THE SOCIALISTS' MILLENIUM.

Hawke's Bay Herald, Volume XXIV, Issue 8443, 17 August 1889, Page 5

THE SOCIALISTS' MILLENIUM.

{Pall Mall Budget.) Here are some extraots from the ingeuious little socialistic brochure " Looking Backwards," of which we gave sou.c account the other day. Wa may remind lhe reader that it describes the experiences of a man of the nineteenth century who has awakened from mesmeric sleep into /the tweutie'h. Neither in style nor in illusion does Mr Bellamy recall the authors of tbe " Coming Race " or of " Erewhnn," but he boldly solves the difficulties of socialism, as will be seen below : — AN INDUSTRIAL AEjry. | The system of sooialism portrayed is one under which the State is simply an industrial army. The idea ef universal military Bervioe has been applied to the labor question. "Is the term of service in this industrial army for lifo F" "Oh, no; it both begins later and ends earlier than the average working period in your day. Your workshops were filled with children and old men, but we hoik the period of youth sacred to education, and tbe period of maturity, when the physical forces begin lo flag, equally sacred to ease and agreeable relaxation. The period of industrial "service is twenty-four years, beginning atthe do-o of the course of education at twenty-one, Bnd termining at fortyfive. Aftor forty -five, while discharged from labor, tho citizen still remains liable to special calls, in caso of emergencies .causing a sudden great increase in the demand for labor, till he reaches the age of fifty-flve, but such calls are rarely, in fact hardly ever made. Tho fifteenth day of October of every year Is what we call Muster Day, because those who have reached the age of twenty-one are then muntered into the industrial Bervice, and at the same time those, who after twenty-four years' service, have reached the age of fortyfive are honorably mustered out. a solution op the " birty work " difficulty. This is, perhaps, tlie most obvious [ difficulty .which- a' socialistic 'system would have' to mrct. Under a com- | petitive system, unattractive work is ' done either by people who are forced iuto it by necessity, or by people who are induced by extra pay. In 2000 a.d. it is done by people who cbooso it for tbo shorter hours allotted to it, and also by everyone having to start as a pommon laborer. Then :— l '■' At tho end of the term of thrso years as a common laborer, which every man must serve, it is for bim to choose in accordance to his natural tastes whethor he will fit himself for an art of profession, or be a farmer or mechanic If he feels that ho can do belter work with his brains than his muscles he finds ev^ry facility provided for testing lhe reality of hia supposed bent, of cultivating it, and, if fit, for pursuing it as his avocation. The echouls of technology, of medicine, of art, of music, of histrionips, and of higher libetal. learning, are always open to aspirants without condition." "Aro not tbe schools flooded with young men nhoßj only liiotivo is to avoid work ? " suggests the inquirer. Dr Leete smiled a little grimly, " No one ia at all likely to enter the professional schools for the purpose of avoiding work, I assure you," he said. "They are intended for those with jpecinl aptitndo for the branches they teach., and anyone without would find it cyier to do double hours at his trade than try to keep up with class. Of course many honestly mistake their vocation, and, finding themselves unequal to the requirements of the schools, drop and retnrn to the industrial service ; uo discredit attaches to such persons, for the publio policy is to encourage all to develop suspected talenta whioh only \ \ aotual tests can prove the reality of." HOW TO LIVE WITHOUT MONEY. " It is very simple," said Dr Leete, "When innumerable, unrelated, and independent persona produced the various things, needful to iii teaand 'comfort exchanges between individuals were requisite in oi^er that they might supply themselves with what they desired. These exchanges constituted trade, and'monoy was essential as their medium, But as tbe nation became the sole producer of all sorts of com. modities there was no need of exchanges between individuals that they might get what they required. Everything was procurable from one source, and nothing could be prooured anywhore else. A system of direct distribution from the national storehouses took the place of trade, and for this money was unnecessary. " How is this distribution managed?" I asked. "On tbe simplest possible plan," replied Dr JLeete. " A oredit corresponding to his Bhare of the annual product of the, tiatioh ja givon to eyery 'citisjen on the publio books f at the beginning' of e'-jchyear, and ft credit oarfl issued him

