Their Progress

But there is another side to all this. People in the Socialist countries are winning a better world. In the Soviet Union there are one million students in higher education. Real wages have doubled since 1947. partly through cuts in prices and partly through wages increases. Production is now above pre-war level. In Budapest during Christmas, 1948. the Christmas trade was three times that of 1947; while at the same time in Australia, there was a scare among shop-owners at the lack of Christmas buying.

In Australia the dependence of industry on American capital is becoming obvious. American investments had more than doubled between September, 1945. and December, 1947. Exports to the USA have doubled and imports from the USA have multiplied five times. Thus, Australia is becoming well and truly tied to the shaky American economy. The workers and students of Australia realise the dangers in this situation and understand the necessity to organise to fight these dangers. It has become obvious that the Uni-

versities, teaching the orthodox philosophy, economics and political science are in their supposed attempts to put forward all sides on every case really keeping the wool over the students' eyes. In Melbourne the Labour Club has organised meetings and classes to put the other side to every question and open the students' eyes to the real issues in current events. Yet, even in the University, an organisation with a military basis has been making attempts to break up progressive student meetings.