THE STATE AND UNEMPLOYED.

Manawatu Times, Volume XLVI, Issue 2648, 17 May 1923, Page 8

THE STATE AND UNEMPLOYED.

Frank condemnation of the doctrine that the State is responsible for providing- employment was expressed by Mr W. A. Appleton, secretary of the General Federation of Trade Unions, in an address in London. He said that among the economic errors which wartime administrators exploited was the idea that the capitalistic system was responsible for poverty and that the unemployment problem could be solved by legislative action. Was it true that capitalism was responsible for poverty? If so, what was to be said of China and Russia, neither of which had a capitalistic system, but in both of which poverty was rampant. To base wages on anything but 'values created must, sooner or later. bring grave trouble. It involved satisfying the idle at th e expense of the energetic and increasing the cost of produc. tiou and selling prices. Any political party which suggested that unemployment could be solved by political action exhibited either foolishness or chicanery, and forfeited any claim to support. The demand that the State should provide useful work for all was an appealing one, but what was useful work? The probable result of any attempt on the part of any Gov. erument, Socialist or Conservative, to find useful work for such a multitude of unemployed as Great Britain pos. sessed would load to a temporary spurt and then to utter collapse. “I do not expect to escape the reprobation of the Communist or Socialist,” ho added. • To the former I would say what he advocates is the worst form of reaction. He is demanding a return to a custom which obtained when society was in its infancy. He is preach ng a doctrine that is no: only old, m-.t discredited To return tr- the practice of each mao carting his own products •• ould kill us absolutely. It seems ic me that Social, ism makes a mistake in expecting to achieve by political action what is only possible through a greater appreciation of and obedience to the best con. ceptious of those laws which demand charity in thought and righteousness in action.”