CAPITAL AND LABOUR

Timaru Herald, Volume XIIC, Issue 13652, 21 July 1908, Page 2

CAPITAL AND LABOUR

To the Editor of the "Timaru Herald."

Sir, —In your issue of July 11th your correspondent ''Socialist," says:—"ln the days when I was young, craftsmen could make a complete boot. . -. Then in.-n could and did give themselves to the work. But they wera not often working for a capitalist who took two shillings out of eveiy three they earned. . . . It is pitiful to watch the bolt-forger, nublapper, etc., doing the same work hour after hour, day after day, etc." Also, Mr Tom Alanri, when lecturing in Timaru said::—"The poor and starving were to be found in streets of cities where there were shops and warehouses full of all the goods they required, which had been produced by the very people who were starving." For the purpose of naming the workers in different industries, so that the names applied will denote the particular industry in which the worker is engaged, it may be correct enough to gay that boots, -shoes, etc. are made by the boot-maker, or ■ that- .horse-shoes are made by the blacksmith, but to say a craftsman could made a complete boot is liardly 1 good enough'when we are dealing with such a subject as "Capital: and Labour." As necessity is the mother of invention, so competition is the parent of co-operation, notwithstanding " Socialist" to the contrary, and I think I am safe in saying that, even sixty years ago, co-operation was in evidence to such an extent, that it would be difficult for "Socialist," or any other person, to take a pair of boots, a horse-shoe or almost any other manufactured article and state anything like correctly, the number of workers whi.se labour bad co-operated in producing them, a, question ivhich has to be taken into consideration before tve can decide how much each worker has earned. "Socialist" writes of craftsmen earning money and getting one-third of it, but J wotdd like ''Socialist" to cive his definition of "earning" so that it will leave the meaning of the word clear, and still be consistent with the way in which ha uses it. I am doubtful if. he can. Does "Socialist" know that the bolt-forgeis, nut-tappers, etc., are receiving wealth for their labour which they may exchange in thousands of different ways, and' can accumulate their savings in so many different useful forms, that they are amply repaid for the apparent monotony of their daily toil ? Socialist also Fays:—"lt is only by tli<* State, that is all the people, owning the capital and the land, and the State management of both production and distribution, that we can have industrial peace, and plenty for. all, and that is the new political economy that is coming." These statements leave no doubt as to the "school" to which "Socialist" belongs, and although he writes with the greatest confidence in the correctness of his own assertions, still to err is human, and it is quite possible his. statements may be as far from correct as 1 think they are. There are two or three reasons which to my mind contiibttUs very largely to the existing pow-rty of what are commonly called the working clauses. lU '' which is true < i and nearly all others who are in the same position-, i.e., comparatively poor, is, that 'he exchange value of the wealth we have pfodtued is veiy little more than the value ot the wealth we have consumed. In other words, we have spent nearly all we have earned, and unices we make up our mind either to produce more or )e*s we will rtmain poor. " Socialise remarks about the new political economy which will supply " plenty for all appear to 'me to be somewhat Quixotic, as

there is no limit-to,the. requirements of the human race, nor to the . amount ot wealth which it is capable of causing to be consumed. Another contributing cav.se is that many workers early in life. decide on a i't.-im commonly ended a trade or profession in which they will oiler their labour lot i^ale; mauv of them seem to think th'V should always be able to iind a local market for .lite- whole ol it, and thev will neither change (heir locality, nor - learn another calling until something near « novation compels them lo do i-o. In thin, however, they are not altogether to blame, bi:cau>tt many trade unions s.rongly legist encouragement. being given to fhe people in question-, either to come to their district) in search of work, or being given opportunities to learn to do certain clauses of work at which thev could find remunerative- employment. Iu your issue of the 18th, "Socialist writes in a manner which may be characterised as an endeavour lo have a lclthailded slap at. the Churches and Christianity. .Many Socialists reler to the teachings of .lesus Christ as supporting their particular brand of social reform, but, as a sludt nf in Chris 's school, the qutwt.ion often suggests itself to me : What class are they in'; 1 believe (there are many who refer to these teachings who have not studied them very eloseiv. From those who understand them better l ban myself I am anxious, to learn those who may be benefited by any information which 1 can give in connection with my studv of them, 1 am willing to teach. To .Socialist" 1 recommend the study of Pope's lvssav on " Criticism," where he will iind the following lines "A little learning is a dangerous thing, Drink deep, or taste not the Pierian spring : Tlu-ir shallow- -draughts intoxicate the brain, Tint drinking largely sobers us again." I am, etc., WORKMAN.-