TO MR R.H. LAW.

Evening Star, Issue 13031, 15 August 1908, Page 10

TO MR R.H. LAW.

[ln reply to his Terse «To a Socialist Friend."]

So your reason was insulted, And you say you are nob blind. You have felt the " cloud of sorrow " Long endured by human kind. Tou have seen the " sordid city." You have heard the helpless moan Till your heart was filled with " piiy," And it was not "made of stone." AH the poverty and famine You have witnessed you " deplore," And you hint we should be silent,Lest we "'aggravate them more." You want us now to let you rest, And "spare our peroration," As all our barren "arguments" Are filled with "declamation." Do you mean that it is sinful To denounce all human wrong? Do you hint it is damnation To appeal to rich and strong? fit a PP eaI to ricn > who tell us That their class possess the brains. Which accounts for their possessions, And is why they hold the reins. If it's true you're filled with sorrow, And the wrongs of life deplore, And you really feel some pity For our workers, sick'and sore; Aye, for toilers who are workless, Who are waiting to be fed, Who are dying in their thousands Though they pray for "daily bread." If you really feel that pity You would tell us what you'd do, You would show us some proposal That would really pull us through. If you did we all would bless you, And in peace you'd hold the rei.-'s, For you'd satisfy the people That you do possess the brains. As you've failed to show your brain pswer, As you've told us nothing new, As you haven't got a remedy, And don't know what to do, You should ever more be silent', You should be prepared to go, You should prove that you are honestGive tho working class a show. But you say we'd try "compulsion," And you deprecate all "force," You tell us that " the ages " prove That " freedom " is our course. If you mean what you have uttered. If in earnest you should be, Then relinquish your possessions; You can make the people free. For the lands in your possession, They were stolen years ago, And you hold thera by "compulsion" By the title deeds you show. And our workers, they can't use them. Though they plead to you in vain, 'Less they toil in want and sorrow. . And produce wealth for your gain. Now, your logic it is faulty, Though your writing may be Sue. You say if we own what we make Our wages must decline. . And with " world-wide competition " We would have no power to "cope": You're sure we would produce much less If you but gave us "rope." If your tale of competition Was as true as true can be, It does not prove the things yon say, As any man can see; For to-day. when competition Uoes reduce of wealth your share, We are taxed out of all reason Your adversity to bear. So if we own the things we make, It seems to me so plain, The profits now that you consume The toiling mass shall gain. The idle lands you hunt upon Shall food and clothes produce: The men engaged in useless toil Shall work for human use. As we know that with provision God has stored with weaith the soil, We'll have no one starved in body Or in mind with endless toil. We'll have no one loafing on us, And no " shirkers" can we For those who will not wnrk at "all Wc will not let them eat. J. E. MacMaxus.