The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1920-12-03

I'm the face of the impending tragedy |
how futile and small seems man;
how insolent and trivial with his
vague complaints in this country, and
the misery, disorder and decay of Eu-
rope.
There is probably not book writ
ten since the war that has, attracted
more attention from students the
world. over than "The Economic Con-
sequences of the Peace" by Profes-
sor Keyes, of Cambridge university,
England. Professor Keyes was car
ried to the conference by Lloyd
George, on account of his profound
knowledge Of political economy. At
ter the treaty was agreed upon, he
resigned without giving any reason.
Recently he published this book as
justification. / do not agree with
him in many things, most especially
his analysis of President Wilson. l
emphatieally dissent, although he
does picture Wilson as the only ideal
ist and unselhsh man in the confer
ence. l would picture him about like
Christ would be among the bears and
bulls of Wall street. Professor Keyes
in summing up the situation in 1914,
says in effect: :
"That the. present civilization is
organized to secure the maximum ac-
cumplation of capital, society being
so framed as to throw the greater
part of the increased income into
the hands of those least likely to con-
sumo it. In fact it was precisely the
inequality of the distribution of
wealth which made possible those
vast. .accumulations of, capital. neces-
sary to girdle this globe with bands
of steel. In no other way could the
present industrial system have been
developed, and in this fact lies the
only justification of the present capi-
talistic system, which has monopo-
lized coal, oil and mineral resources
and exploited agriculture, until those
tilling the soil are the poorest class
on earth..''
eff the rich had spent their new
found wealth on their own enjoy
ment, the world would long ago have
found such a regime intolerable: But
like bees they saved and accumulat-.
ed, not less to the advantage of the
whole community, because they.
themselves held moreover ends in
prospect"
Viewed in this light, what of the
bcnefactions of Rockefeller, -CarEe-
gle and others? Moved by some
strange impulse they do not compre-
head they seek to return their vast
horde into the common store for the
benefit of the human race. Carne-
gie's "to die rich is to die disgraced'
takes on a new meaning. The devel-
opments of this age could never have
come, if wealth had been equitabiy
divided. : Professor Keyes says that
the railroads of this world, no less.
than the pyramids of Egypt, were
built as a monument to posterlty'
and that the labor engaged in the
railroad building was no more able
to consume the full equivalent OF
their labor than the labor which built
the pyramids. This war has ended
that era; the very restlessness and
waste of the surplus accumulation of
centuries; the rape of Belgium, and
destruction ikFrance; the horrors OF
Bolsheyik Russia, have taught not
only the possibilities of produeton
and consumption, "but the futi!lty
and folly of abstinence merely to ac-
cumulatc." The producers and work
ers in this world will never pinch
themselves again that there nay DC
Rockefelers, Morgans and CarnegleS'
The capitalistic class are more dc-
termined than ever, that they snail
They have the machinery OF govern
ment in their hands. They can de-
press the price by contracting cred
its. They are exercising this power
rudely and cruelty, and thereby tney
are fastening the hour when the pro-
ducers of all wealth will get together
and an era of confscation begin. The
income tax points the way to the con-
fiscation, and used ruthlessly as 1t
will be, it is an engine of oppression
more unjust and hardly less cruel
than the methods of Lenine and
Trotsky.
/ have been through three panlcs
in nv life. The great paic OF 1873
following the Civil War, was brought