HITTING A LIE ON THE HEAD

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXI, 19 June 1926, Page 4

HITTING A LIE ON THE HEAD

A TALK A BOLT WALL'S ((.Vmlrilmted liy the Welfare League) Tin; best (liing to do with a lie is to liil it on (lie liead and knock it clean out of time. Of course. it is well to make sure that the statement, theory or dogma to be struck is false before commencing your attack. Socialists are accustomed to naming the wage system of our time "wage slavery." This, in our ipinion, is both a falsity and a stupidity, and we have no hesitation in saying so. Wages instead of being a mark of slavery is,

indeed, a sign of freedom. No slave ever received wages. A gift or benevo-lence-—sometime, ves; bill a payment by way of right (o the slave—never! Let it lie noted Unit every wage paid to every worker whether CfiOUl) per anmiin to a I’rime .Minister or f>/a day to a charwoman, is the result of a conlracl between two parties, A, the payer of wages, and 15, the receiver of them. In the wage transaction there is no element of enslavement. B .receives as of right and A is similarly required lo pay. The fiillilment of contract on both sides is an evidence of individual and social freedom. Tlie worker receives liis wa*:e as a free man and (In- employer pays under the law of social freedom which requires the observance, of contracts. (I’o begin with, you will note that only a free man cap make a contract In the time of slavery in America there was no contract between A the planter, and B the "nigger.” If L 5 got a coin for holding C's horse, such coin in law belonged to A, ! The economic mark of the legal status of freedom from personal servitude. was shown when A lirst. commenced to pay wages. - Not only is the “wage slavery” eiv utterly false but if is also stupid. The words are used, no doubt, lo incite class passion;' to make the wage earner think that anyone who employs him is his enemy. What is lost sight of is that if you teach men and women that they are slaves they may come to believe it and live slavish lives. By instilling the truth that they are free they are more likely to exercise their freedom, and freedom like tlie . human body, grows with exercise. , , Tn America (he great Labour unions and federations have adopted tlie plan of calling to their members “wo are free Americans.” ’flic result is shown in greatly increased personal pride, iniative and independence. “Labour” in Britain lias- been stupilied with the. social gag of “wage slaves” and more and more the worker lias come to leaning on the Almighty State instead nr standing upright on his own feet.

MAKE THE BEST OE IT

It is true that full freedom comes but stage by stage. The. worker of the earlier period in entering into wagecontracts was at groat disadvantage in comparison with the other party to the contract. But freedom to make a contract carries with it freedom to] make a contract us advantageous as| po&sibic. B, the receiver of wages,' can improve his position in three ways —(1) By joining with his fellow workers to fix the terms on which they will agree to work. The law affords full liberty of combination. (2)' By studying industry, and more especially tlie' advancement of the industry from which his or her wages arc drawn. (55' ; By co-operation with the other partner, in industry to produce the best re- j suits. In some contracts after the settlement is made the contracting parties may each go their own way. This is not so in industries. The wags payer and the receiver liavo to work together in order to maintain and int-1 prove the contracts to the advantage! of B as well as A.

To make the best of the position! contracts should be hold inviolable l>v - both employers and workers. Breaches j on either side arc likely to lead, ia the i end, to the disadvantage of both.! “Sweating conditions” on one side and j “go slow” practice on the tilhcr though ; they appear to give an advantage to j .the parties taken singly but result in injury to the industry on which both depend for success. The wage earner is no slave but u free individual. It rests with the work-, ers whether they use their freedom' wisely to their own gain and the good of society to which they are all me:-1 hers. Not by reliance on mere catch l words or the-exercise of class pa.ssio i! but by the application of commonseniv will they succeed to greater freed mi! and material prosperity.