with whiofe ho prr cures at the publio storehouses, f.;uud in every community, whatever he desires and , whenever he desires. This arrangement, you will see, totally obviates the necessity for business transactions of any sort between individuals and consumers. Perhaps you would like to see what our credit cards aro like?" * * * "What If you have to spend more than your card in any one year ? " I asked. " Tho provision is so ample that we are more likely not to spend it all," replied Dr Leele. " But if exraordinary expenses should exhaust it, we can obtain a limited advance on the next year's crodit, though this praotioe is uot encouraged, and a heavy discount is charged to chock it." Thero Bre also international arrangements for the exchange of credit cards in travelling into the currenoy of any j oountry. WOMEN IN THE MIIXENNIUM. " Are credit cards issued to the women just as to the men ? " " Certainly." " The credits of Ihe womeD, I suppose, aro for smaller sums, owing to the frequent suspension of their labor on account of family responsibilities. "Smaller!" exclaimed Dr Lee'e, " Oh, ao I The maintenance of all our people is the same. There are no exceptions to that rulo, but if any difference were mado on account of the interruptions you speak of, it would be making the woman's credit larger, not, smaller. Can yon think of any service constituting a stronger claim on tho nations gratitude than tbe bearing and nursing the nations children ? According to our view, none deserve so well of the world as good parents." " It would seem to follow from what you have said that wives are in no way dependent on their husbands for maintenance." " Of course they are not," replied Dr Leete, "nor children oil thoir parenti either, that is, for means of support, thouah, of oourso they are for the offices of affection. The child's labour, when he grows up, will go to increase the I common stock, not his parents', who will bo dead, and thorefore he is properly nurtured out of the common stock." All hare the saino support from tha State, even the maimed, the halt, and the blind. The only stimulus to excel is that excellence is the way to fame aud promotion in the industrial hierarchy. But though each has the same amount to spend, each can spend his State allawanoß iv hia own way. Criminals, as iv " Jgi'ewhon," are treated not in the gaol but in tho hospital. They suffer from "atavism." BOOKS. [ ''By the way,' said I, "talking of literature, how are books published vow ? Is that also done by the nation ?" «' Certainly." " Bnt how do you manage it ? Does tho Government publish everything that is brought it as a matter of oourso, at the public expense, or does it oxarcise » censorhip and print only what it approves 1" "Neither way. The printing department has no censorial powers. It is bound to print all that is offered it, but prints it only on condition that tie author defray tbe lirst co-,t out of his credit. He must pay for the privilege of tbe publio ear, and if he has any message worth heai ing we consider that he will be glad to do it. Of course, if ipoomes were unequal, as in the old times, this rule would enable only the rich to be authors ; but the resources of oitizens being equal, it merely measures the strength of tho author's motive. The cost of an edition of an average book can be saved out of a year's credit by the practice of economy and some sacrifices. The bock, on being pub. lished, is placed on sale by the nation." " The author receiving a royalty on the saleß as with us, I suppose- ?" I su_> gestod. "Not as with you, certainly,'' replied Dr Leete ; " but nevertheless in one way. The prico of every book is made up of the cost of its publication with a royalty for the author. The amount of tbis royalty ls set to his credit, and he is discharged from other servioe to the nation for so long a period as this credit at the rato of allownuce for the support of oitizens shall suffice to support him. If his book be moderately successful, he has thus a furlough for several months, a year, two or three years, and if he in the meantime produces other successful works, the remission of servioe is extended so far as the sale of that may justify. An author of much acceptance succeeds in supporting himself by his pen during the entire period of service, and the degree of. any writer's literary ability, as determined by the popular voice, is thus the measure of the opportunity given him to devote his time to literature la this respeot the outoome of our system is not very dissimilar to that of yours, but there are two notablo differences. In the first place, the universally high level of education nowadays gives the popular vor- , diet a conclusiveness on the real merit of literary work which in jour day it was as far as possiblo from having. In tho J sreond place, there is no such thing now as favouritism of any sort to interfere with the recognition of true merit. Every author has precisely the same facilities for bringing his work before the popular tribunal. To judge from the complaints of the writers of your day, this" absolute equality of opportunity would bave beou greatly prized." " In the recognition of merit in otlier fields of original genius, such as music, art, invention, design," I said, "I suppose you follow a similar principle." "Yes," he replied, "although lhe details differ." JIE>V3i'AI>EKa. " Nothing could be simpler. Supposing some of my neighbors or myself think we ought to havo a r.aivap-iprr reflecting our opinions, and devoted especially to onr locality, trade, or profession, we go about among the people till we get the nsmes of snch a number that their annual subscriptions will meet the cost of the paper, which is little or big according lo the largeness of its constitueuoy. The amount of the subscriptions marked off the credits of the citizens guarantees the nation against loss in publishing the paper, its business, you understand, being that of a publisher purely, with no option to refuse tho duty required. Tho subscribers to the paper now eleot Bomebody as editor, who, if he accepts the office, is discharged from other service during his incumbency. Instead of paying a salary to him, as in your day, the subscribers pay the nation au indemnity equal to the cost of his support for taking him away from the general service. Ha manages the papsr just as ose of your edjtors did, "except that he lias no count-ing-room to obey, or interests of private capital as against tbe public good to defend. Au able editor, of courso keops his plaoe Indefinitely. As ths subscription list enlarges tbe funds of the papor increase, and it is improved by the securing of better contributors, just as your papers were."