speaks at the Seminar following the W.A. League Dinner, to be held in Perth on Saturday, August 26th. Also speaking: Mr. Robert C. Chih, Consul of the Republic of China.

"New Times" Annual Dinner, Melbourne, Friday, September 22nd, $6.00 donation must be sent with booking. Organisers reserve right to reject applications.

League of Rights National Seminar, Saturday, September 23rd, starting at 2 p.m. Theme: "Australia's Future and Southern Africa." Papers by Dr. Walter Henderson, Mr. Carlos de Lemos and Mr. Ivor Benson. Entrance 1 dollar.

League of Rights National V.P.A, Conference. Sunday, September 24th, starting at 10 a.m. Only actionists may attend.

South Australian Annual Dinner, Saturday, October 14th. Guest speaker, Mr. Jeremy Lee. Mr. Eric Butler will also be present.

A.L.P. AND THE A.I.D.C.

"It's all very odd. At a time when the nation is surfeited with private Capital inflow, an official corporation is looking for more in the world's money markets." - The Age, Melbourne, July 8th.

Capital inflow is pouring into Australia. At the close of the 1971 financial year it amounted to some $1,456 Million, and will be much more at the close of the 1972 financial year. Some estimates we have seen put the figure as twice that amount. The Australian Industry Corporation was set up in 1970 as a government body to borrow money overseas, and then re-lend it locally.

The "father" of the A.I.D.C. was the former Leader of the Country Party, Sir John Mc.Ewen, whose case for the need of the A.I.D.C. rested on the fragile Australian balance of payments position, which existed at the time. Now, as the economists have it, Australia's problem is too much foreign exchange, not too little. Will the A.I. D. C. be wound up then? Not on your life'.

Sir John Mc.Ewan also wanted the A.I.D.C. as a sort of buffer to prevent control of Australian enterprises from falling into foreign hands - this is laudable enough. But, because of the enormous gush of capital inflow, which has been poured into Australia, foreign ownership of Australia's assets is increasing apace. So where do we go from here?

The A.L.P supported the Bill, which set up the A.I.D.C. in 1970, thus aligning itself with the Country Party. The Liberals were generally cool; the Treasury was very cool; but Mr. Whitlam and the socialists of the A.L.P. saw in the A.I.D.C. an effective instrument for the socialization of industry. He said at the time:- "Legislation... can be amended, and it is important that this institution be created, that it gather its staff and establish its sources of information and finance so that it can readily be given a more creative role by the Labor Government in 1972".

We have little doubt what will be in Mr. Whitlam's mind when he comes to consider the "amendment" to existing legislation covering the A.I.D.C. It will be the increase (gradual for a start in the best Fabian style) of Government control over those industries which will have dealings with the Corporation building up to outright nationalisation of specific industries. Once more, the manipulation of Financial will provide a fillip to the socialisation process.

MAJOR SOCIALIST STRIDES FORESEEN BY LABOR LEADER

"The structure of the Liberal-Country Party just isn't geared to accept radical new schemes which would transform decaying areas of public policy in Australia". - Mr. Lance Barnard, Deputy Federal Leader of Opposition as quoted in The Australian, July 10th.

Mr. Barnard perhaps unconsciously, foretold what is in the minds of the Labor-Socialists who hope to be the Government at the close of this year…"only a comprehensive national superannuation scheme, backed by supplementary assistance schemes linking welfare programmes at all levels of government, can eliminate the blot of poverty in Australia." ( our emphasis)

The bitter truth of the present situation in which modern man in his societies (communist and capitalist) finds himself is that he is kept so short of purchasing power because of the vicious inroads which taxation and inflation have made into his economic independence, that he is forced to become dependent upon Big Brother - the State. We see in Mr. Barnard's statement the confirmation that these inroads are to widen. Great "superannuation schemes" and "welfare programmes at all levels" mean greater "contributions" (as though there were any choice) from John Citizen's pay packet, to support a further expansion of Commonwealth bureaucrats, who will administer these grandiose schemes to hand him back a pittance at the close of his working life which will be eroded by inflation, anyway, by the time he receives it.

But above and beyond this the grand design takes on more shape - a fully socialist society, with all men on the government payroll, and with any economic independence destroyed by confiscatory taxation.

Lenin once made the remark that around 50% of the work force of a nation would need to be on the government payroll to make the success of revolution (Communist) more or less certain. We could discuss this at length; and Lenin was quite right. Suffice it to say that the Socialists are pushing on towards Lenin's programme.

ON TARGET BULLETIN

What is Money?

(contd.)
The first essential in examining the money question is to stop regarding it as an end in itself, to realize that money is a man made system, and that the system can be changed by man. To worship a man-made money system is a form of superstition. It is not money which is the root of all evil, as some maintain, but the love of money.

In order to understand the modern money system, an understanding of the history of that system is of great value. Originally the wealth producers of the world issued their own money tickets - generally leather discs - in the same way that railway organizations issue their own tickets. It might be observed in passing that no railway organization permits a train to run half empty, with people requiring seats because insufficient tickets have been printed. Cattle were at one time, and still are in some primitive societies regarded as the most important form of wealth. It is interesting to note that the Latin word for money is "pecus" and the use of the modern word, pecuniary, provides historical proof of the origin of the earlier form of money.