THE LABOR PROBLEM

Maoriland Worker, Volume 10, Issue 447, 1 October 1919, Page 6

THE LABOR PROBLEM

Natioi-al Guilds as a Solution

Following on thc recent outspoken norn ments of the Rev. Chapman of 'Wel-' lington on profiteering, comes a series ■>f lectuies by the Rev. J. Mortimer at Dunedin, dealing with thc Labor prob-i lem in the Dominion. It is a sign of .he awakening cf tho Churches when sue':! topics are discussed in the pulpit uud at semi-religious functions. Mr. Mortimer, after commenting on the -hanged outlook cf the churches, made some pregnant remarks which arc here | quoted:— J At times humanity became bestial in its outlook and philosophy, and then nothing cc-uld be done, save the work of charity, to save it from the worst effects of its bestiality. At s°m e point cf time in the near past the directing aud combating mind of our civilisation became bestial. It became obsessed by a demon, which it called economic iaw. By this philosophy it displaced ho]us bolus the Christian religion in every sort of connection with industrial and social life It « il3 enoug, to mi . with a modern economist" TM\T IT WAS THE GREATEST C'l.lMl. AGAINST THE HUMAN REASON" over committed in the history of the world; that it had been more disastrous to human life in the pa_t 100 ,\ears than all tho wars during that period. it is refreshing to hear a clergyman endorse the Labor outlook on Capitalism. Mr. Mortimer said further:— CAPITALISM HAS WORKED OUT TO ITS LOGICAL CONCLUSION. Capitalism, which means the ownership of the means of PRODUCTION BY A SECTION OF THE PEOPLE, had become the control of thc means of production by a few men. The destinies of th© world, the livelihood of the multitude, were in the hands of men who cared for nothing save for the power which wealth could give. The highest class in the community cared nothing for production, merely handling money, os that it gained them more and more control of the commonwealth. Beneath these commercial men, manufacturers, were striving to gain thc platform of tißancc, whero ali.._ they were secure. Beneath them the smaller men of commerce, industry, professional men, and so forth, striving after the standard of luxury set by those above them, toadying about their courts, because their livelihood depended upon them. Lowest of all the proletariat, the dispossessed with no commodity to offer save their labor—men without stake in the country, or security of life, wage-slaves, only fortunate if they could earn a living wage at the cost of toil which destroyed the possibility of the abundant life. There was one aspect of the question of tbe status of the wage-earners upon which he wished to touch. Supposing him to have hired out his labor at a subsistence wage; Ii„ w»_ fortunate so far. HE WAS 2s OW A HAND AI WORK; BUT AT WHAT WORK? WORK OVER WHICH HE HAD. NO CONTROL—in which ho HAD NO SAY. It degraded him lower and lower in the scale of life. Ho had no interest and no control over the fruits of his labor. IN ORDER THAT THE WHOLE SYSTEM OF BENT, PROFITS, AND INTEREST MIGHT BE MAINTAINED, IN ORDER THAT MAMMON'S THRONE MIGHT BE ESTABLISHED, THEY MUST HAVE THE WAGE SYSTEM, which was not a method of paying men, but a method of hiring labor. If they would overthrow Mammon, if they were in earnest wlien they said there must k a real change, THEY MUST DESTROY THE WAGE SYSTEM. What lie meant by the destruction of the wag© system was the establishment of a system wher© the worker no longer sold bis labor as best he could. He can, and thenceforth lost all control over it or its fruits. A system in which he gave the best that was in ham, with control over his industry and its products m common with his fellow-workers; a system in which' he had security of life and subsistence, whether well or ill. strong or weak, young or old; A SYSTEM WHICH RESTORED TO CRAFTMANSHIP ITS ANCIENT DIG'N.ITY AND HONOUR. Such a system was the national guild system. Briefly, the trades or crafts nnions were to form themselves into national guilds, incorporating every kind and sort of labor in a particular industry, work, and administration. The guild was responsible for its members, for their regular payment, and for their industrial training. The guild was responsible for the conduct of the particular industry over which it had full control, though it had not absolute ownership of machinery, land, etc., which belongs to the State or whole community, and was hired to the guild.