The Knoxville independent. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1894-current, 1917-11-10
Englishman Points Out Inequality
Under Which the Laboring
Class Lives.
NO EQUALITYOF OPPORTUNITY
His Statements as Applicable to the
United States as to Brtain--Injus-
tice of Treatment During Sickness
and Unemployment Pointed Out.
Ry WILLIAM cHENERY.

title "Your Part in Poverty" 1t Is as
applicable to America as to Britain.
In the name of the new spirit, pa
triotic and religious, which has arisen
out of the war Mr.. Lansbury pleads
for the abolition of poverty. He re-
marks trenchantly ''the soldier in the
army is said to cost f250 ($1,250) a
year. Out Of the army the same man
is expected to keep himself, wife and
family on wages from les. to 40s ($4
to $10) week. Not much equality
either Of service or sacrifice, is shown
by these facts from life today"
Mr.. Lansbury handles familiar
things and thus illumines the curious
deformity Of many Of the customary
social relations. He says that even
among those who earnestly desire bet
ter times there seems to be no thought
Of securing equality Of opportunity for
all men and women; NO thought that
men and women who toll should re-
ceive the full fruit of their labor, that
common people should have good food,
good clothes, good houses, and TIE
best education possible for their chill
dren.
What he says Is undeniable. The
world has the habit of thinking that
not until people emerge from the la
boring classes are they entitled to COM
fort and the good things Of life.
Customary inequality.
The matter of holidays and of sick
ness illustrates the inexplicable in
equality Of the way things are done.
Salaried people are paid during vaca-
ton seasons and often during sick
ness. The wageworker takes his holt
days and his sickness at his own ex-
pense. Yet he is least able to endure
a stoppage In his income.
Wealthy people and those who earn
large salaries take many holidays dur
ing the year. British judges, whose
salaries run from $4,000 a year up
ward, have months to rest without de-
auctions from their pay. They also
have the assurance Of ample retiring
pensions. Mr.. Lansbury is not against
the holidays and the comfort which
these favored classes enjoy. He mere
ly wishes to distribute the benefits
universally. He says in his book:
"As a mere matter of expediency
men who are sick ought to get not
only their normal wages, but some
thing extra so that they could secure
the necessary means Of recovery" He
recalls the Generalization and the
misery which comes to workers fam
lilies when sickness or unemployment
appears.
Then he adds GLOW differently we
treat soldiers These we maintain
on full pay in peace time in order to
keep them fit for the day when they
may be needed. The workman on
whom we depend is left to starve, or
given just enough to exist upon, and
then we wonder that he loses heart
and dignity and sometimes even hon
esty and often becomes quite unem-
playable"
Radical Remedies.
The only remedy he sees is change
from a competitive to cooperative
order Of society. For war purposes
nations are now doing this. Is there
moral strength enough among the peo-
pie to utilize the sagacity developed
during war for peace? Would 1t be
possible to organize the nations against
poverty and human misery as they are
now organized for the purpose Of
fighting?
The changes he suggests are akin
to policies already espoused by the
governments "for the duration Of the
war;" Among the practical measures
he puts forward are the government
ownership of the land and of indus
tries such as coal mining. Both
Britain and America are perilously
close to national operation Of mines.
The necessities Of war are so urgent
that not even the sacred property rights
Of mine owners are permitted to halt
or to slacken the national energies.
What is practical in war time is
within the range Of the possible DUR
ing peace-if the country wills it.
Mr.. Lansbury seeks conciliatory
spirit or rather sacrif1cial spirit In
them who are now in control. Per-
haps that Is the motive power to be
sought. On the other hand 1t may be
that poverty will not be eradicated
by a radical alteration Of property
rights until necessity forces the way.
We accept complacently the most revo-
lutionary changes now because the life
Of the nation Is at stake. Whenever
the peace need to do away with pow
erty and with the endless contrast of
luxury and misery becomes unanswer-
able, we shall see these readjustments
readily accepted. Perhaps the end Of
the war may bring about that state Of
mind.