PROFITEERING.

Taihape Daily Times, Volume XI, Issue 3439, 19 March 1920, Page 7

PROFITEERING.

THE NEED FGR ACTION.

WAY TO SECURE CONTENT.\I.IjJNT. (B) G. Mitchell, M.l’., late Lieut.— Col., N.Z.E.F., in Wellington Post) Why such numbers of of a patriotic am‘. proud people should associate themselves politically, during the war, wilh_an extreme section, was always a mystery to those on the field. We were convinced that the same courage, pride of race and Empire, and determination to maintain it, by force of arms, if necessary, attributes which made our race and nations the IOJ.tICI'S of the world, were still the dominating characteristics of our people. One," therefore, looked for other reasons for their political alliance with those who‘ are openly disloyal and anti-British. But since one’s return to this country and civil life, the causes are all too apparent and excusable. Few only of these people, are Socialists or Bolsheviks or extremists in any way. they} are the average law-abiding, steady, salaried man and wage—earner, quite as loyal and proud of Empire as we, but’, in the midst of war, ‘they saw people‘, growing wealthy all around them on; "the war necessaries of a Sil‘llg_g'llll'g‘E nation and people; they found their‘ own economic conditions growing daily , worse. and they took the first oppor—l ltnnity of voting for anyone whom, ithey believed woud alter ‘the condi-'‘; ilions which oppressed them. They,‘ 5 \‘o‘r':,‘(l {is they thought against selfish-‘ I :>es.< and g.;'ree(l, and {t state of things i‘.‘.‘illi;‘ll they believed. should not Ob- : tain in the country which grows ?s‘l‘.(}‘.‘.Q‘ll and to spare for all. Unless : the conditions are altered, unless we l ._ p _ . . .. ,‘ -.i:-.‘-.'e a better Christian spurt among our people, the spirit of discontent ‘iwill grow and become. more accentuEaterl until in passion the people may ilaaml over all control to the Revoluttienists, who will sweep the whole fl‘.l)TlC- of established rights away in ldealing with the vested interests of (the selfish, greedy, and profiteering a v,-_l‘.’*s;\‘. ’l‘h.-.~.t these rights may be transiferred to people even more unscrupu. lous. that they may bring in their place conditions of want and sui”fering even worse than those they remove. is not considered, and it Cannot be in the state of mind now being engendered among the common people. In former years competition i'C-fJjll- - prices and protected the public from prOl"lteerinp;. but today“, tluron_;»;l1 l1in;;<, tru.<.ts, combines and price :Ir—rangements, competition in priee_\- l~.:_:;:

-_-._-.__.___.~____________‘ almost disappeared, especially so, ill am told, among larger firms_ As compeition no longer protected the ma:~.ses from exploitation, the Government, realising that it was its duty to step in and protect rho people, set up tribunzlls to stop proflteering, which rightly or wrongly, the masses believed to be very prevalent, Wages have been raised to meet the higher cost of living in such cases where ‘the workman could enforce itl The extremist on. both sides of the coal-mining dispute have beu brought together, the general strike cloud cleared from the sky, and altogether We were not without signs of a better and more settled spirit. But. are we really. The firsit two acts of the new Gov—l ernment were, firstly, ~10 set up tl'i-l bllllals to stop pl'ofiteel'ing, and seeondly, to lift the embargo ofi’ hides and allow an immecliate rise of 80 per cent, to 100 per <:ent., and put thousands of pounds into the pockets of a few who ‘have held them. A free ‘market for wool, ‘butter, and. other‘ produce is iiaturally expected to fol-I: low, with, I believe, the same result, and bringing :1, consequent jump in land Values. Bl‘e2‘.Ll is up, flour is up, milk vemlors are Lleinziluling £1 lrise which will be passed on and felt lseverely by the people, especially the lpoor with large fzliiiilier-, and the l Very hair of one's head costs 50 per

cent. more to roniovo now. Tl\i:< rise in prices will be inmlo tlm ;‘rollzi(l.< i’m' frosli Ll-emulld.< (f,uS‘r :In.l unjust) by sections of 01'ganisc~d labunij. and they, in return, the excuse for 21 f'm‘tllol- rise in price of neces‘:l'i<‘-.~=,. Wills l'l‘H." W'l<"‘l~’.'3(l circle will oontiniw until the Eilillllllltlllllg poinf is I'r3:l('llr‘<l. then. the whole I':llsoStl'lla'.ln'o will Cl‘:l.~'li to earth and bring v.'i'rll if ruin 3.1l(l (liszmfer. The l1ig‘l1(‘I' pri(=o_£ risc- above tlTc~‘il" logi.tima‘ro lovil the gwziter and more oVol'wllolming will the «:I'asll be.

