- Contributed byÌý
- Harold Pollins
- People in story:Ìý
- Harold Pollins
- Location of story:Ìý
- England
- Background to story:Ìý
- Army
- Article ID:Ìý
- A1970804
- Contributed on:Ìý
- 05 November 2003
Cash-register Economics
Afterwards I blamed Joan Robinson. It must have been her fault. But I didn’t believe it for long and perhaps, in retrospect, I never really did. How could a Cambridge economist be held responsible for my failure at the War Office Selection Board? I never expected to get a commission and stumbling at an early hurdle was about right. I do not know whether the answer I gave at the Board was the major reason for my remaining in the ranks, It think it came at the end of the course (it was some 60 years ago - how do those people manage to give exact information to Oral History researchers?) and I am sure that by then my future had been determined.
I was a potential officer by accident. Somehow I had been given Certificate B at the Cambridge University Senior Training Corps at the end of the year I’d been allowed to spend as a student (actually at the London School of Economics evacuated to Peterhouse. It was a fraud; I hadn’t achieved Cert A, the first stage, being unable to run or jump as required (I could, though, take the Bren gun to pieces, blindfold, and re-assemble it). ‘We’ll get you through Cert B’, said the Colonel sternly, and they did, even though I did not manage the ten-mile forced march. I remained a potential officer even when, in the real army at last, I was medically downgraded for bad eyesight (which blur was my target?) And then I was at the WOSB, to fail and return to my duties as assistant company store man.
As I said, the climax, the disastrous question and answer session, came late. There had been an obstacle course, each item marked with a score and you had to get as large a number as possible. I chose the easiest, those with the lowest numbers, and did not get past the first one. This was a wooden construction supporting a series of planks laid lengthwise about six feet above the ground. I ran along them and came to a short gap, perhaps of two or three feet. I stopped, quite unable to jump. On another occasion I was in charge of our group and we had to get across a make-believe chasm with the aid of odd bits of equipment, mostly wood I think, which had been placed there. ‘Get on with it’, shouted an officer, as I stared at the pile. After a bit more hesitation some bright spark of an engineering student took over.
Obviously I can’t blame Joan Robinson for those deficiencies. And it didn’t help to suggest as my topic of conversation with one of the officers ‘The Marxist interpretation of History is the most satisfying’, or some such statement. Now, when I think of it, I’m surprised that I proposed that, unless I thought I was being remarkably cheeky towards the establishment. My knowledge of Marxism was thin. A friend had presented me with a copy of Engels’s Anti-Dühring as a going-away present when I was called up (we must have been a serious lot) but I hadn’t read it in the army. I’d read some Left Book Club books and also some of the ‘Little Lenin’ pamphlets. While at LSE I’d had correspondence with a school friend, now at another college, who had joined the Communist Party. I recall explaining to him that my study of Economic History under R.H. Tawney had broadened my outlook. So I’m not surprised now, although I was at the time, at the WOSB, that I found the officer knew more about Marxism than I did, more about History in general and more about Economic History in particular.
I don’t think I did anything right but these various mishaps were forgotten immediately after the WOSB and I remembered only the episode which I associated with Joan Robinson. One interview was with a group of officers led, I believe, by the Brigadier. The atmosphere was relaxed and friendly. It became frosty afterwards. After my answer. ‘You’. said the Brigadier,’ are the Company Imprest Officer. Your men are going on leave and you have paid them out what they are due. Everything is in order but one of the men comes up to you and says he has lost his money. What do you do?’
I answered smartly and confidently. My response was spontaneous. The next part consists of my explanation and interpretation; it was not at all what went through my mind at the interview. You must remember I was young and I had never had a job; school to 18 then one year at university then in the army. I’d never been fully responsible for money. My parents had a shop and we lived on the premises. (‘Why do you want to be in the Signals?’ ‘Well, I live in a wireless shop.’ ‘You - live - in - a - wireless -shop?’) At school, and even later, I’d never had a standard allowance. What we had was the shop’s cash register. If we wanted any money we just took it. There was no question of stealing, our parents allowed us to do it, and we didn’t abuse it. Money came into the shop and was placed in the cash register. Money was paid out of the cash register. My parents could never have had any idea of their financial position. Once a year the Accountant would produce a balance sheet, containing various figures, precise to the last halfpenny, a remarkably abstract document.
