New-York tribune., 1918-06-24
By Herbert Fitch

BY Herbert Fitch
Copyright 1913. by TITO 1,'b,ln. Asaociation>
I'm THE Antipodos il is quite difficult
for individuals or incorporated
groups to get rich suddenly. The
laws restricting immodest efforts to
attain enormous wealth in hurry,
often to the detriment of consumers,
were strict before the war, but arc
strictcr now Though there are many
af1uent~ people in Australia, New Zea-
land and Tasmania, few are very rich;
and it is hard to find very poor people.
Individual initiative has been greatly
increased, instead Of being destroyed,
as Tories once predicted, for industri-
GUS young men and women have every
incentive to go ahead. Any one can
soon become "wel oh"--or rather,
"wcll on" as they say down :here-and
can own snug house or farm through
government aid and individual indus
try; but no one could ever make
great fortune by forestalling or cor
nering the necessities of life. The
others would not let him operate. AS
result the wealth Of the Antipodes
is widely distributed and is Us high as
or higher per capita than elsewhere.
A great number of Australians Gan
zacs) have gone to the front, possibly
as many as one-twelfth of the entire
population. Although Australia was
the first English speaking nation to
vote compulsory military service for
home defence, yet the electorate, COM
posed of women and men, have twice
given a majority against the refer
endum question of conscription for
overseas service.
Anzacs Loathe
War Prohteers
The citizens are very pro-
gressive and democratic, and they, to-
gcther With the civilian liberals, do
not seem to take kindly to the war
protitcering efforts Of a chosen few
of the population. 1t is hard for the
patriots to understand why a select
few Of the older men, who are unfit to
go to the trenches and hold their own
with younger and ADLER men, should
have any desire to take advantage of
the situation and feather their own
snug nests with wartime pluckings.
The opinion seems to be that wartime
proftecrs are no better than the Shy
lock camp followers and suffers so
heartily dctested throughout history
and particularly during the American
civil war. Some of the shipping peo-
pie have been criticised roundly. The
potential foreign "meat trust" al
though not very dangerous now under
government war measures. seems live
issue, if sleeping one.
Australians. most Of whom are we'll
Informed and interested in matters of
state which elsewhere are often left
to the politicians to handle, seem to
have anticipated the economic evils
which would ensue if private specu-
lators and pools were permitted to do
as they pleased with the vital necessi-
ties Of life. Soon after the war began
laws were passed enabling the gov
ernment to take actual control and
ownership OF the entire output of
eleven vital necessities. Under the
law there can be no private proflteer-
ing in wheat, coal, wool, butter, sugar.
metals, hides, leather, rabbits, hops
and jam. All the people are in the
pool. The Commonwealth takes the
whole production at fixed prices
Wheat, for instance, was pooled at the
equivalent Of about $1.14 bushel.
price somewhat better than ordinary
pre-war prices. 1t is Judged that the
farmer has Jared quite we'll under the
circumstances. The winter butter
pool was carried through successfully
at about 3S cents pound. All sugar
was taken at about cents a pound,
The retailers have been permitted to
make fair profits, but 1 think they are
not much richer than they were before
the war. None but the spectators
seem to have suffered. Their normal
profits must have been curtailed. It is
natural. perhaps, that they should
loudly criticise what most other peo-
pie seem to consider the most sue
cessful and the largest cooperative
system that has been devised in mod
ern times.
Though profteering in the vital
essentials has not been the pastime of
ambitious men, because Of legal re-
straint, still it appears that there have
been some opportunities in other lines
Judging from the talk on all sides
and from the conspicuous prosperity of