# The Commonweal/Volume 1/Number 2/Signs of the Times

SIGNS OF THE TIMES.
The proverbial parental relation of “the wish” to “the thought” is more easily realised if ignorance of French is knocking about. Several London journals, in dealing with the exposé of the police spies of Paris by the French Socialists, indulged in a maliciously free translation of the phrase “execution des espions.” This they rendered “execution of divers spies,” not knowing that “execution” here means “exposing.” The French correspondent of the Weekly Dispatch, in our judgement the best of that ilk, was the first to notice and “execute” this blunder.
Socialists and dynamitards are not, as the American correspondent of the Daily News seems to think (by telegraph) convertible or even collateral terms.
The crock calling the kettle smutty. Sir Stafford Northcote falling foul of Professor Thorold Rogers.
New work in India. “India for the Indians—and for England.” The author is the Secretary of the National Liberal Club. He deserves to be.
The first special address to the Manchester Geographical Society has been delivered by Mr. Arthur Arnold, M.P. The subject was “Our Commercial Opportunities in Western Asia.”
Mr. Arthur Arnold is a Radical. He has nothing better to talk about than our—Commercial Opportunities.
The Bishop of Manchester has been preaching on the manifesto of the Socialist League, and is much disturbed by it. His remarks on it are well meaning and amiable, and it must be said that he does not dare to deny the corruption and oppression of society which we assert; but his criticism is for the rest founded on the complete ignorance of Socialism which is the usual condition of the “educated” classes. We hope Dr. Fraser will take the occasion to correct this ignorance which the issue of our literature will give him.
A letter, signed “G. J. Holyake,” recently appeared in the Daily News. It was as fill of fine phrasing as Mr. Holyoake's letters generally are. “Lurid figures on the horizon” became, a few lines down, under a temporary forgetfulness, “the fiery figures of strange platforms.” It is not, however, with the imagery but with the reasoning that we have to do, though the two are curiously closely related. It is the plea, or rather the special pleading, for co-operation as it is to-day that calls for attention. “Many of the stores have more Capital than they know what to do with.” They bear the banner, “Profit sharing with labor.” Industry is to have “an equitable portion of the gain.” But the three words we have italicised are as many impossibilities without unpaid labor and exploitation somewhere. Mr. Holyoake's co-operators as well as the capitalist individuals or companies, do “steal capital” and do “put their hands in” the pockets of others. Every farthing of their profit comes from the unremunerated toil of some of their fellow-men.
At the annual meeting of the Notts Chamber of Agriculture, Lord Belper and the Duke of St. Albans denounced the recent utterances of Mr. Chamberlain on the land question. Naturally.
The steady and self-contained attitude of the London population under the influence of dynamite explosions was well shown by the ubiquitous stampede that followed upon a clap of thunder on the day or night week after the Westminster folly and crime.
Mrs. Natalie Liebknecht's translation of Mrs. Lynn Linton's novel “Joshua Davidson,” published some years ago in the Neue Welt, and lattely issued as a volume with an introduction by Wilhelm Liebknecht, has been prohibited by the Prussian Police Government, under one of the articles of the Anti-Socialist Law.
Professor Voeglin of Zurich, the ardent advocate of International Factory Legislation, lately gave a most interesting lecture on this subject at Bâle. He gave the following statistics regarding child labor in the various European countries:—In Germany children of 12 to 14 may be worked for 6 hours; from 14 to 16, 10 hours. France, boys of 10 to 12 (under certain conditions); boys from 12 to 16 (under certain conditions) 12 hours. England, children under 13, 6-61/2 hours; young persons and females, 10-101/2 hours. Austria, children of 10 to 12 prohibited; from 12 to 14, 10 hours' from 14 to 16, 12 hours. Denmark, children of 10 to 14 may be worked 12 hours; young persons of 14 to 18, 12 hours. Netherlands, child labor for children under 12 prohibited. Spain, boys under 13 and girls under 14 may be worked 5 hours; boys of 13 to 15 and girls of 14 to 17, 8 hours. Italy and Belgium, no laws.
“Job,” says a daily paper, “should have been chairman of the City Companies' Commission.” Exactly: Job with a short “o.”
Edward Aveling.
This work was published before January 1, 1929, and is in the public domain worldwide because the author died at least 100 years ago.
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