My hopelessly inadequate knowledge og practical money matters was not at all remedied by my study of economics. To start with it was mainly theoretical. And such matters as maximisation and of economic man were completely outside my experience. Who were these marginalists, these people who delicately calculated, in minute increments, that a little bit more or a little bit less would be to their advantage? I was more used to my parents’ methods. My father would order six items and my mother would cut it down to three. On the other hand, like many others, I was fascinated by macro-economics, following the Keynesian revolution. This is where Joan Robinson comes in. LSE students could attend Cambridge lectures and I went to hers. I don’t think I knew that she was part of the group which developed that aspect of the subject, but she certainly clarified everything. It was all so simple, extraordinarily appealing to an 18-year old; and I must have missed the qualifications which I am sure she included. Full employment could easily be achieved. All you had to do was to spend more. In a time of slump the government should go into deficit. I remember her castigating pre-war governments for their balanced budget policies. Instead of spending more they had spent less and so made the depression worse. It was not at all wrong or immoral or uneconomic for the government to run a deficit. On the contrary it was absolutely right to do so in certain circumstances. I came away with the clear impression that the National Debt was not of major significance. Apart from the costs of its administration, its transactions were just transfer payments and did not affect the real economy.
As I said, at the time my enthusiasm for what she was saying caused me to neglect any modifications or doubts she may have expressed. So I’m not at all surprised at my answer to the Brigadier at the WOSB about the man who’d lost his pay. ‘What would you do?’ he’d asked. ‘Pay him out some more’, I answered. ‘But where would the money come from? How would the books balance?’ ‘That doesn’t matter’, I stated with certainty and with confidence. ‘One can always put the books right afterwards.’
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Message 1 - Army Examinations.
Hello Dlorah,
After nearly splitting my sides at your account of a WOPB it brought back memory's of mine. Being an engineering type the mechanical problems of bridging chasms and moving equipment across swamps came easy. Getting the rest of the crew to toe the line and do as I wanted was another story.
Staring with ten men and progressing along a rout carrying out the various tasks I ended up at the other end minus four men. One was left up a tree, one was neck deep in the water after I told the rest not to pull him out as we had to get on(it was against the clock). The last two I deliberately sent on to a mined stump to lay the initial planks and some interfering busy body with a red sash declared them wounded but not until after the planks were in place. You can guess my reaction, leave them we will come back for them.
Task complete and me feeling very low at having failed or so I thought was brought out front where the man with the sash said, "This is the only man to get full marks for the last task as point one he was willing to take casualties and point two he was willing to leave the wounded then go back for them after the task was finished. Getting the task done within the time was the main part of the test, in war casualties happen" Can you guess why no one ever wanted to serve with me.
My attitude did soften but not a lot.
Frank Mee Researcher 241911.
Ìý
Message 2 - Army Examinations.
Posted on: 02 December 2003 by Harold Pollins
Many thanks for your appreciation of my piece on cash-register economics. And especially for your account of your experiences at WOSB. I did end up as a sergeant in the Queen's Royal (West Surrey) Regiment doing Personnel Selection of recruits. This was after having been a Paid/Local/Sgt in the Army Education Scheme for the Release Period. I remember, in that connection, a talk in August 1945 in the unit I was in in Helmsley, Yorkshire. A number of ex-POWs had been posted to us, most of them just waiting to be demobbed after, in some cases, six years in German POW camps. It was just after the dropping of the atom bombs and somehow we had managed to get a lecturer from Leeds University to talk to us about it. He misjudged his audience and talked about atomic theory, at one stage saying something like,'As you know, E=MC squared.' I remember the Signals Sergeant nodding as though he knew.
Harold Pollins, Oxford.
Ìý
Message 3 - Army Examinations.
Hello Harold,
Helmesley is just down the road from where I live, 30 minutes over a lovely moor road that has not changed much.
