A REVERIE.

Otaki Mail, Volume XXVIII, 25 February 1920, Page 3

A REVERIE.

(Contributed.) ' At tho present juncture of affairs generally in the world it is, I think, appropriate and right that we should be more confiding in our fellow-beings than we are. Could we not bring forth a more prolific harvest of unity and good fellowship and trust? The maximum results of beating one's neighbour is three meals daily and a bed. Of co'ursc 2 you may get much more in cash, but of what benefit to you is the surplus cash which you may have acquired through either .taking advantage of your fellow-being or it may have been acquired through denying yourself the little comforts of life. Tho fact of

I having surplus cash when your three score and ten places you beyond the - vale will not avail you when you give I an account of your stewardship and J how you acquired tho cash. Proftteer- | ing as has been carriod on should | satisfy us that tho god at present worshipped is Mammon, If tho true God was worshipped, and the general daily practice more in conformity with Christ's advice, how different the world would be. .We have Capital trying to make more capital, and wo have the other class, who say they are working for capital—as opposing forces. In days past Capital sweated the workers. Nowadays the workers are—to put it mildly—unreasonable. The actions of tho wharfsiders, tho coalminers, and all classes of labour "don't know what they want, but they are going to have it." Do they also recognise the great inconveniences they arc putting their fellow-workers to? If on tho boats they want a 5s riso they get it; but the' majority of the travelling public

are of the industrial class, and they | pay the extra 5s in increased faros. ! Get at the profiteer and thereby reduco tho cost of living, and not make your fellow-workmen pay increased fares, coal cartages, butter, cheese, etc. Wo read recently of a big number of passongers being held up in Sydney, the majority being those who could not prolong a journey for financial reasons. Is that a socialistic principle on the part of wharfsiders or ships' crews? Had they held up capitalists, who could indefinitely prolong the journey, it would not be so bad; but adjust matters and no holding up is required. Much is said of tho industrial unrest, that is to say tho industrial population —who are greatly in tho majority, in trying to get what thoy call "even" with two or throe capitalists, are causing misery to hundreds of their own class, Let us throw o\\% class distinctions. Capital requires Labour to develop it, and without Capital we would be devoid of tho ordinary, means of currency, Of course Labour could grow their own food free of currency, but they could not provide without currency the means of buying or travelling. ' Capital can go elsewhere and live: Labour could not—for the lack of currency. Profiteering is the << ;oro" —got the cancer cut out. On an equitable basis, as between Capital and Labour, every honest, thrifty working man should at z say, 50 years be able to say from tho results of his labour, "I havo a home free of all encumbrance and three meals daily guaranteed." The generosity of tho labouring class makes them spend what they earn. The capitalist, through more acute business reasoning, always looks to creating a reserve fund: hence capital. To sum up,* Tho greatest pleasure in a man or woman's lifo should be that £hey may daily, make others happy and pass them on .their wax rejoicing. If we in comparative misery accumulate a few thousand pounds, when your name is called you go forth —as you came into the world—naked. The sordid cash you accumulated when in health and strength is left behind to some one else, and probably not to their benefit. As the sun rises in the early morning, bright and pure, so should we rise with bright and pure intentions to do that day something that is going to help a fellow being—not to sweat them. "By your works arc ye known," and putting into practice these thoughts and aspirations, Christ would say at the end of your life, "Well done, thou good and faithful servant; enter into your rest,"