MILLS AND CONFISCATION.

Maoriland Worker, Volume 2, Issue 17, 30 June 1911, Page 14

MILLS AND CONFISCATION.

Sir, —At a lecture by Prof. Mills he stated that the workers should go in for public ownership by buying the monopolies from the capitalist class with bonds, I presume bearing interest and sinking funds; and so tie another mihsione round our necks. 1 would beg to point out that if we had the power to issue bonds, etc., surely wo would have the power to make laws that would enable us to take from tha thieves what thoy had stolen, viz., monopolies. Mr. Mills gave us the simile of the highwayman who, with a revolver at our heads, demanded our all, and likened it to the capitalist class with the Gatling gun of necessity forcing the workers to accept their terms or starve. Tho Professor 'mentioned that tho Revolutionary Socialist believed in confiscation. Now, ttir, is this not indeed babyish, as, if a man was to steal your watch and you were strong enough to take it back again, would that bo confiscation ? Yot, Sir, Proi. lYitiis wants us to go a great deal further. He says wo should give tlio thief bonds bearing interest to the full amount of the property stolen (i.e., monopolies;, and tnat we shotud work for a further period to pay off the interest and sinking fund.—P. WILLIAxVL'S.