Reading your stories it struck me there was a time I would not have spoken to you as our Operations along the Palestine Egyptian Border taught me to never trust any one of the Jewish faith. It was the end of Mandate 1948 and the British Army had scores to settle and we did.
I came home from there with no love for the people of Israel.
Carrying hatred is not an easy burden and it shrivels your soul if allowed to go on. I met a very nice Jewish Lady who was married to a friend of mine, we talked for hours and I must have been very taken with her. She cleared my brain of the stupidity and I ended up reading just about every book ever written on the birth of Israel a very interesting story indeed.
They went to live in Canada and I heard she died two weeks ago, I think of her as the woman who taught me you cannot hate nations or even people.
It did make me think about the youth of Germany being taught to hate, I have a feeling that in the same place at the same time it could have been me, we only mellow as we get older.
I ended my service as a WO1 but by that time we were not the dreaded tyrants I had served under. We became Dad's to the youngsters watching for problems with bullying or any other sort of abuse nipping it in the bud quickly. We were an Engineering Corps REME and did have a better class of man but we still had to be vigilant.
E=MC2 we all thought it meant Elegance=Master of Ceremony's, all things to all men I would guess. Such a simple Theorem that has cast a cloud over us all since the war ended, our generation has never been free of fear have we.
So Harold we do talk to each other as civilised men learn to do and find I am really a pacifist at heart. If we could only pass on the futility of war to our grandchildren without them having to go through the same as we did but I fear the world is going backwards.
A final word, as we pulled away from our last observation post my Officer who was an Arabist as lots were at that time said "You are a young man and when you are old those people will still be fighting" prophetic words indeed.
Frank Mee.
Ìý
Message 4 - Army Examinations.
Posted on: 02 December 2003 by Harold Pollins
Dear Frank
Thank you for your most interesting observations. Actually in late 1945 I was put on draft for Palestine but then apparently an Army Order came through that no Jews or Arabs were to be on the draft. A friend of mine said that as a result there were anough Jews taken off draft to form a synagogue. I gather they even found an Arab to take off the draft. Some years later when living in Swansea I came across a Jewish chap who had a photo of himself in Arab headdress as he had been seconded, if I remember correctly, to the Jordanian Army.
I have written another piece for this website called 'War of Freedom' which might amuse you.
Harold Pollins
Oxford
Ìý
Message 5 - Army Examinations.
Hello again Harold,
Been there done that. I had already seen your War of Freedom story which for some reason appears twice. I did imagine sitting there with you having faced similar set ups myself and once calling a Captain an idiot whilst sitting a board headed by a Brigadeer. They were firing questions at me thick and fast my brain was overheating rapidly when the Captain came in with such a stupid question my reflexes answered while my brain was still out of gear. Dead silence ensued then the Brigadeer burst out laughing, "not the correct response my boy but it was a stupid question" titters all round me fleeing in shame but I passed the board.
Keep writing Harold I like the stories.
frank Mee.
Ìý
Message 6 - Army Examinations.
Posted on: 03 December 2003 by Harold Pollins
Dear Frank
I have posted another brief episode called VE-day in Preston which may amuse you and there is another one called Intolerance.
When I was in Helmsley I was a Pte company clerk. One day the company commander said to me, Would you like to be an unpaid lance-corporal? I said no, but he insisted. It was sweetened by his getting it stated in orders that I had passed my trade test as a clerk and had been granted an extra 3d a day. Naturally I had had no trade test.
The Queen's Royal Regiment was well-known as sheep-shaggers (the badge being a pascal lamb) and/or bull-shitters. Colonel Pickering of the regiment came from the family which invented Pickering's blanco. When I was a Sgt I got posted to the depot at Guildford. I had been at other units and had not had to whiten my stripes. I was transferred in the middle of a hard winter and when I got to the depot my glasses had misted over. At the entrance I could see an officer through the mist who spoke to me. I answered in a casual way and was quite surprised to learn, later, that I had been talking to Colonel Pickering himself. I quickly got to whitening my stripes.
Harold
Ìý
Message 7 - Army Examinations.
Hello Harold,
There before you again I read the stories almost as they came up, I do a lot of browsing when not at computer classes and even there.
