Denver labor bulletin., 1916-09-02
Real Preparedness
Against monopoly
By FRANK p WALSH
Chairman United States Committee
Industrial Relations
By FRANK P. WALSH
Chairman United States Committee
on Industrial Relations

| things and not be arrested, but these
things 1 do are vagrancy when done by
men less cunning than /.
As to natural resources other than the
resource of tilable land, it is absolutely
wrong that the coal deposits of this
country should be in the hands of pri-
vate owners whose desire for profits in
duces them not only TO hold and beat
down wages OF the workers to starva-
ton limits, but induces them to resort
to brutal intimidation, to the corrup-
tion of government and governmental Of
fiicals, and to the meanest thievery,
bribery and graft TO add to their prof
its. This is matter of serious conse-
quences to this generation and future
generations, that the natural wealth of
the country, the fuel of the country on
which all industry depends, should be
controlled not for the public welfare, but
for all that is antagonistic to the public
welfare.
Claiming Bounties of Nature.
Those who now own the coal deposits
and the oil deposits develop only so much
of that natural wealth as will enable
them by a scarcity of supply, to keep up
the price and TO keep other men from
taking this God-given wealth for the
God created needs of man. These same
people and their monopolistic allies are
now reaching for the water power and
claiming all these bounties OF nature, as
the late President Baer of the Reading
railway claimed the anthracite wealth of
Pennsylvania "as the vice regents of
God"
The governmental expenses OF the
United States, national, state and local,
are in round numbers three billions of
dollars a year. Only just about one
quarter of this is now collected thru land
value taxes and taxes on incomes and
inheritances. Tie rest is all taken from
the poor or laid with the still greater
burdens of inter-t and profits, upon the
over burdened backs of the workers. Yet
it is estimated by the best economists
that every year at least six billions of
property income are taken out of the
fruits of labor in the United States. In
every year one-half Of all tiat property
income would pay all the expenses OF
government, national, state and local.
Intolerance of Mononoply.
Even if monopoly were benevolent it
would be intolerable in a free land and
would be obstructive of all real prepar-
edness. But it is never benevolent, it is
never capable, it is always stupid, it is
always wasteful. 1t has no vision. Mo
nopoly is the same yesterday, today and
| forever" 1t never invented a new pro-
cess in business or enterprise. 1t never
had any other idea than the stupid idea
of taking wealth for the few and pow
erful out OF the wages OF the many and
powerless. 1t loves particularly to rob
little children and anxious mothers.
Did you ever see big business com
bine to lessen or keep down telegraph
tolls or railroad rates or anything ex-
cept wages The miners unions have
forced raise of $50, 600 in wages in
three years in this country. Where
would that sum have gone. We're it not
for the powerful unions? We never will
have justice in this country until all
laborers have the right and power to
say what they will work for-iust as
the miners have done in a limited way.
Right Sort of Preparedness.
This country will be really prepared
when its land for production, when its
industries for manufacture, when its
highways for transportation and its nat
ural deposits of natural resources are
worked or controlled, or are of access to
all the men and women of the nation.
That real preparedness can be brought
into realization only thru the action of
free men and women working together
and acting together, in n citizenship
which is intelligent and well informed by
press that is controlled not by private
persons promoting their own private
fortunes, but is owned and controlled by
these working masses OF the people.