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Concerning Ourselves.I

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I Capitalism Unveiled. I

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Rhannu

I Capitalism Unveiled. I When we remember the vilification of the workers that has from time to time poured from the lipe of our politicians or run in poisoned streams from the fountain pens of our politic-a journalists, we are surprised at the colourless language with which the Select Committee on National Expenditure into the Ministry of Muni- tions has couched its White Paper issued on Monday. The workers' glass of beer, like the I soldiers' wives' miserable allowance, has been denounced in the most heated of parliamentary language, whilst threats of revolt against harsh restrictions and gross invasions of trade prac- tices have produced speeches the dementia of which has only been surpassed in the cases where the men have taken matters in their own hands and struck work. All classes of the community have joined in the execration of the working men; and the pity is that there are workers who have lent themselves to a belief in this thing and have aided in' the Vilification; who would have applauded with the vigour of the bour- geoisie themselves the succass of that misguided intention to shower mock German thanks on Coventry on strike from British aeroplanes. Al- ways the workers have been bad, and always their wickedness has found condemnation with no uncertain tones. Yet now we are told that millions of public money has been poured away with wasteful extravagance: that the employers have held the pistol to the head of the powers that be with the threat to impede output if ex- tortionate demands were not conceded, and we have no word of condemnation. We read of silly expenditure that represents just so much money poured down a sink; of the prevalence of the spirit of bargaining still animating the conduct of affairs that ought to have been organised be- yond the possibility of ba-rgaining three years ago, of excessive profits, and unmitigated lying by the firms engaged on the work of munition supplies, and the only language that is used is the wild language of suggested reformers by the utilisation of statistical departments, a complete co-operation between ministries, and an organi- sation of industries to secure the elimination of, mark the term, the uneconomical producer. What is wanted is the elimination from the sphere of all interest or concern in mundane affairs of some of the worst offenders; the ex- tinction of a few of the profiteers would have a far more salutary effect than the colourless lan- guage of this White Paper. The whole report is a gross example of the perfidy of Capitalism rampant; Capitalism thn t. ace-ording to the Socialist interpretation of the facts is not only responsible for the Imperialism that has fomented this war, but will reap the biggest re- ward from the war, is not even patriotic enough to forget its pig-trough ethics during such a time as we are passing through. One guages the patriotic zeal of Capitalism very fairly from the announcement that twenty-eight firms selected at random earned in the aggregate five times the standard profit, of which they retained nearly twice their standard profit, over and above the retention of more than half their standard profit as special depreciation, and a slightly larger amount for additional output. There could, be no more sordid story than this, coupled as it is with a surprising commentary on the want of harmony between the ministries concerned; and the almost negligible part that the finance department has been allowed to plav. We recall vividly those screaming headlines that once yelled at us Organising for Victory with somewhat of a sardonic smile. Yet, on the whole, the facts are not surprising, Capitalism has al- ways proved a creature of voracious appetite: and too low in ihe scale of evolution to be con- sidered as a moral animal, and that it has lived up to its traditional character but strengthens the Socialist case for its annihilation. It would have received a shrewd stab in its vitals had the Government been less concerned with its class interests, and had courageously tackled the problem of Conscripting the Wealth of the Na- tion a.s well as the life of the young men of the country. It is not too late yet.