The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1901-08-31

The parable Of the Water Tank by
Edward Bellamy, is perhaps the clear
est and most convincing exposition In
popular language IF the economic alb
surdity and Wastefulness OF the profit
,mongering system ever published. OBJ
viously if the workers only received
one-half Of the value of the ARTICLES
they produce-and the snare of labor
alike in field and factory Is really
good deal less than half then can only
purchase to that extent from the great
storehouse of products; consequently
there must always be a. tendency to
what is called "over-production." The
most Industrious, energetic and eco
nomical the working classes are, the
sooner will a large stock Of goods of
all kinds accumulate, which cannot find
a market, because labor (by far the
largest consuming class) only receives
81 for every 81 represented In the value
of products: When the tank is full,
according to the parable-in other
words, when the market is glutted and
the warehouses are full Of goods for
which there are no purchasers-there
is no more work for the water carriers
that is, the workers. Consequently,
they are discharged and the situation
is aggravated by the further decrease
Of their purchasing power. Waste and
leakaSe-the expenditure in useless lux
uries by the rich, wars, fires, etc.
help to empty the tank and restore
prosperity" Under this absurd and
Illogical system, wars, shipwrecks,
floods, CONGREGATIONS, every calamity
that destroys the work Of mems hands
apart from the destruction Of life
is positive boon and blessing to la
Dor, because it makes work and short
ems the inevitable periods of stagnation.
Out of this abnormal and paradoxical
situation has arisen the craze for for
eign markets and imperial expansion.
The predatory classes of Britain, the
United States, Germany and the other
great commercial nations have exploit
ed their own people till they are too
poverty-stricken to buy the continually
increasing output Of manufactured
goods. In order to postpone the COM
plete collapse of the commercial sys-
tenn, these nations are compelled to seek
markets abroad; and hence wars Of ex-
pansion are waged under various pre-
tects. Wars of conquest are the logical
and necessary consequence Of the pro-
fit-mongering system. When labor is
organized on the basis Of mutual SER
vice, instead Of individual profit. the
great incentive to war will be done
away with.
There was a certain very dry land,
the people whereof were in sore need
Of water. And they did nothing but to
seek after water from morning until
night, and many persisted because they
could not find it.
Is; ,HoWbeit. there certain men In
that land who were more crafty and
diligent than the rest, and these had
gathered stores of water where others
could find none, and the name of these
men were called capitalists. And it
came to pass that the people of the
land came unto the capitalists and
prayed them that they would give them
Of the water they had gathered that
they might drink. for their need was
sore. B ut the capitalists answered
them and said:
go to We silly people! Why should
we give you of the water which we
have gathered, for then we shoSld be-
come even as We are and perish with
you. But behold what we will do unto
you. Be We our servants and We shall
have water
And the people said: 'Only give us
to drink and we will be your servants,
we and our Children
And it was so. Now, the capitalists
were men of understanding. and wise
in their generation. They ordered the
people who were their servants in
bands with captains and officers. and
some they put at the springs to dip,
and others did they make to carry the
water, and others did they cause to
seek for new springs. And all the
water was brought together in one
place, and there did the capitalists
make a great tank to hold it and the
tank was called the Market, for it was
there that the people, even the SER
wants Of the capitalists, came to get
"dISA. <AAu VAC CdpAId1lol6 6dlU uuIO
the people:
For every bucket of water that We
bring to us, that we may pour it into
the tank, which is the Market, behold!
we will give you penny, but for every
bucket that we shall draw forth to give
unto you that We may drink Of it, We
and your wives and your children, We
shall give to us two pennies, and the
difference shall be our profit, seeing
that if it were not for this profit we
would not do this thing for you, but
We should all perish
And it was good in the peoples eyes,
for they were dull Of understanding,
and they diligently brought water unto
the tank for many days, and for every
bucket which they did bring the capt.
talists gave them every man a penny:
but for every ticket that the capital
lists drew forth from the tank to give