We must have led parallel lives in some ways. Serving at Catterick the Sergeant Major called me onto the verander saying, "you are on a charge in the morning for failing to salute an Officer" "yes Sir" "Go and tack on your Lance Corporals Stripe you are on orders as promoted, it will be coming off again in the morning" "Yes sir" what else could you say.
Next morning amid crashing of feet and banging as we came to attention plus the screams of the CSM (he could not do anything quietly)I was marched in and duly charged. The charge read out sounding as if I had insulted the king parliament the army and half of England all at the same time. One brilliant story later about welding flux in the eye a bright sun shining straight at me and the officer appearing unseen from the glare, the CO almost unable to stop from laughing said case dimissed be more careful in future and amid more screams banging of feet I was marched out only to be grabbed by the Sergeant Major. Sew that ####### stripe on properly because I am watching you, I will rip it off personally the first time you sneeze around hear. (nice to be wanted) I became his friend when he found out I was a competent boxer and though I managed to upset most people at that posting a friend like that saved me from dire punishment.
After managing to #### off the workshops by pushing tanks in with a bulldozer at high speed and clouds of noxious fume. Also #### off several Sergeant Majors of several Tank units because I dumped filthy dirty tanks all askew in their pristine lines after delivering them up the worst tank roads I could find. Managing to #### off the CO by cutting him off the switch board when they put me on almost permanent night duty to keep me away from all the people I was ####### off, they decided to send me abroad.
I sometimes wonder how I ever got to be a Warrant Officer at all, it probably had to do with two field promotions and an independant spirit.
Keep at it we old rapscallions should stick together.
Regards Frank Mee.
Ìý
Message 8 - Army Examinations.
Posted on: 05 December 2003 by Harold Pollins
Dear Frank
I must be getting old. I was sure that I'd replied to your latest message but when I came to check it on this site I couldn't find it. And now I can't remember what my response had been! I suppose we must be about the same age. I'm 79, born 1924.
When I came out of the army in 1947 I resumed my studies at the London School of Economics and got my degree in 1949. I then spent the next thirteen years doing research of various kinds, including a couple of years with the Coal Board which involved travelling to pits throughout the country. That was when there were hundreds of collieries.
Then I took up teaching, first in a technical college then finally at Ruskin College, Oxford, where I ended up as a Senior Tutor.
I've been doing research in my retirement on Jewish soldiers in both world wars and have published some of the results of the research. One has to keep busy. I'm alone now. My wife had Motor Neurone Disease and died in 1997.
Best wishes
Harold
Ìý
Message 9 - Army Examinations.
Hello Harold,
Not quite, my age I mean. Born 1939 I was going in the army as you came out. Getting old, get away man, old is when you cannot put pen to paper any more, I do not see you having dificulty in that area.
I failed to get back to you as I was having a bruha with the editorial staff on Feedback, they had the temerity to withdraw one of my postings so as a trained infantry man I went straight in with the bayonet. They dont like it up them you know, the bayonet I mean in case this is being perused by the flint like eye of the observers, they are so easily upset. I send all my stuff to the lawer now and he gives it the once over in case the deadly sue em syndrome bites. The lawer in question being my good friend Ken who lives in Australia and eats kangaroo, no accounting for taste is there.
I have not caught up with your latest story so will read digest and come back. By the racket going on my family have just arrived for tea so will get back to you after they have gone through the place like a swarm of locusts leaving the pantry bare.
Speak Later regards Frank.
Ìý
Message 10 - Army Examinations.
Posted on: 07 December 2003 by Harold Pollins
Frank
Do you really mean you were born in 1939? If you say that you were going into the army as I was coming out which was in 1947 then surely you were born in 1929?
Harold
Ìý
Message 11 - Army Examinations.
Hello Harold,
Dead Right you are, 1929 it was, I must be in denial or something.
It has been a hectic few days with resignations and reinstatemnets from and too this site. and there was a flurry of posting yesterday needing answers with the family about to descend on my wife and I. Wanting to get one away to you as a friend it became rushed and mistakes creep in dont they. I will edit that as soon as I finish here in case others think there is something wrong with me.
