Page 6 - Michael 2024 January

u banks and the insurance companies.” many countries. Gesell recommended a taxed money
It was therefore decided, right from that winter of to promote its circulation: the bearer of a bill (paper
1934-35, that the course of the following winter would money) would have to stick to the back of it, on the 1st
bear on the study of money and credit. And everyone and 15th of each month, a stamp equal to 2 per cent
set out to find a book on that topic, an existing book or of the value of the bill. These stamps, of course, would
manuscript that would be printed at Garden City Press. have to be bought, and no one would accept a ticket
that would not be stamped to date. ‘At the end of two
Research years, the bill would be taken out of circulation, since
The call for a book was launched in The Instruct- there would be no more place for the stamps, but the
or, the organ of the circle published during the win- sum of these stamps’ would have given the govern-
ter months. Answers came: books, pamphlets, a few ment the price of the bill: the new bill was thus pre-
manuscripts. Upon reception, Mr. Harpell looked them paid. Louis Even did not like this theory too much: it
over, and passed them on to Mr. Even to have his opin- would force the individual to spend his money rapidly,
so as not to see his money melt gradually between his
hands. It is contrary to the freedom of choice of the
individual.
Stroke of light
One day, the mail brought a simple pamphlet of
96 pages entitled From Debt to Prosperity by J. Crate
Larkin, of Buffalo. It was a summary of the monetary
doctrine of Douglas. Louis Even began reading it on
the train he took daily between Montreal and Ste-Anne
de Bellevue. He was immediately conquered.
J.J. Harpell He recognized there a group of principles which,
and his printing once applied, would make a “perfect” monetary sys-
shop in Ste-Anne tem: a system of finance flexible enough to answer to
all the situations of economics, bending itself to the
ion.
economical facts instead of dictating to them or con-
Among the works thus received there was, for ex- tradicting them, respecting absolutely the freedom of
ample, a large manuscript of Gerald Grattan McGeer, choice of the individuals, serving faithfully the produc-
mayor of Vancouver and federal deputy for Vancou- tion and consumption, answering to the demands of
ver-Burrard (since the senator), who wanted to rem- the social sector as well as to those of economics.
edy the Depression that then raged by an abundance
of public works that the government would finance by And immediately, also, Louis Even thought to him-
creations of money. The theory may have been gen- self: “Everyone must be made aware of this!” From
erous, but surely a bit wild, and it placed too much then on all his thoughts would go to the means for
importance on the State enterprises. Nevertheless, realizing this wish.
the work of G. G. McGeer was printed by Garden City Two more books, more developed than Larkin’s
Press for the author himself who entitled it The Con- pamphlet, were also received about Social Credit: So-
quest of Poverty. cial Credit for Canada by W. A. Tutte, and Economic
(Note: It was the same Mr. McGeer who asked Nationalism by Maurice Colbourne. Afterwards Louis
Graham Towers, Governor of the Bank of Canada, the Even acquired other works by Douglas himself and
following question in 1939: “Will you tell me why a others on the same topic. All in English.
government with the power to create money should At the request of Louis Even, Mr. Harpell had a
give that power away to a private monopoly and then French translation printed of Larkin’s pamphlet From
borrow that which Parliament can create itself, back at Debt to Prosperity. It was a beginning of French litera-
interest, to the point of national bankruptcy?”) ture printed about Social Credit. Louis Even had made
There was also another manuscript, less volumin- the translation from English.
ous, by Mrs. A. I. Caldwell of Bristol, New Brunswick. In 1959, our Movement held a congress in Al-
This lady was the sister of the great fish exporter of lardville, New Brunswick, Canada. On that occasion,
St. John, N.B., Mr. McLean (made senator since), a Mr. Even explained how he came across Social Credit:
man well informed on the present monetary system. “As far as I am concerned, every day of my life
It is the manuscript of Mrs. Caldwell, entitled Money – (and I am sure it will be the same for me on the other
What is it?, that was chosen as the manual for the next side of the veil as well) I will be blessing the Good
winter course of the Study Circle of Gardenvale. It was Lord for putting Social Credit upon my path in this
translated into French by Louis Even. life. I will always remember that fateful day in 1934
A book was received also, written by Sylvio Gesell, when I was riding on the train that was taking me
whose theory has made a good number of disciples in from Montreal to my job in Sainte Anne de Bellevue.

6 MICHAEL January/February 2024 www.michaeljournal.org