Certainly, 'big businesses,' as Lord Campbell says, 'must come to
terms with the society in which they are rooted,' but surely it is obvious that they have already done so seeing that they are prepared to work under the Prices and In- comes Board and not emigrate to America where private enterprise is less frustrated and better understood. If profits become excessive the Prices and Incomes Board will move quickly on the scene, pressing the companies to reduce their selling prices. With such a powerful state machine in existence to restrain the exploitation of both consumer and worker there is no social reason why businessmen should not be asked to increase their efficiency and their profits to the maximum. The nation would not balance its pay- ments account with the world if they did not do so. I can assure Mr Douglas Jay that the philosophy behind the Companies Bill is really very simple—the honesty and efficiency of pri- vate enterprise. His amendments on 'full dis- closure' will go far to ensure the honesty; the maximisation of profits will bring the efficiency.
Market Notes
Foul Play
By LESLIE ADRIAN
SANTA CLAUS looks like having his name changed to Claws. The build-up over the past two or three years against the toy trade reached flash-point last week when the Advisory Centre for Education issued a Toy Supplement to their magazine Where? denouncing the dangerous playthings that are going to be stuffed into stockings, gaily gift-wrapped and piled under Christmas trees next month. With facsimile letters in childish hands saying, 'It nearly cut his finger right off . .,"my sister . . . priced [sic] her fingers on the pin,' 'his fingers became stuck. He went to hospital,' 'Peter went under slashing and kicking . . .' (his water-wings had punctured), ACE piled on the agony. The News of the World, under a picture of a five-year-old in high-heeled plastic shoes, 'just like mother's,' screamed 'CHRISTMAS TOY SCANDAL.' The story eventually turned into another Red Menace. It seems to be aimed at little girls. The team is captained by that plastic citizen of Peyton Place, Barbie (29s. 9d.), a sex symbol for the pre-adolescents, with gold lame and mink cock- tail dresses (36s.), negligées (28s.) and three heads with wigs to match (30s.). Barbie lives the life that every naughty girl dreams of. She has a with-it little sister, Skippy, comparatively bust- less (22s. 9d., 29s. 6d. with bendable legs), but also provided with an extensive and, for a schoolgirl, expensive wardrobe. God help the mums and dads who equip their alert kids with this kit. 'Mummy, can I have an all-leather outfit like Barbie's?'
And there are Sindy, Tressy, Penny Brite, Suzie Cute, Amanda Jane and Mary Make-up as well. Mary Make-up is Tressy's best friend and wears Tressy's clothes. Trouble is Mary is hooked on painting her face, and is equipped for little girls to do it for her. Tressy, as no doubt every schoolgirl knows, has hair that grows (actually, kids, it rolls off a spool in her what's-its-name), an air-hostess uniform (with British passport), filmy undies and incredibly realistic nylons and a little sister, Toots.
She's probably a bit jealous of Sindy, who not only has a little sister called Patch, but a boy- friend Paul (leather gear and all that), a pony and a red sports car, not to mention a four-poster bed. Sindy lives the complete dream life, pony club, bridesmaid, air hostess, pretty nurse, ski-er, bikini baby, anything but factory hand or short- hand-typist.
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