PROFITEERING

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 12, 28 July 1919, Page 6

PROFITEERING

REV. J. G. CHAPMAN'S

CHARGES

OUTSPOKEN SERMON "There is nothing wrong, in making money if you make it honestly and fairly," said the l?ev. j. G. Chapman at Wesley Church, Taranaki Street, last night. "But what is wanted to-day. is more principle in tho acquirement of mouey and more justice and human fellowship in the distribution of money. The acquirement and distribution of money —that is the vital problem that is agitating tho whole world to-day. Where is the social justico in a system of government that allows the Marquis of Buto' to livo luxuriously by drawing .£109,C00 per year in royalties paid oil coal dug from his estates, while the men who mako his fortune .brfiathe coal-dust, destroy their lungs, and are paid a more pitlanco? Where is the social justice in a system that gives bread and dripping to children whose fathers' brawn and brains have provided the wealth that furnishes other children with all the luxuries of the land? "Someone may tell me of the 'sacred rights of property.' Who owns these right? We have the answer in the. Bible: 'The wealth is the Lord's anil the fullness thereof.' There are other rights than the 'sacred rights of property'—tho right of the honest industrious worker to fair play and fair pay, the right of the poor to homes whero they can at least have a chance of decency and health and tho other goods things with whioh this glorious world is so abundantly provided. "During the last week we have read of two prosperuus and reputable business houses in Wellington adopting systems of profit-sharing. In all fairness, we must oredit those firms with honesty of purpose in seeking to propiote better feeling between Labour and Capital. But we all know that systems of profit-sharing will never solve the industrial and social problems of our day. As the' Hon. T. Jl. Wilford remarked only a few days ago, profit-sharing and/ co-partnership are at the best only partial palliatives. ,i'he arrangement benefits the employees of the business, but it in no way benefits the public. In fact,' tho tendency of profit-sharing is in the direction of profiteering. It stands to reason tlmt the employees, having become shareholders, 1 are desirous of making increased profits. The buyer and the consumer get no advantage. '"I have been told that.l should not discuss this matter of profiteering in the pulpi'', that lam not an expert. lam glad of that; there are too many experls. I have been told that I have no business training. I certainly know more about business and business methods now than I did before I began to discus? profiteering. The information that has been placed before me in letters and other communications would fill a book. One man who wrote to me said ha knew personally where towels costing 9s. par doz. were being sold at 30s. per dozen. I am informed that' in some business liouses the stuff that has deteriorated on 1 the shelves js pushed oft' upon customers by the firm offering the employees a commission to, get ridpOf. it. Yesterday I was shown some gold medals. Each medal contained 7s. Cd. worth of 15-carat gold, and cost ss. to make, a total cost of 12s. Gd. A firm outside Wellington has sold these medals quite recenlly for 205., but a Wellington house, before the war, charged 355. for them. That was a profit of 225. Gd. on an outlay of 12s. 6d. Then it does seem incomprehensible to me that flour ground m the south can be bought cheaper in Auckland than in the district where it is produced. "Ydu read in the newspapers of an increaso of ss. a week in the wages of, bakers and pastrycooks in Auckland. The workers .got this extra money, and the public had to pay, as it always does. Tha small cakes formerly retailed at Is. per dozen were raised to Is. 4d. per dozen, pies went up from 2d. to 3d., and block cake was increased from lOd. to Is. per pound. These increases have been decided upon by the master bakere, one of whom explained that owing to the 'increased prices of sugar, eggs, butter, and also labour,' the public had to be charged more. Sugar has advanced very siightly. , Eggs have not gone up lately'. Butter has not gone up. . Then ther» is tho increase in wages. An official of the uniou states: 'I am willing to admit that the master pastrycooks are entitled to somo advance in prices, but not to 40 or 50 pe." cent.' The increase of ss. a week .wages represents, on the output of a journeyman pastrycook, an extra charge of less than one farthing per .dozen cakes. In other words the employers pay the workers an extra far.thing per dozen, and charge the public an extra 4d. per dozen. Yet we are told that labour is the cause of increased prices. "What'is the effect of such an increase on the employees? The workers will argue that they should have a share of the employers' increased profit. This is just what nas Ifappened in Australia. A Queensland bakers" uniot received an inorease of ss. a week in wages. The master bakers promptly .raised the price of bread. Tho union went back to the court and asked for a, further 10s. per week in view of the increased profits made by the employers. The courtgranted this-second increase. The Judge said the employers were well able to afford it. In our own Arbitration Court tho other day, during the hearing of a, tailoring dispute, Mr. Reardon said that increases in wages had not been responsible for the vast increase in prices. For every additional shilling given the employee," lie stated, tlitj employer took £1. If that is 'true, there is Only one fitting terny 1 for such a proceedinginiquitous. 5 "I have in my possession _ a. largo amount of evidence of profiteering. What I marvel at is tho long suffering ot the public. How long will they enduro this conditions of things ? Surely it is the di.ty of the Governnient to protect the public from these prices. The greedy capitalist is digging his own grave. He is tho cause of nearly ali this unrest and ferment, and lie' is inviting trouble, 'lhe time will'come when the worm wili turn, and when it turns it will be found to be a reptile with teeth. / "The root of the ovil is tlie love of Mammon. The swat need ol' the times is to give wealth its right position and hold it as a slave, not as, a master, to bo used for good anu not for evil—not for the gratification of greed, but for raising the standard of human existence, and causing to every citizen and every child a full, secure, and happy life. i