New-York tribune., 1919-09-26
Rainbo1u Gold
E. Roberts, Vice-resident
City Banh in The Americas

, The grim fact remains that the quantity OF
goods turned out absolutely limits the in
come of labor and that no reform will bring
universal prosperity which is not based
fundamentally upon increasing the ma
tional income. After all, the classical
economists were right in emphasizing the
side of production in contradstinction to
that of distribution. Nature refuses to
yield her bounty except in return for effort
expended Demands for higher wages have
never yet unlocked her storehouses"
These conclusions are pertinent to this
whole industrial and social situation which
the conference is to consider. If they were
generally accepted they would clear the at
mosphere and change the tone of current
discussion. The attitude Of wage earners
toward their work would be altered and
production would be increased
President Wilson in his recent letter of
reply to the railroad brotherhoods said that
what was wanted was not heat but
light. When Lloyd George called an indus
trial conference in London in February to
consider the situation presented by the
threat of the miners and railroad employees
to strike the conference recommended the
appointment of committee of investiga-
ton The best thing the Washington con-
ference can do is to recommend the appoint
ment of a competent commission to examine
the facts upon which Professor King has
based the above conclusions and report
whether the King conclusions are sus-
tanned
Il Mistake of Fact
What is wanted is a demonstration of the
fact that the distribution of the social
product IS not mere matter of selfish
struggle, but determined by economic law;
that 1t is impossible for capital to exploit
labor in any general sense, because the very
efforts Of capitalists to increase capital
accomplish an inevitably increasing distri-
button to labor. Despite anything that
capital do the economic law gives labor
q constantly increasing share of an increas-
ing product Mr.. Hendersons doctrine
works vastly more injury to the laborng
class than anything the capitalists can do
Dr.. John B. Clark. head of the depart
ment of political economy, Columbia Uni
versity, writing recently of the social dis
order prevalent over the world, said:
THE motive of it al--the hope Of enrich
ing the poor-is based on a mistake Of fact
Not only Russian revolutionists but Social
lists everywhere believe that the income Of
the capitalist class, which the proetarat is
urged to seize, is several fold larger than it
is and that belief accounts for much of the
sympathy which American Socialists ex-
press for the Bolsheviki. If Russia is left
entirely to herself and if the Bolsheviki
there gain full control, it Will in time De
discovered that the wealth which has been
seized was originally smaller by far than
they supposed it was, and that the revolu-
ton has reduced it to pitiably small
amount. The unlimited treasure of Socialist
dreams is as unreal the gold at the end
OF tiS rainbow, and much of that lesser
treasure which was real and substantial has
nearly vanished in the grasping. The effects
Of the B6lshevist movement and the soviet
form OF government and the pressure for
IKE system IN other countries are based on
economic illusions which experience would
dlspel, though at terrible cost to the coun-
tries that had furnished the object lesson.
RUSSIA IS now paying at tragic rate for
the proof that is already open to the world
that general spoiation Of wealth means
poverty even for the spoilers"
These opinions by men who are scien-
tific students of social conditions are en-
titled to weight in the present critica,
state. Why not call upon them for the
facts and reasons by which they have
reached their conclusions?