By The Way: “Purer" Socialists (? !) (1945)

The By The Way Column from the May 1945 issue of the Socialist Standard

“Purer" Socialists (? !)

  “The system of state capitalist economy now being practised in Russia with (according to my view) its almost indecent emphasis upon personal profit as a stimulus to social and economic activity, is in many respects much closer to British 19th century economic-doctrines than are the economic conditions in Britain to-day. In certain details such as the Russian provision that peasants may sell their surplus in the free market at free prices it is the English farmer in 1945 who is the purer Socialist. There will be no difficulty in Russians and British understanding each other on the basis of the profit motive!

  A second imaginary obstacle is the belief by some people in Britain that the Russian Government is Communist in the sense that it is working for world revolution. This in the Russia of 1945 is a most shocking suggestion, for you are telling the Russians that they are Trotskyites! This is worse than to tell (say) an ardent young Tory that he is a reactionary.”

Commander King-Hall, M.P. (Parliamentary delegation to Russia.. “Observer,” March 18th, 1945).)

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The First 2,000,000

  “Russia tried to buy 2,000,000 artificial legs on the American market last week.

   The small U.S. factories, already far behind on domestic orders, could not help out—none of them produces more than 5,000 artificial limbs a year. The Soviets, who must step up their own small output, are already studying American methods.

  For 2,000,000 false legs was only a starting estimate; after three and a half years of continuous fighting, the number of war cripples in Russia is unknown.”

(“Time,” U.S.A., October 9th, 1944.)

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"Lend to the End," etc.

  “Mink coats, which would cost up to £10,000 in the shops, are being sold secretly for £1,000 to £2,000 paid in cash to dodge purchase tax restrictions.

  Evidence was given to me yesterday that there are “queues” of ready-money buyers willing to purchase luxury furs—with no bill or receipt changing hands.

  The coats are being sold as “second-hand” but they are really coats almost completely renovated with pre-war skins kept in storage.

  Prices of mink coats are four times as much as they were before the war. Five hundred pounds was a reasonable price in 1938, while a hop-price coat cost as much as £2,500.

  Under second-hand guise, the ready cash minks—usually bought as an investment—are not liable to purchase tax, but they are still covered by a Price Control regulation.” 

(“Daily Mail,” March 20th.)

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Secrets of Scotland Yard! Black Market in Curates Next

  “The Bishop of Chelmsford has issued a warning of the possibility of a “black market” in curates.

  This might happen, he says, unless there is an alteration in the present system of stipends, which allows parishes able to afford the best clergy to get them at the expense of the smaller parishes that need them most.”

(“Daily Herald,” March 5th, 1945).

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For That "Portal” House

  “The copy of Charles Lamb's Essays, issued in 1823, which he inscribed and presented to his friend Robert Southey, the poet, was bought at Hodgson's yesterday by Mr. Wade for £340. It belonged to the Earl of Gosford, and had been bound in a scrap of an old cotton dress by Southey’s daughter Kate.

   A woman sent a defective copy of the First Folio of Shakespeare's plays, 1623. Mr. Ernest Maggs paid £1,800 for it. The late Lord Rosebery's perfect copy brought as much as £14,500 in 1933.”

(“Daily Telegraph,” February 24th, 1945).

V.C. Son of Italian sets a Poser

  “Son of an Italian ice-cream vendor, 19 year-old Dennis Donnini has set the Court authorities a poser by winning the V.C.

  For Domini's father has never been naturalised, and that raises a problem for Court officials that has never arisen since the V.C. was initiated in 1856.

  The King cannot receive an enemy subject for the duration. How Domini stands legally as a subject of a co-belligerent country is a point they must decide.”

(“Daily Herald,” March 21st.)

Young Domini died in winning the V.C. He was in the Royal Scots Fusiliers. The press reports the “magnificent courage” of this son of an Italian emigrant.

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Why I wed a Yank

   “A pretty 23-years-old British girl landed at La Guardia airport to-day and explained why it is that British girls marry American soldiers.

  She said British girls prefer American Service men.—

1. Because they’re more gay and carefree than “serious and steady” Britons.

2. They wear “snappier” uniforms.

3. They have more money.

Six other British war-brides who travelled with her nodded in agreement.”

(“Daily Mail,” March 20th.)

The “three" reasons look very much like one to us. (More money).

Perhaps these girls will be somewhat perplexed, at first, to find that under capitalism, the land of the greatest wealth is also a country of great poverty.