The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1921-11-20

communism is possible when Lenine
himself attempts to retreat and an
nounces that the impetus to earn is
for the present necessary TO produc-
ton.
1t is still harder TO believe that
capitalistic methods can be mixed
with the communistic. The threat OF
partial appropriation did not
frighten the industrialists and landed
propretors for long. They earned so
tremendously during the war, and es-
pecially during the period of physlo-
logical weakening after defeat. which
seemed revolution, but was not, and
proved themselves SO superior in
management to the politicians, that
they can treat as equals with a state
that is dependent upon their pro-
duction. If the state wants their help
and their securities it must accept
their conditions.
Conditions Reasonable
These conditions are for the most
part reasonable. They call first for
sweeping reductions in the number of
officials those dismissed being usec
for colonization and the development
of unused lands. Second, the state
is to guarantee credits for the rail-
roads and postoffices and take only
Rsi1 u NHe nlHS IicHtCiOINilt thC
conduct OF the business being by pri-
vate parties.
In other words. instead of the state
usurping the substance of private
wealth, private wealth Is to usurp the
substance of the state. After a pre-
tended revolution, and with socializa-
tion and naturalization as watch
words, it is now proposed to take
from the state the means of transport
which Bismarck with great difficulty
acquired.
This result was not foreseen when
three years ago November storm
swept Germanys people into untrod-
den paths However, history teaches
that one who goes astray on the way
to India may discover America. The
railroads and postoffices are work
ing with enormous deficits. The
eight-hour law enormously increases
the number of workers, forcing en-
gineers and trainm-n to quit work
abruptly at way stations. The con-
stantly increasing prices make high
err wages and higher travelling costs.
Meanwhile. a multiplication of parlia-
ments Gin Berlin alone, five state
parliaments are sitting and every
small state has at least one) gives
10000 members the privilege of the
Tree anu IlTSl-CldES lIdNtl III OdBh
of Germany.
More Profitable
Unquestionably a business admin
istration>would be more profitable. 1t
would find credit for the purchase of
new railroad, telephone and postof-
fee equipment, which was ruined
during the war and which the state
can barely keep repaired. The indus
trial leaders who formulated this
plan of taking over the government
public work are not blind to the signs
of the times.t They desire trade union
cooperation and will consent to all
exorbitant wage demands to avoid
winter strike. They will maintain
the eight-hour day while encouras-
ing at least two hours OF overtime
daily by offering all extra pay. Al
ready many workers, after working
eight hours In one factory 80 to work
in another after a meal and short
rest.
Still, our industrial leaders are not
politicians. Their world domination
plan, entertained from 1914 to 1913, of
annexing the best pieces of land from
Ostend to Bagdad and north to the
Black sea, clearing all of disagree
able inhabitants, proved that. Today
they do not trouble over whether the
states that are exacting reparations
from Germany will tolerate the turn
ing of Germany's pledged national
wealth over to private persons. They
simply see an irrational and badly ad-
ministered state and conceal from
themselves first their strongest mo-
tiye--unlimited profits--and second
ly the limits which every enlightened
people must place on the economic
power of capital IL the state is to be
preserved from awakening the anger
of the masses.