In practically every issue of The Union of Electors, we beg, entreat and exhort our readers and all those who are interested in furthering the aims of the Social Credit movement, to influence others to subscribe to this publication. As a constant reminder we print in every issue, usually at the bottom of the page, a subscription form which can be cut out and used to subscribe a friend, acquaintance or business colleague. In fact, we have gone so far at times as to assert that the growth or decline of the Social Credit movement depends upon the number of readers of our two papers, The Union of Electors and the French-language paper, Vers Demain.
If the movement were just beginning instead of having twenty years of experience behind it, the opponents of this idea of taking subscriptions and increasing the circulation of the paper, might reasonably doubt the wisdom of this method. But the movement, with its decades of experience, has proven that this course was justified, especially in the case of the French-language paper, Vers Demain. Vers Demain has formed more rock-hard Social Crediters in French Canada than have all the other means together elsewhere in Canada.
Some will say: "Yes, but look at Alberta and British Columbia."
We've looked at them; and looked long and well. We have seen parties, bearing the name "Social Credit", put into power; we have remarked that these parties count among their members, men and women who are true Social Crediters. But we have also noted that these socalled "Social Credit" parties have declared that they do not exist for the purpose of realizing Social Credit principles; that they do not intend to make even an attempt to realize them.
We have remarked that the electors of these two provinces have been told by the local Social Credit groups that if they want to make some thing of Social Credit ideals they must send representatives to the federal parliament at Ottawa. Then these same electors turn right around and fill the provincial houses with Social Credit members (so-called) who have stated that they will do nothing; and the federal house, where all the hopes of the Social Credit world were pinned, they are empty of Social Credit representatives!
We might well wonder what curious idea of Social Credit has been conceived in the minds of the people of these two provinces and in the heads of the parties bearing the name "Social Credit". Could it not be that the true Social Credit mentality and outlook which emblazoned the movement set under foot there by Aberhart has been dissipated and its place taken by the poisonous clouds of party politics, precisely because Social Credit has become identified with political parties?
The Union of Electors has set for its goal the sowing of the seeds of true Social Credit ideas and ideals in the hearts and minds of men; of cultivating and fostering their growth until Social Credit has grown into a reality. Our aim is to form an evergrowing number of men and women who will know how to instruct themselves, how to act, how to rise up and demand respect for the human individual; men and women who will defend their rights, and the rights of their fellow-citizens. Is not this the true practice of Social Credit? Vers Demain. and The Union of Electors have raised up and are developing a force which will grow among the people, which will become one with the people as it should — not a political organization whose only purpose is to gain votes which will seat a number of pompous and vain individuals in parliament where they will be absolutely incapable of achieving anything, while the people, untrained to anything except how to mark a ballot form, sit around on their thumbs awaiting marvellous things to issue forth from this congregation of do-nothings which we have come to call "political parties".
Vers Demain and The Union of Electors were originally and primarily conceived of as being organs for instruction, for education; as being the means whereby the knowledge of Social Credit could be brought to the families which read them.
Now, there are various ways of teaching. The founders of the Social Credit movement known as the Union of Electors, before they had instituted a publication, used the spoken word to spread the knowledge of Social Credit. They travelled around visiting the various municipalities of Quebec delivering conferences, holding assemblies in the homes of the country parishes and on the farms in the well-settled countryside. This had its good results.
However, it soon became clear that the amount of instruction that could be given in one evening was very limited. Any audience was made up of different individuals with varying capacities; some grasped the message quickly, others had barely time to make something out of it. It became clear, also, that some means had to be found whereby the first impressions and convictions could be solidified, cemented so that still further instruction could be based on these first principles. Very often, after the missioner had passed on to another locality, the new disciples were left to face with their still somewhat shaky ideas, the attacks of critics, mockers, adversaries, who could sometimes wreak considerable havoc because the ideas and principles which had been planted by the first visit had not been solidified by follow-up instruction.
