The labor argus. [volume] (Charleston, W. Va.) 1906-1915, 1911-09-14
The Advantages of
Collective Ownership
(By Dallas Tickle, Jr.)

The advantages of collective owner
ship to the working class are too
many to be enumerated in Il short
article, but a few will be here set
forth.
By collective ownership is meant
the public ownership of the means of
production and distribution, or, in
other words, of the means OF exist
ence.
Suppose the public owned the fac
tories. mines. mills. railroads, trolley
lines, etc, then any legislation en-
acted by the various legislatures of
the various states favorable to the
factories or railroads of those states,
would be beneficial to the entire pop
ulation, and any legislation by the
Federal Congress favorable to GER
tain ne of business would accurc to
the benefit of The entire common
wealth, and not to a favored few in
dividuals, as at present. Then, too,
corruption would to a great extent
disappear, since there would not be
Ii same incentive for graft. robbery,
trickery, etc., as all would be partners
in the same public enterprises, which
would be run IN the same principles
as our ~postoffices, schools, public
libraries, etc. Do you often hear cor
ruption and scandal mentioned in
connection with these?
Again, the immense profits now
realized by IA few individuals under
private ownership. would be utilized
to lessen the cost of living, to cheaper
the price of food, clothing, fuel. travel
etc, all of which revert to the bene-
fit of the
If collective ownership should sup
ersede private ownership. the work.
ingman would have fewer hours to
work., more time to improve his men,
tai faculties, and more money with
which to enjoy himself as his more
favored neiGhbor is now able to do.
And in addition, he would be able to
give his children n better education.
and thus fit them for carrying on
the work of the world, and make a
success of their future careers. And
what w~orkinGman is there who would
not want these better conditions if he
could get them?
The markets of the world cannot
buy the products of the industrial
plants of the United States If they
are run on full time. That is why
there arc so many closed, INT so mau
tens of thousands of workers idle.
They can never be run full time. and
all the worker cannot have employ
ment at once. The same is true of
the plants of Europe. The. world is
a Elut of goods, and the people an
not buy them because they nave not
enough wages. You wouldn't run i
plant when you could not sell the
goods. would you? Nor will tho other
fellows. We have enough people to
man all the industries, but the peo-
pie cannot be employed because the
matter canno sell the goods. What
are the people thus thrown out OF
employment to do? Be silent anG
%starve? This is the result of capital,
ism run TO its logical end. Under {
common ownership of the Industries
the age of the workers would equa
the selling price of the goods, ant
then if they didn't need any more
they could stop and play until til,
supply began to run down. and theI
they would start up the plant. Or
, trey. could lessen the hours of a day
: toll and make the supply equal t,
5 the demand but without THROWN:
any one out of employment.
: Better machinery that is balm:
4 I:Iadc and improved every day is il
t-nsifying the present condition
l Til" future will be worse and worse
l 1t i impossible for it to get bette
when the cause of it remains. Ptivat
t ownership of Industries is the cauS
anil Jublic ownership is the cure. 70
IAN suffer as long as you like. bp
you cannot avoid suffering as long a
the industries are owned and opera,
: eG for private gain.
g Wiz. C.'.' Sii of you set it in I:
neck you will open your eyes. or els
Eou Will close them III starvatic:
o i'll Az mn against the real III ;
e new The rich cannot waste the pro
ducts as fast as you can create then
But all the people, if they were pei
mittcd. could use all the goods til
? plants could produce. and the reaso
II they cannot huy them is because the
wages are not equal to the price pr
on the goods when they leave the
d hands Can you get that into You
/ nOgSin?
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