Workmen's advocate. (New Haven, Conn.) 1883-1891, 1891-01-10
AUSTRALIA.
Continued from first pdge')


in recommending to the unions afiilli
ated basis for political action, obvious
" took no objection to any measure cal
culated to improve the condition OF the
workers. Factory Bills, Eight Hour
Bills, Boiler Inspection Is lis, shipping
Bills, Lien Bills and such measures are
naturally good enough so far as they 90
TO need no advocacy or considerations
What the Council aimed at was evident
~ to lay down a basis defining az
clearly as possible the ultimate ann on
the labor movement SO that from the
moment of its adoption, If it be adopted, |
labor in politics would take up position
which would place 1t at once beyond
the narrow party lines vi h Which thr |
masses have hitherto been delnded ana !
would raise distinct political issue /
which none but workers or true sym
uathiZprs with the workers could pre-
tend to adoIt. Such an important basis
ought not 10 be considered rashly ny
the affiliated unions. 1t might even lie
well to adjourn ot1icih action upon it
until every member clearly understands
the mnmpntous ISSUES involved,
Taking one by one the "poiItlcaI aims
which the Gtntra Council propose IA
basis for political action IT Will be seen
that they turn upon the eternal truth
that those who own thf "mraus OF pro-
durtion" are the masters Of those who
must use those means to i've.
THE naturalization Of all sources OF
wealth and all means OF producing
and exchanging wealth
would make the people at large the
owner Of steamship lines, mines, lands,
gas wurks, tramWays, stations, stock,
fuunarir5 and mills, would convert the
competitive shops into huge national CO.
operative establishments; and would
when accomplished form tie foundation
Of "A complete and rational ludnStr II
system. 1he cry has been worked up
that naturalization means " cnnllscA-
ton" This is a mere Cap'ali~ttc trick
designed to bring diacredit upon a
PROPOSAL the advantages otlWhiCh to the
workers are too great To- be- dl7provcd.
If "conlscatiun' was meant "contsca-
ton" would he the word used "Na
tionaliHatiOn" means "tO make national
and is term used to define the taking
over to the community by purchase upon
a fair valuation just IA any man lana
W, uli he taken now If needed for rail
way and Just as the telegraph lines were
taken over from private company hy
the British Government, The clause
covers machinery as we'll IN land because
it il becoming every day more positively
demonstrated that great masses of capt.
tai can monopohze any business whatso
ever and that the only Way to prevent
this IL for the State to do the monopoliz
ing.
2-The conducting by the State author
ity of all production and all exchange
is the industrial system absolutely neces
sary, in conjunction with the nation
alization before considered, for the
crushing out Of the atroclous wage
system OF this wage system Bernard
Shaw, in the Fabian Essays on Social
ism, has well stated
THE matter is deplorahly simple
Suppose that horses multiplied in Eng
land in such quantities that they were
70 be had for the asking, like kittens
condemned TO the bucket. You would
still have to feed your horse--fe,d him
and lodge him well if you used him as 4
smart hunter-teed him and lodge
wretchedIy if you used him only as s
drudge. But the cost of keeping "ouIc
not mean that the horse had an eX
change value. If you got hun foI
nothing in the first instance-lt no one
would give you anything for him atIe
YOU were done with him, he would be
worth nothing in spite of his keep. Tina
Is Just the case of every member OF The
pr,letariat who could he replaced h)
one of the unemployed to day. Thei
wage is not the price OF themselves, 10
they are worth nothing, 1t is only theI
keep. For bare subsistence wages yo,
can get as much common Tabor AS yOl
want and do what you please with i
within the limits Of criminal cod,
which Is sure to he interpreted by /
proprietary class judge in your favor.
The conducting of industry 10y the
State autnOrl, would enable Quotations
III trade to be easily and successfully
provided against, regular employ men
10 be found for all wiling to work, tn
hideous competition witch lndnce
swindlinp, auulteration, lying and en-
nifty and produces milhonaires am
misery to he dispensed with, and thu
elective system of superintendence
which already works 50 we'll i'll tn
JOINT stock companies that are crowd
Ing out the old-tlme working employer
to he extended 10 all branches of II
dustry. There would he no unemployed
A man could claim something to do as
night and II would he every mans II
terest to see that every other ma
worked fairly am was put ii what h
could do best.
3-The pensionins by the State author
~ Of ali child, aged, and invalid cit
Zens
needs little explanation or comment.
is already recognized tina, every chill
born into a State has right to tNpc'
average opportunity la aNalt Itself OF til