Yes I went to the Middle East in time to be in on the end of the mandate and funnily at this moment I am listening to a concert from London with Israeli and Palestinian input, there is hope yet. As in Ireland the young pick up their hatreds from the elders who fight long forgotten wars through their sons. I tried to teach my young that war was not the answer to anything. My Second son then went off and joined the army, my youngest Son and Daughter went and joined the Airforce, it must run in the genes.
They are all out having done their time and Sandra My ex Wraf daughter is now married and has presented me with a lovely Grandson two and half years old, not when he was born of course. He has started our engines once more, he loves his Nana and wants to come every day, his granda is that big woolly chap who he keeps saying "No granddad that is not right" to. I find myself having discussions with a two year old who was born with a college education it is unbelievable.
Luckily when I was a youngster my parents sat my sister and I at the table for meals and we discussed everything from politics to religeon, in the time of children should be seen and not heard that was something extraordinary dont you think. We never know we are lucky do we it is all taken for granted, that is how life is and will always be. If only that were true but I do know now I had good parents, too late to tell them but it is in my heart.
I was thinking about you the other day listening to the radio. In my early sixty's I travelled a lot and listened to the morning programs on the radio, quite often Rabbi Blue would give a short talk and I enjoyed his wit and humour what a change in me from those dark days of 47-48 we all change but not for the best at times.
Bed time in this neck of the woods Harold I have to take the dog out early in the morning as we ready for the rush to get things done for Christmas, it will have to be a very short session of sheep well you know what we do with them up here but my wellingtons are getting a bit worn now.
Keep well my friend and keep taking the pills as I get told.
Regards Frank.
Ìý
Message 12 - Army Examinations.
Posted on: 11 December 2003 by Harold Pollins
Dear Frank
Once again I typed a reply to yours only to find it wasn’t printed. I asked about this on the Forum (of which I see that you are an enthusiastic contributor - more power to your elbow) and a chap replied mentioning that he had got the answer to the problem from you. I tried his remedy but with no luck. And once again I have forgotten what I replied! In future I shall, as I am doing now, prepare a copy and file it a folder so if I lose it on the ´óÏó´«Ã½ website I shall have a copy.
Yesterday I went to a Xmas dinner organised by the cardiac patients’ exercise class that I attend once a week. I had a heart attack six years ago (coincidentally, my elder sister died of a heart attack on the same day) and I’ve been attending this exercise class since 1998. It’s more like a social club. We do exercises, in our own time - none of this business with someone leading and pushing us. But we also have other meetings of a social kind. The dinner was held in the church hall of a local United Reform Church whose minister is a member of the class and who gives me a lift to the class each week, unless he’s in Uganda doing missionary work (I think it’s that, at any rate he goes every year to that country for various Christian education affairs.) At the dinner I tried to entertain the group by singing a couple of songs. I prefaced it by saying that they were my party piece and I used to sing them at the end of term concerts at Ruskin College. I added that for some reason my wife used to walk out on those occasions.
I then sang them but I got lost in the second of them and I don’t think I sang it all and it probably made no sense. They clapped politely and one person said she enjoyed it. Another said that he understood why my wife used to walk out.
I’ve just been finishing off an article for an academic journal on Jews in the Canadian forces in World War I and another one for a different journal on a father who was killed in WWI and his son who died in WW2. The father was an immigrant from Russia.
Best wishes
Harold
Ìý
Message 13 - Army Examinations.
Hello Harold,
There is an easy way round this. Always start with your own personal page and look down that.
If you click on to my name on any posting, My personal page will come up. There is a box on the right of my personal blurb which gives my name and number, at the bottom of that little box is a button that says
"Add to my personal Friends"
click on that button and it automatically adds me to your personal page as a friend, it will stay there until you remove it. By clicking on to my name in your personal friend box you will automatically come to my personal page without having to go looking.
On your personal page is a box called "Pidgeon-Hole" I can leave messages for you in there that is why I say always check your personal page first.
You can click on my name and go to my personal page then leave a message in my "Pidgeon-Hole" I will always get it then. Now go back to your personal page and open any new story in "Pigeon-Hole" I will leave an answer there for you OK.
Regards Frank Mee.
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