NEWS AND VIEWS

Maoriland Worker, Volume 6, Issue 244, 20 October 1915, Page 1

NEWS AND VIEWS

J Items of Interest for the Working Class

Holland traders are getting rich sailing goods to Germany, according to a Rotterdam letter printed in the "New York World." ''Soldiers aro instructed," states this writer, "to shoot contraband runners, but profits are so large traders are willing to risk their lives." All for profits. No risk too great if the profit is large enough. Men will risk their own lives and the lives of their children; they will commit murder, anything, for profits. And yet when a Socialist gets up and proposes a practical system that will eliminate all profit, he is called a. traitor, an anarchist, a destroyer of religion

and a few other things.—"Appeal to Reason." * •"• * The "too-old-at-forty" stunt lias received a rude shock through this terrible war, and now it is the men over forty who aro being called on to bear tho brunt of keeping up supplies. The demand for the over-forty men is a tardy arrival, and the pity of it is that ifc is being used to force younger men into the firing line. Advertisements, and some Government ones at that, are appearing notifying vacancies but adding that "No person under 45 need apply unless physically unfit for active service, or otherwise ineligible to enlist." —Queensland "Alert" (Labor). Jack Curtin, writing in the tent.i anniversary number of the "Socialist," ol' tho Socialist Party's propagandist work in Melbourne Bijou Theatre: "What names this platform recalls. Mann —inspirer, instructor, friend, comrade, warrior, in my opinion easily the best Socialist I have known. Tillett, Keir Hardie, Hartley, Ramsay Mac Donald— in these days of proletarian eclipse insistent that the light shine—Harry Holland, Joseph M'Cabe, W. T. Mills, Scott-Eeimett, Dr. Broda, Albert Mansbridge, John Hod/.e, Mrs. Montefiore, and Miss Pankhurst." SB -;r * Elbert Hubbard says 'Frisco "Star," killed his one-time popularity in his own country by fawning upon men of millions to a nauseating degree for the easy money that was in it, :md the supposable prestige. And the "affinity" business in his domestic life disgusted some women admirers of his talent. Hβ may have been misjudged, but tho verdict as to his character is pretty nearly unanimous. Ho was

merciless iv his judgment of others. His tragic death brings him no nearer the "Hail of Fame," as he flippantly predicted it might, should it occur. The money lords unto whose altar of -vorship lie voluntarily brought his in- j heritauce have no eu'ogies to offer. They paid him his price, and for tho same can easily find another to take his place. ->:• * # Oa Saturday evening before last there was a good attendance of shearers at a meeting held at Tapanui to discuss tho price of shearing for the coming season. The chairman stated

that as tho price of everything had risen, ho thought that tho price of shearing should bo raised. Several of those present voiced their opinion oh tho matter, and after some discussion it was decided to send tho following resolution to the secretary of tho Farmers' Union:—"That at a meeting of shearers it was resolved that the price of shearing for the coming season bo 255. per 100, and for studs double rates, including rations." Delegates wore appointed to meet the Farmers' Union if found necessary. Tho local "Courier" suggests that the shearers should get a war [tonus of so much per hundred to compensate them for the high price of commodities. The ordinary rate of £1 per hundred seems ]jig enough, but there is often so much loss of timo owing to wet and farmers should endeavour to havo another job going at shearing time, so that the men and boys could earn a living wago in broken weather. On some stations last year shearers did not average £1 a week. * •* * Tho cost of living in Germany has risen from 25.12 marks in July, 1914, to 38.60 marks in July, 1915. The British figures also prove of interest in showing that all tho workers in the belligerent countries aro suffering equally, and that tho Food Pirates in all the belligerent countries hold the samo ideas of what Patriotism means. # * * v Tho prospectus of tho New Zealand Local Loan is advertised in to-day's issue. The prospectus sets out the terms and conditions under which moneys may bo invested on security of tho Public R-evenucs of New Zealand \n nrovido tho funds necessary for local purposes during tho present war.*