Mountain Home maverick. [volume] (Mountain Home, Idaho) 1906-1911, 1911-03-30

democratic control of these things.
This control makes the Socialist
proposition entirely different from
mere public ownership propositions
proposed by others. Collective own /
ership and democratic control taken
together. imply self-employment and /
an end of profits If you own a bus
iness you. cannot pay profit to it, I
If you own a business you. have a I
right to employ yourself in it, If
you have control as workers, in
stead of going to another for a job /
and being under his orders, you. col
lectively, select and change your own
managers to suit yourselves, and are
your own "bosses." 1t is true even
now. and will be more true when the
change fsystem ends the entire
profit system.
The things sought to be socializ-
ed are now partially socialized and
the socialized features are giving
splendid satisfaction In the matter
of transportation, the public roads
are socialized now. If the railroads
were similarly owned and managed,
there would be no toll collected by
them. just as there is none on the
dirt roads. The mail service, a branch
of communication, is also in meas
ure socialized now; and while it is
subject to graft and abuse because,
under partial control of a vicious
system, there is no profit in it, no ad
vertising necessary to sell stamps.
there are no Implications of many
competiting Offices in one town, thus
piling up expense, and the service is
quick and the same to all. If tele-
phones and telegraphs served all the
people at cost, that would merely be
an extension of the collective service
already begun in the matter of COM
munication. The government is be-
ginning to reserve mining rights. If
there was an extension of the prin-
ciple. coal would be furnished to the
people at the cost of production. The
government has already assumed col
lective control of much land. Land is
held. now, apart from individuals,
for sites for public buildings, for
parks, for roads and streets, for tim
ber reserves aud for various otheh
u irposes. In some place, Il is now
being reserved as a means for en-.
ploying the idle in production, If the
| idea was extended It would do much
to relieve the labor market, and in
doing that would give the workers
ability to cope with those who are ex-
plotting them by enabling them to
secure, even now, greater returns for
their toll Manufacture is already a
social work; it is no longer done
by individuals, in small shops, but
is effected in great institutions, thru.
the use of costly machinery by many
specially. Socializing the work in this
way has, statistics show increased
the productivity about twentyfold ov-
er the old individual. machineless
method. Socialism proposes a further
organization so that not the work
alone, but also the products, shall be
socialized, cutting out the profits of
the non-producting capitalist and Civ
ing the worker in effect his full So
cial product.
The principle of socialization. then
is a matter that has been absolutely
tested and proven thoroughly practi-
cal, even though the application of
the principle to the particular thing
in view has never been made. But if
the principal has worked well when
partially tested, the conclusion is
obvious that it is safe to try it fur
ther.