The Moving Finger

Maoriland Worker, Volume 3, Issue 43, 5 January 1912, Page 9

The Moving Finger

The "Free Lance Annual" for 1911 is a very creditable production, alike from a literary and artistic point _of view. Some excellent short stories and topical verse are amongst its features, and the cartoons and illustrated jokos maintain the high standard of "Tlio Free Lance." Tho contributors include such well-known names as I Messrs. J. Cowan, J. Liddle Kelly, I Claude L. Jcwvll, A. A. Grace, Frank Morton, C. Alien Marris, and Mrs. Malcolm Ross. Altogether, the Annual is a notable advance on its predecessors, and betokens the progressiveness of its proprietors.

The Macmillan Company, ihe great Xew York publishers, have s<; nt to the press, and will issue immediately, an important work on Socialism, says St. Louis "Labor." Its title is "Elements of Socialism," and its authors arc John Spnrgo, author of numerous important Socialist and sociological works, and Dr. G. B. L. Arm-r, who is a newcomer into the Socialist literary Held. Dr. Arncr was until quite lately an instructor in economics at Dartmonth College, and. before- that at Princeton University. John Spargo has lectured in more colleges and universities than any other American Socialist —perhaps more than all put together. It is fitting, therefore, that these two Socialists should write a book ef.pccip.lly intended for use as a text-book in colleges and universities and Socialist study classes. This Js probably the first time that a great publishing house hns ever undertaken to issue a regular text-book on Socialism, written wholly from the Socialist point of view. The book is said to tie very comprehensive. It gives the Socialist criticism of society: tho philosophical and economic theories of Socialism, with replies to attacks made npon them; a statement of the Socialist ideal; a survey of the history of the movement in every country; and a complete reply to all the principal objections to Socialism which have been made The statistics of thp movement have been brought ■ight up to date, and each chapter has its own summary, list of questions, and bibliography. Tho appearance of the book is being eagerly discussed in some of the big collojrcs. and its adoption by several is said to bo certain.

The dispute between the Australian Journalists' Association and the cmI'lovoi's in the Commonwealth has been ettlod. The agreement he twee n the parties provides for a week of 48 hours, \•t ti one c\".\r day off per week. Senior leporters am to iwche £7 per week, :ind th-p scale of wages graduates down ;.o £'5 10s and £4 per week. Generally, the demands of the association have received most favorable consideration from tl:e employers. So mncli is learned frem a private letter. Offi.■inl ronKnr.ation is bring awaited by Veal journalists, who would do well to in l 'into the action of their Australian <-.;nfren\s. and come down off their [>cir'l; and adopt Industrial Unionism. , • * • Napi.iMiii lionapnrte is imported to .aye said: "I fear one newspaper more tiinn a hundred thousand soldiers." Tiio power- if the newspapers, says Carl Sandlvm , !'. is one of the strongest. W'l>r-st powers in all modern society. The newspaper costs only a penny. Those who do not have libraries, rhov- who l;f,vt- ii"vcr fjone to college — l'niilions en iiiilljiiiis of peo]>le— [H. nil <)]) tin- "'ii'-ai , daily newspaper. To hem it is a library and eoiloge. To rheni it is a daily sinker and teacher. And so the capitalist interests have ;:ot tiii l iV'ivspiijv-vs.- 'Vast armies of foldieys ■■■(.i;id iK't e>:ci-."iM' control over :he M'irwls '".-f the people as the news-)ia|""-;'.s do. Even you who read this now, you '■n< - .\v how you Imv to stnig'ile soiiierinios against faH-i , i>-..j"res.sions which •he wh'rlr- civ]'it;,l:s J .i press is trying to drive into your mind. This is why' ChiirW F'lward Mussel •egards tii-o pow/'r <>f the press as n j.oiv'r f;i!'v r« treir-'-rd-ius and perhaps £"«-r.s.T tl.w! all '.lie p<aver of tJie ■ rupts. These are some reasons why you should read and suproit "The "Worker. ,, your paper —the organ of social democracy in Maoriland. Reading niakcth a full man, confer- ■ iiL-e a ready man, and writing an exr.ct man.—Bacon. * < < * Were a man ever so benighted, ever ■0 forgetful of his high calling, there :s always hope in him who actually Mild earnestly works. In idleness alone is there perpetual despair.—Carlyle.

No trnih so Mibliino but it may be trivial to-morrow in the light of new thought. — Eiuoi'pon.