A DOCTRINE OF SELFISHNESS

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 75, 23 December 1918, Page 6

A DOCTRINE OF SELFISHNESS

Sir.-The "comic opera" address of the president of the Employers' Federation would be highly ludicrous were it not or the taut that it covers a tragedy of human hie, a tragedy that has been most apparent to all those at least who have been working amongst the poorer classes during the late epidemic. Mr. Weston declares that extreme conditions do not exist in New Zealand 10. the truth of this statement 1 challenge Mr. Weaton straight out. /And to that end I am prepared to put up ilO with Air. Westou,' iiu 'to prove hie statement, 1 will undertake, to prove that extreme. poverty does exist; the losing party to hand his ,£lO to the epidemic relief funds. Further, I am prepared to put up another .£lO, to the effect that many of our workers, those having to live on £A a week, at tne present cost of living, and the rack-rents tky,havi> to pay, and say that they can' never be far. removed Ironi the edge of extreme poverty where there are four or five children to keep. And in face of all this, Mr. Weston asks: "Is it not folly to attempt to overthrow the present system, the gradual growth of years?" Would it not b'e the grossest of .folly on the part of the worker to continue to live under it, without making some attempt to get something more out of life than the epidemic, has shown to be their continual lot. ' v ■

10t. v Again, Mi , . AVeston makes an appeal for the teaching of patriotism 'to our children. What sort of- patriotism—the 55 per cent, variety? Ask those workers how patriotism is to. be expected from many of the "homes" they have visited. What right lias Air. Weston and Jiis friends to expect that the system .that they stand for—a system that has kept the workers' homes without coals during the winter, whilst the Government- yards, the municipal, and the industrial yards have been hoarding coals, and. the workers had no lire with which to cook their bit of food, or keep warmth in theirs or their children's bodies; further, what amount of patriotism has he a right to expect from families who know that they are being deliberately exploited through their calamities? The farmers raised tha price of wheat from 3s. 6d. to is. a bushel directly they knew there was a war on. Is the defender of the "patriots" prepared to exonerate the farmer, and condemn their victims? And the whole of the trading classes have been endeavouring to got as much of tho 55 per cent, as was possible for themselves, and tho worker has been the sufferer all the way through. And then he talks glibly about respecting "agreements." Docs he not know that the workers' agreement regarding wages is based upon purchasing power, and that immediately the cost of living rises the agreement is broken? Treated .by the "system" Mr. Weston stands for as a "scrap of paper." And again he talks about the cost_ of production, and the "highly paid" worker. Who is the highly paid worker of Jo-day? Does Mr. Weston realise that at" to-dny's prices anything less than 35 is not sufficient to keep a working man, his wife, and a family of four or five children in a state of efficiency, and if the worker is only existing, instead of living efficiently, then liis wage is not fair and reasonable, is not a Hving wage. ' And then he goes on to talk about "greater efficiency," and suggests that when tho worker shows greater efficiency. th<: employers' duty will be to give the worker greater consideration. Let him try that argument on, say, the s.s. Maori, by promising that if she will make the run to Lyltelton in Iwo hours less than it takes at present ho will consider the quest ion of increasing the "coal supply. As a doctrine of extreme class selfishness Mr. Woslon's address lakes Ihe oalre. Us whole tenor in: How much moro'can we get from the worker before we have to give him something in return? 1 am fon-ibly reminded of llio story of Pharoah and the Children of Israel. We have the Pharonhs, we have the Children of Israel, and the dny (hat a Moses arrives history may bo repealing itself.—l am, etc., W. MADDISON. Wellington, December 19, 191 S.