The independent. [volume] (Lincoln, Neb.) 1902-1907, 1904-04-07

er, ARISES at the point where the Ia
borer who creates the product parts
with it for less equivalent than is
represented in its use value" That
would mean that Surplus value"
arises in the act of exchange. Yet
we are told in the socialist bible
Marks "Capital"-that the value of a
commodity is the amount of socially
necessary labor required to reproduce
It, and that commodities exchange as
equivalents upon this basis. II
farmer A has produced 100 bushels of
wheat in year when the average
socially necessary labor time" is, say,
5 hours per bIshel-then, regardless
OF tariff taxes, chattel mortgage
sharks, exorbitant freight rates, grain
spectators, ETC., he is bound to re-
ceive in exchange commodities which
in the aggregate required 500 labor
hours to produce, and regardless OF
the money terms in which the price
of such things may be expressed Pos
sibly he may receive $50 in the uni
versal equivalent" If SO, then the
socially necessary labor time of pro-
ducing 1920 grains of gold. nine
tenths fine, must have been, at that
particular moment. 500 labor hours.
And II he then should be required to
pay $50 for a certain farm machine,
1t would be be :ause the necessary la
Dor time In producing that machine
was, at that moment, also 500 labor
hours.
Use values"-the socialists insist
upon using this awkward substitute
for "utility'-cannot be known def
nitely until the thing Itself is con-
sumed. Here comes in the MARKHAM
Surplus value." The dislnherited per-
son, without Iand and without capital,
ia nevertheless a manufacturer of
labor power" or energy. He pro-
duces this by eating bread and meat.
Every mouthful of bread or meat rep
resents so many minutes of socially
necessary labor time" in it's prOduc-
ton. Ergo, his labor power" has a
value determined by the socially
necessary labor time" consumed in
producing it.
Now, in order to keep mis- labor
power factory going without a strike
or lockout. the disinherited. having
nothing else to sell, must needs sell
his "labor-power." What can he Sc
cure in exchange for it? Plainly no
more than the equivalent Of the So
cially necessary labor time which 1t
would cost to reproduce it. II it were
socially necessary" to extend la
bor-hOurs in keeping this human fac
tory in good running order, then the
capitalist" whO buys and consumes
Tabor power would give in ex-
change for il gold, or some substitute,
which right then would require So
cialiy necessary labor hours" to re-
produce. And the wage worker in
turn would exchange this gold, this
universal equivalent" for Tabor
hours" Of bread, meat. etc.
But, while the Capitalist" pays
value received for the labor-power"
he has bought, he has an undoubted
right to its ''use-value." In other
words, he has a right to consume it,
just as he might consume any other
commodity. Tie act OF consumption
is called "labor." In other words, the
CdPAeAlASt SAYS W tle W68S WOIkSI,
II have bought your labor power; it
is nine; kindly deliver It by expend-
ing 1t in operating this machine OF
mine upon these raw materials OF
NINE" Now, il will be observed that,
according to our hypothesis, although
the human labcr-power factory can be
kept running by an expenditure Of S
hours socially necessary labor" the
energy so produced can be used from
ten to sixteen hours out of the "a.
Therefore, the capitalist buys labor
power to be delivered to him during
just as many hours as he can. Say he
contracts for delivery during IL hours.
Our hypothesis is that an average OF
hours will keep the human factory
goiAg Hence, the last hours OF each
day are gift to the capitalist. They
are surplus labor hours. The COM
modities prodsced during this time
constitute Surplus value" And Il is
evident that no surplus value could
possibly arise where, FOR example, a
person works on his own account and
not for wages. Selling 'laDor-power"
at It's value" Is necessary prece-
dent to surplus value." as Brother
Richer ought 10 know,