Then there was the problem of getting around. How often could the founders of the movement visit every locality in the provinces? It was literally impossible to be everywhere at the same time. And yet that was required of them. if the growing movement was to survive and flourish.
The obvious solution, of course, was to have recourse to the written word, without however renouncing the spoken word. With the written word, the reader had the time to ponder over, understand and completely digest the message. Moreover, he could come back time and again to the written word and thus fortify the principles and ideas and arguments he had made his — for the spoken word passes with the speaker, while the written word remains for as long as it can physically be preserved on paper.
Now, the written word can be set down in a book, a pamphlet or a periodical publication. The first two have their importance but it must be noted that each book, each individual pamphlet is more or less limited and fixed. The periodical, on the other hand, whether it be a magazine or a paper, marches along with the times. A monthly or fortnightly paper can point out lessons to be drawn from current events, can set down arguments to refute critics as they arise, can attack the defects in the system, constantly throwing lights on different facets of each problem, can take a definite stand on each new situation that may come up, can direct and guide minds in the light of new developments. This is all educational work; it is sharpening the critical faculties of readers and teaching them how to form proper judgements.
A periodical publication can be something else besides a mere instrument of instruction. It can also be the organ of a movement as is the French-language counterpant of The Union of Electors — Vers Demain.
The French-Canadian branch of the organization of the Union of Electors is a dynamic group which is active from one end of Canada to the other. Its members are knit into a smoothly functioning unit whose activities are having more than a passing effect upon our national life. The principal factor in maintaining and increasing the dynamism of this group is the official organ, Vers Demain.
This fortnightly publication announces the programs of the movement in all the various localities; it tells the members what assemblies are being held and where; it suggests the activities appropriate to the localities or to the events of the moment; it reports on the activities of the members and teams working in all the various districts. Without Vers Demain there would be no coordination of activities and the tremendous esprit de corps which vitalizes the whole movement would be non-existant.
This official organ is vital to maintaining the activity of the organization. And activity is vital to any organization. It is an important and necessary step to inform and educate. But, if information and education are not applied to activity then they are a complete waste of time. Vers Demain tells French-speaking Crediters how to act, how to apply, practically, the principles of Social Credit; and by reporting the activities of members and groups of members it stimulates others to such work.
Vers Demain's young brother, The Union of Electors is still in the position that was occupied by Vers Demain some twenty years ago. It is still informing, still educating the minds of English-peaking Canadians to the ideals, the principles and the philosophy of Social Credit. A people cannot be made to act until they know what it is they are supposed to act about.
When a sufficiently large number of people have grasped the spirit of Social Credit and have realized how vitally important it is that its principles be applied to our society if society, as we wish it to be, is ever to become a reality; then a concerted movement by the people is inevitable.
The Social Crediters of our movement are engaged in a mortal conflict with the powers of financial dictatorship. They are fighting against all those who serve this financial despotism. They are in arms against whatever in any way militates against the liberty of the individual; against injustices in the application of social measures; against the tyranny of petty bureaucracy, whether it be found in the nation's capital or in some remote hamlet of the Quebec northwoods or the Saskatchewan prairies.
It is through Vers Demain, and the Union of Electors that they give full cry to their protestations, to their condemnations; it is through these publications that they arouse the people and awaken them to the perils of the hour.
For this reason and for the various other reasons set down in the course of this article, the members of the movement and all those who are interested in furthering the work of the movement to realize a Social Credit society are exhorted to make this voice as strong and far reaching as possible by bringing as many people as possible to subscribe to our publications — Vers Demain for those of the French language, The Union of Electors for those who speak English. Social Credit can only become a reality if men and women become, as it were, voluntary apostles of the movement, throwing themselves zealously into the work of making Social Credit known far and wide.
And the finest means, of doing so is by getting others to read and study the publication which will teach Social Credit, in theory and in practice.
EARL MASSECAR