9 JULY 1977, Page 17

Aid to the Third World

Sir: Peter Bauer and John O'Sullivan (25 June) are to be congratulated on their timely and devastating demolition of the case for the New International Economic Order, and in particular for what they say about commodity agreements and debt Cancellation.

But may I suggest, on behalf of all those who want to see a non—Marxist set of solutions to the problems of world trade and general economic progress, that the moment has come for the development of a coherent alternative approach? If this is not soon forthcoming, there is a real danger that the free nations of the world will wake up to find that they have delivered themselves into the hands of their economic enemies. Winning the argument is not enough: we must have positive policies too.

Cranley Onslow, MP House of Commons, London SW1 Sir: How foreign aid makes the world poorer by Peter Bauer and John O'Sullivan (25 June) is the most percipient analysis I have ever read on this abstruse subject. The text should be published in pamphlet form and issued as prescribed reading, not only to our own ministers, but in translation to those of the European Economic Community.

I would draw your readers' attention particularly to the opening sentence of the sixth paragraph —'Endlessly repeated, but almost never rebutted' — in relation to 'exploitation'. It is high time this myth was exploded and that the West was prevented from wearing sackcloth in the ashes to please panjandrums of the tropics with jets and Rolls-Royces.

J. P. J. Entract 10 Queen's Road, Wallington, Surrey