The representative., 1901-06-13
WASTE OF DISCRIMINATION
Little Realized by Those Who Have
Not Investigated.

Says F. G. R. Gordon in the Van
guard:
l estimate that nine-tenths of the
energy exerted today is utterly wasted.
We don't begin to realize this tremen-
dous waste until we investigate the sub
ject.
are required because of this gigantic
waste.
Waste is that which we could do bet
ter without than with, that produces
nothing useful, and requires tremen-
dous amount of labor. Paradoxical as
is may seem, however. waste is a good
thing under capitalism. 1t gives en-
ployment to many that would otherwise
be unemployed. We can truly say Of
the capitalistic system, the more we
waste and the more we destroy the bet
ter off we are.
Just one illustration will prove this:
Suppose by some chemical process l
was able to destroy One-half of all the
boots and shoes made in this nation.
what would be the result? 1t would be
the means of giving employment to at
least $4,000 unemployed shoemakers;
and further, 1t would have tendency
to increase the wages of all shoemak-
ers. Hence blessing!
Waste can only be called a curse
when we call the capitalist system a
curse. OF course, we all understand
that under Socialism all that is not
reckoned waste would be saved and
this saving is very much larger sum
than most of us have ever guessed.
Competition is not only gigantic
financial waste, but is also a tremen-
dous mental waste, competitive brain
struggle that shortens the life of the
average man engaged in it by at least
ten years. Because of this struggle
too, men are committing suicide, going
crazy and degenerating, increasing
crime of every kind.
Competition is the mother Of adulter-
dClOl, duu 1uulICl dtlOA 10 q VI lu1C CudI
kills hundreds every year. Let us glance
at some of the financial wastes:
Geo. Rowell & Sons, the owners and
editors of Printers Ink, published in
New York city and devoted to the ad-
vertising business, recently stated edi-
torially that there were 1000 firms in
New York city that spent $1,000, 900 900
in advertising their goods. This is
over s3,O0O,0OO per day, counting every
working day in the year, expended by
these 1000 firms. There are in this ma.
tion over 100000 firms that do more
or less advertising. And if these 1000
firms in New York city do one-tenth of
all the advertising done in the nation,
then our loss due to this waste alone
would be the astonishing sum Of $780,
100000 per day!
The advertising business furnishes
employment to one-half or two-thirds
of all the printers in this nation; it en-
ploys an army of carpenters, paper
hangers, gilders, mechanics, lithograph-
ers, bill posters, solicitors, collectors,
ETC., ETC., and all of them non-produc-
ers. If we take into consideration the
direct and indirect waste from thie
source the losses cannot be less than
s2O,OOO,OOO per day.
The waste of distribution is equal to
the advertising waste, if we reckon on
commercial drummers, who alone cost
several million dollars a day In the
city of Boston there are 800 dry goods
stores, over 500 shoe stores, nearly /, 200
grocery stores, and several thousand
other stores, where a single one under
Socialism would suffice. One great de-
partment store with eight branches
would supply Boston under Socialism
just as well as one postoffice and few
branch Offices now supply Boston with
postal accommodations. Under Social
ism we will save the labor Of 4OO, 900
out of the $4,000 clerks now employed.