Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1910-01-04
The Knife That Divides.

Editor Democrat.
1t is generally accepted proposition
that Labor produces all wealth."
Charles NJ. Schwab, former president
of the U. S. Steel Corporation, said
1.-THE only item of expense that enters
into the production of any article any
where in the world is the item of labor. "
Abraham Lincoln said, "No good thing
has been or can be enjoyed by us with
out first having cost labor"
If you are not yet satisfied that labor
produces all wealth, do little reason
ing yourself in regard to the matter. 1t
is a fact. 1t is fact also that labor
does not get all, or anywhere near all, 1t
creates, which is the entire wealth OF
the world. If it did, the workers would
all be "well to do" and the shirkers
would be without supper and shirt.
But what is the sltuationp Isn't it just
the reverse throughout the so-called
civilized world? 1t is. Lincoln said: sit
has so happened, in all ages OF the world,
that some have labored, and others
have, without labor, enjoyed a large
portion of the fruits. This is wrong,
and should not continue" But 1t does
exist and continue. Now why9 Because
of the knife that divides the products OF
labor into two parts, and consequently,
society into two classes. That knife is
private ownership of the social means OF
production and exchange of the necessi-
ties of life. Those means which labor
has made and must use to purchase more
of human needs, is called capital. "Capi-
tai is only the fruit of labor, and could
not have existed if labor had not first
existed" says Lincoln.
Labor built the factories, the railways,
the steamships and lines of communica-
ton, but does not own them, because of
the "knife that divides" the products OF
labor into two parts-profits and wages.
"But," you say. 'labor was paid for
doing it," And 1 say it was not. Let
us see. Labor produces all wealth"
Then, who outside of labor could, or
can, really have anything, any wealth, to
pay for what labor created? Nobody.
Whenever labor is "paid," as we call it,
for doing work, it is always done with a
part of the wealth labor produced but
did not get. The great machinery OF
production which labor has made and
must use, has been taken by private
persons and corporations from labor in
the shape of profits, which are part oil
the products of labor exacted from labor
for the privilege of using the machinery
which labor created but does not own.
This is the way it goes: Labor pro-
duces all wealth, and pays dearly for the
privilege of using a part of it in the
shape of machinery to produce more
wealth which it must sacrifice mostly
for the privilege of using machinery to
produce more wealth which it must
sacrifice mostly for the same privilege
and so on to the end of capitalism. This
is the "dividin' up process, and 1t Is
going on with a vengeance. 1t is going
on to its finish.
The products of labor are divided by
the owners into profits and wages, and
as the only item Of expense Is that o.
labor, and the lessening OF expense il
done by cutting down and out labor, thu
owners appropriate to themselves TIM
proceeds of industry not absolutely
necessary to keep the workers alive ant
J in working condition. They are in bust
mass for "ail the traffic will bear" ant
that means for all that labor can sacri
fee of it's products and still be able te
work. That is business under capital
ism. 1t is private ownership and opera
ton of industry for profit, a portion o
labor's product that labor does not get
The primary object of industry to.da!
is the exploitation of the working class
and the great trick of the system is tt
render the producing class as inexpen
sive to capital as possible, and still have
working class to produce wealth. b!
the improvement of machinery product
are increased, and labor, the only ex
pensa, is cut down and out. Profits ar
increased by the elimination of the un
necessary, and that may be you, If not
some other worker, which is just as bad
And this will continue until the work
ers take the hint and agree by thei
votes to cut out the unnecessary in tn
shape of capitalists and profits, ant
establish the collective ownership o
the industries, which will secure oppor
tunity to all at all times to work, and t
each the value his labor creates, for Tn
Knife that Divides will be gone.
| E. A. TYLER, Norway, Maine.