SUNBEAM COLUMN

Grey River Argus, 16 April 1925, Page 8

SUNBEAM COLUMN

GOOD THOUGHTS TO ALL THE WORLD. “Show a. piece of money. What is this? A florin!” A little girl was cnee risked to describe money. She replied “Money is very awkward when you haven’t got any.” She had probably had painful experiences. Has any young Socialist tried to find out what, would happen in town, city or country if no one had any money? Here is a. fruitful subject for essay writing. Let us find something about this wonderful metal -.ailed mom cy. Where shall we go for the purpose? To the mint! They would not let us in. To bocks! “Yes.” Books tell us that a few hundred yours .-igc, in England, very little money was ”4 use. How were things purchased or obtained? By exehnnge or barter— so much wool for so much corn; so many sheep for so many goats; cloth for pots and pans; a plough, for a boat. Air F. .1. Gould in “Moral Lessons,” 4th scries, tells ns some facts about money. It was first used in Lydia (Asia. Minor). It Ims taken many forms, appeared in many shapes and sizes. Bullets have served for money and bean-shaped pieces of metal. (Fapcvj tfrief boys andf ‘girls of those days purchasing their sheets with a bent piece of metal!) Paper, too, as wo know, is used as a medium of monetary exchange (Postal orders cheques and Treasury notes). Tn olden times coins were engraven with the heads of gods and goddesses or of sacred animals. On modern coins we find the heads of reigning sovereigns. Yes; money has a power. If there was no money perhaps there would bo no millionaires. Let us observe a modern me” of wealth. He travels in an expensive motor car. We see him stop at 'a hotel. A porter opens the door of the automobile and lifts out his bag; the driver touches his hat before departing. Ho is shown into a richly furnished Toon? with fine pictures, curtains and mirrors. The maid brings him hot water in the morn ing. Most of the folks touch their caps respectfully to the millionaire. Ho does not. need to clean his boots (much less repair them), nor brush his clothes, nor dig his garden, nor indeed to contribute anything his personal reeds as ordinary folks do, and all because he has money, he -'s rich Wo sec there fore that money Is '’cry useful to him. Ho is glad enough it came, however it might be ‘with the poorer folk who most of the time do not get enough of it. Who will tell men how the millionaire gets Lis money? It is derived usually from rent, interest and profit. What, doos! he own to secure this return?—The factories and the machines inside them. And who used the machines and make the things in the factory? “The workers P’ What, things do they make? Roots and shoos, tables and chairs, clothing, building materials, railway •carriages and so on. For whom arc ail these, things made? For the people who buy them from the millionaire, or let us now call him the capitalist. Why cannot the people make, theqi for themselves? Because they lack the machines which are in the hands of the capitalists. Good thoughts always. Aunt Flora. To Na mu. April 3 Dear Aunt Flora, — 1, send .good, to all the avorld. I hope ‘.there will be more letters in- the paper next week. It has been stated in the papers that the infantile paralysis was dying down. T hope it dot's as F want to go back to school. Good thoughts to all the world at nine. From Sunbeam dean. I am hoping that school will start soon as all my Sunbeams seem to have grown tired of lessons and are not even bothering to write. I wish I could wake them up. A.F. BlakeX own. Dear Aunt Flora, — May 1 become one <>!.' your many Sunbeams? I am eight years old. and I am in Standard 11. J will be pleased when school starts again as I am anxious to pass this standard. I will close now, sending Good Thoughts all tin' world. Sunbeam Blucbellc. Welcome. Bluebellc. Welcomes froi.i Uncle Jim ami myself and all the Sunbeams. 1 wish you every success, Bluebelle in your examinations. A.F. Biakctown. Dear Aunt Flora, Uncles and Sunbeams.— Greetings and good thoughts to all. 1 am hoping to go back to school soon. Tt was my 11th birthday on Faster Sunday and it will be Sunbeam Mary’s on Thursday. I am very I sorry to hear of Our Prime /Minister’s illness, ami I look forward to the bullc tin to see if there is any improvement in his health. T enjoy reading your stories very inuc’ Aunt Flora. They are so interesting. I hope you will excuse this short letter, but. there have been so few letters in lately that I felt T must write a few lines to cheer you up. Good thoughts to all Sunbeam Gwennie. Many happy returns of the day. Gwennie. What a beautiM dav was

Easter Sunday for a birthday to fall on. Your letter has certainly cheered me up a lot. A.F. Blaketo'wn. Biakctown Dear Aunt Flora.— Greetings and good thoughts to all. It is such n long time ago since I wrote that I’m afraid you will be think ing that F have deserted you. I saw Sunbeam Beryl in town to-day. but I was in a hurry and I never bad time to stop and have a talk with her. My sister wishes to join our column. I kno*w she will be welcome, so I shall encourage her to write every week. I’m afraid you will be getting down-heart-ed after the few letters that were .in the last three issues, it seems as if we all put off writing every week, t will close now. hoping to sec more Sunbeam letters in the Column this week. Sunbeam Mary. T was so pleased to hear again from you, Mary. T thought you had for•n all about me, I will be delighted to welcome your sister, Mary, and I know she will be as delighted as any of us. A.F.