THE VAG’S COLUMN

Grey River Argus, 18 March 1922, Page 6

THE VAG’S COLUMN

By the Understudy. Dear Henry,—The hard winter is coming! Soon wc will have frost ami ice, and rain and cold winds. Every time the wind blows though my thread bare coat I think of you, Henrietta, and the children. How are you fixed for the winter, old boy? Have you your bins storked with food so there is no chrnce of a shortage? Is there a side or two of a bacon h: nging in the pantry, and a couple of bags of flour in the bins? Has Henrietta £lOO or so put away for a rainy day? Have you a sure job for the winter These are questions I have a right to ask you. This country of yours —at least you call it vours is producing full ami plenty for all. There is no earthly reason, but your own ignorance for your being short of anything. You have worked hard all the year, haven’t you? Well, if you have where is your store d food and clothing for the winter? In the old days, Hen, the workers used to produce enough during the summer months to last them all the winter. They had no machinery in those days and their harvesting was done in the most primitive way—just a wooden spade a »d a copper or branze knife for harvesting purposes. And yet they had plenty. The wives spun cloth from ■wool clipped from the backs of their own sheep and there was clothing for all. Now your food, if you are lucky enough to have sufficient, is adult-era-ted in such a way to give you disease; and your clothing is the cheapest and unhealthiest kind of shoddy stuff. You don’t even have a spell in the winter time, but go on slaving all the year around. A lot of good all the marvel lous inventions of the age have done you, Hen! We hear so much about the 1: hour saving •machinery that is in vented that one would think that th re” or four months’ work a year would keep us all in plenty with something over for those who could not work. So it would if it were not for the parasites who do nothing. And it is these para sites that keep up the system that crushes you, Hen. If you were to demand your rights they tell you in their newspapers that you are on the wrong track. And they get you to be lieve that they are the only ones that ct n emancipate you. As Comrade McDonald says: Capitalists improving the capitalist system are like what Futt} Arbuckle, Landru, and Ross would be drawing up our moral code. No, Hen if you want to alter the system that crushes you, you had better not leave the alteration to the crushers. Like wise if you want a decent moral code, don’t leave it to sexual perverts to draw up. There is only one party that can alter the system to suit you, Hen —and that is your own party. It does not matter what you call that party as long as you are in it and watch out it is not run by leaders and prophets who may try to lead you from the straight path. Another thing, 1 w’ant to remind you of, Hen, and that is the petty bickerings you have among yourselves. There is no time in your great movement for quarreling with one another—keep your anger for the leaders of the system that holds your nose close to the grindstone. Watch those who keep you on the verge of poverty, your wife in misery, and your children unhealthy and poorly clad. Only yesterday, Hen, 1 saw two Irishmen having a fierce quarrel. For a while I thought they were coming to blows. I had almost come to the conclusion that Irishmen will always quarrel. A little while after I saw the same two men carrying the same side of a banner in the St. Patrick’s Day procession. They seemed to be perfectly united in the the matter of carrying the Irish banner, but were prepared to differ on other matters. That is the spirit that should actuate you and your mates. You should agree to differ on matters that do not count, but you should be absolutely united on matters dealing with your conditions. Remem-

impressive scenery. ber, Hen, the winter coming, and your kiddies still want warm and waterproof clothing. Are you going to let winter after winter pass with no other idea of redress but going cap-in-hand to the boss. THE VAG’S UNDERSTUDY,