A Social Disease

NZ Truth, Issue 834, 12 November 1921, Page 1

A Social Disease

TJhemployment is a social disease, so common as to be •, regarded J as i inevitable. The day-lie' press can explain it away gui ( te easily;. It* is general ly. due to slVortness of \yprk, dislocation} of in- . clusti'y, too eager a . desire ;to increase production on the part; of -Ijabpr, and conseqiient over f production—rnever to any deficiency m the social economy of the''day. GoverhmeritsV;cannot ! ,cure it any more than the writers of the plute press can be trutMul Avh^en they 'touch on it. ; Amongst' all ■;• the cant ■ that is. canted on: ! the subject of the unemployed not a single hint can be found 'm the dissertations of the cantplogists of the "day-lies" that".- the system of distribution is at fault. , This -would be the truth, and • it would never do to let' folk know the -truth. It might lead to a desire on the part , of Democracy to lind a'cure.for.- unemploymeht-'; Anythhig but this. /.Consequently all the Sir Oracles -of the kept press darken counsel/ !by „ a multitude, of : . .words. Throughout the iipminidh appeals are being made ,tp private V benevolence. Citizens -iwitlv means /a'revasked: to subscribe. Labor is asked' for a /day's pay, the churches^ are asked to make- collectibns for the' lagged army of retainers *m tho service ~\ of Fat," who cannot be turned to profitTmaking' account at; the present time. This insanity, is characteristic of a system that calls, loudly for; increased production, denounces Labor's go-slow policy, and then has; to find some reason for wbrkless millions m a ragged, starving world. It -.i's> m ;lino with; the strange Hallucination that th'e reason .for the scarcity of houses' is the lack of "capital."; .^ Worse than the tragedy of unempleyment itself is the maddening fact that its hideous caiise and utter .insanity. . are hidden ■ from; view behind veils of sophistry •and artificiality cunningly woven by plutish profiteei's. Few of the crowd : dare; to lift the /veils, • for they have been so- long- used to : darkness : that •they, .shun- the light. ■"■ They are the moles of civilisation— having failed to use their, eyes and made a habit of living underground,- they 'have" hist all taste for sunlight and all need for eyesight/ .'. ; ; . ■■■•■■ . k