The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1927-06-07
Dime Novelist Very Pious.

! WELLINGTON, New Zealand.-
Objection has been taken to the ac-
ton of Zane Gray, the prominent
American novelist and writer-who at
present is enjoying an extended fish
ing excursion in New Zealand--in is
suing propaganda on behalf of the
New Zealand Bible-in-the-S Schools
Propaganda Committee.
Gray says he is of the opinion that
the Bible should be in every school,
that it is in all schools in the United
States, that it has a beneficial effect
on the minds Of all young people in
the United States, and that U. S.
judges are almost unanimous in the
opinion that lack of religious train
ing in the homes is largely responsible
for Juvenile delinquency.
The New Zealand labor press ad-
vises Gray to stick to his rods and
lines and not poke his nose into other
peoples business, particularly in a
country where he is getting his pet
sport, free gratis!
Pauperize Unemployed.
According to statement made by
Prime Minister Coates, the New
Zealand government can find work
for the unemployed only on pauper-
ization scale. Coates has announced
that the government is prepared to
find work for the unemployed at S2.16
per day for single men, and $2.S8 per
day for married men. These rates
are from Ga cents to S1.36 below the
minimum basic rate declared by the
arbitration court to be absolutely
necessary to ensure an "existence of
frugal comfort"
If this sort of thing becomes gen
cral, it won't be very long before the
employers will want the general wage
rates reduced to the pauper level.
Already many are demanding that if
TIE men are willing to work for the
government at these rates, they can
work for employers at the same rates.
In the majority of cases, the unem-
ployed are Indignantly refusing to ac-
cept pauper rates. The N. z. Labor
Party has issued a vigorous protest
against this move to break down the
living wage for the workers.
The Land Myth.
SYDNEY, Australia.-One of the
tricks employed to induce immigrants
to leave Britain for Australia is that
there is plenty of land for them on
which they can soon become prosper
Gus farmers and get rich quick. But
in Australia things are not what they
seem to be from afar. In the state
of New South Wales last year. 81
farm blocks were offered to farmers.
and for these no less than 14,4O2 en-
tered the ballots to see who would get
the areas. That seems to be fairly
conclusive proof that there is not
plenty of farm land available for i'm
migrants, or that the land is waiting
for them to walk onto it and start
farming. Incidentally, it also ex-
plains why the great majority of the
immigrants who come to Australia
finally end up in the bread line.
Want New Basic Wage.
There is great deal of dissatisfac-
tion among the workers of New South
Wales because the labor government
Of that state failed to bring down
new basic wage this year in accord
anee with the cost of living. The last
basic wage was declared in August.
1925, at $2016 per week and since
then it has remained unchanged. al
though the increase in the cost of liv-
ing warrants an addition of S2.S8 per
week. Because of the non-deelaration
Of a new basic wage, it is estimated
that the workers of the state are los
ing $1,250,000 per week-that is the
individual loss of S2.8S per week.
On the other hand, the government
has brought down an endowment
scheme, to come into operation when
the next basic wage declaration is
made. Under this scheme, a payment
of slips per week is to be made for
each child under IA years of age, pro-
viding the wage of the parent is be-
low figure equal to the basic wage
plus the SLIPS per child. By this
means many children are excluded
from the scheme. AS the average
wage in New South Wales is S23.28
per week, the endowment does not be-
gin to operate till the fourth child
The scheme is not considered a salts
factory one, though the principle of
endowment is established.
Cheap State Housing.
ADELAIDE, South Australia
When Labor took over the govern
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