CO-OPERATION AND THE PROBLEM OF UNEMPLOYMENT
[To the Editor of the SPECTATOR.]
SIRS I have read with much interest Capt. J. W. Petavel's letter in the Spectator of August 16th (page 219), and I quite see that the co-operative colony system for the youth would be a happy derivative in our industrialized and urbanized life, and perhaps would help in solving the problem of unemployment. But it appears to me that if this scheme is to give actual result at all, it has to be carried out on a very large scale, and I fail to see how any Government in any country will be able, unless the land is partly nationalized, to secure an extent of land wide enough to establish as many co-operative colonies as would be needed for the purpose.
There is also another point which I would like to emphasize, viz., how would it be possible to get young men to live in co-operative colonies—which would, no doubt, be established in the country, at some distances from large towns—unless some sort of compulsory measure is introduced ? Many young men from towns would refuse to live in such places, far from the enjoyments they are used to.
Finally, I fail to grasp one point. The money saved by the young " colonists " would have to be invested somewhere ; how can it be invested in the home industries, which are already in a difficult situation and cannot therefore very well absorb new capital investments ?
These few remarks, which may not be quite relevant, only bear witness to the keen interest I have taken in Capt. Petavers scheme.—I am, Sir, &c., ANDRE D. TOLEDANO,
Asst. Editor, Le Monde Nouveau.
42 Bmilevard Raspail, Paks, 7e. ' '
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