Ilii:;;;on01':111y adnxifiod by HlO

’r'al'ming com.muni’ry that the <3omm:lndeored prices allowed by "tho _G»ovorn—menf for their products were fair and 1'0:‘.:-:mmb‘.0, =:‘h:lf they have pl-wsp(‘l‘o(l o_‘rc<‘dillQ‘l}' by them is (\\‘i<]onf. os-

himcially so whvn one 1'0211i:<0;< t'h:l* ‘land *::‘.hw.< have gone up 50 I.~[\‘\ll(E'(‘!l.f.

H 3 100 pm‘ cent. on :Ir:<*ount of 4.he.<e'

gvsnr prices for pl'oducl:g_ ; One is i'ol'ced hero ‘to ask, “\\'hu‘r is Ip01'IiI'(*c1'i11g?” If it is not ]T>l'ofiteol' ling for the I‘>l'okol' to get 80 per cent. gown‘ and above a fziir and 1'ca.~*()11-able :}f~«>fif for the boots he makes from 1:‘-»: }=i.'.7r>=. 2121-‘: i‘ i.~= nut‘ pl'n{if<*(-I'inf_l‘ j§'r::' Vim ¢»L:‘.'U}lm' and Tralivr to get 80 pol'<?ml{‘fol'nlo:lf and In’:-11:1. The

iszuuc 1i.'.1.1i5 ‘c.J_>'l.>ii;‘.:‘ .u \.'ool_. uooiicn j<__;oo«,is, uuo. on-i'y other Elk|{:(:.£l:;lt).} and the whole act. beuoinp-5 u iztigc camouiizlgc. Coi.;l.>iiios, IL'll:s‘(>,;', and price L:Ullll'UilCl‘s will be i‘i'cc to 511.1315)’ tlwir every desire in tl:-.-.: \\'z-I_\‘ 01’ pl'o:t'its and di\‘idon<l:<. He who has beoii} L".;(i\)\'\'C(i xvii}; iixo tulolits is l;‘1lu()L1l" ztgod to u.sL£ it to I’ul'il:c:' ilnpo\'ci'i.<h his l_n'o‘LHol‘ with only one, and thousunds moio loyal, stozuiy, and p2l[iClli3 xvzlgu (‘.J.l’llCl‘S uro klri\'ou over to the o.\:Lrolilist. ' i It Seoxns poilfectl;v plain lililt that 350 pe: com. to l(|-L} pm; com‘. on lilduss L 5 (,‘.'L-r Lind &ll)C\'(') 21 *‘i'z=.il' and was-;l o;‘.ublo" proiit on YL)l‘ULiLlC'ilL\ll, 'wlxicli,i in the llL'l'lllS of Elli‘ {Eon-rllmu:it Act,is piofitotwiiig, zul«_l Iho .-\.ut should) :Lpl>iy; if it does not apply the Act, is a “dud.” Will the board take} action? It is surely an oiitstaiidiiigi uud proved case. Justice forbids us to oppose the C.\:- 5 ised sections of laliour, when we grant isod costious of labour, wlien wv grant such huge pl‘Oiif.s' to more fortunatel Sections of the conllllunn'l)'. ’J.‘l'lol-0 is M at least as much jixstiéir in the claim E of the former; yet both are unjusi’. €tx2(l not in the public interest. We gave 17,000 lives and. £80,000,000 to (lefond this country. It now cx'ios aloud. for many millions ‘ro dc-vulc-3 ii, for roads, I'uil\\':lys, SCilUOl:1, and the aged and war cripples roquirc bettor pon.<ions that they may live in (iC(’L'llL‘_Y. If we are to cx~ tract tho lust fzli'tliing' we can from" tho I>eop}L‘ for goods, would it not be jug; for the Govcl'nm(>nt to 111110 the\'.'holi- of the 80 per cent". to .100 pm‘ cont, or, \\'h:lto\'oi' Sllnl. it llligill be, mm and above :1 “fair -unnd I'oa.<on~ ;;blc" profit to build schools foron" ('illi(il'(.‘ll, and to »gi\'u tlnom tho !iH‘(ii('{‘.i and Llcntal ‘t1'(‘:1111u~n‘li m-vow ;<;n“y to dv\'vEo}> limlllliy uizd (‘fli<_'iUlll' 1; .-an ::.u:l \x'Cm«.‘u. and for oilwr l_lLliJ1l(5-

\x':;:l{.~'.'-’ 15 UK’ vlzihn of ‘the bl'okcl', aim _t';u‘lm*l'_. the m;ullll’2n:.lurcr, or the xm-r(_'I1:1n1 for 50 per cent. more profit. ;;-:';~::f1zx' than the claim of the little <.-hilxlnm for ‘uwtims }u‘£!.lth and whool ’..‘!.‘.'i"Uil!ii(‘lll’_. or ;_jl'<-zlt'ol' than the vlzlim I'ol’ :1 b<.'fim' p:~n.<iml for the xnzlimwl .<uld'u:l', 1”111‘m1gh whose o'l‘l'ol'i :~_‘,mlr‘ we h::\‘(s hides to sell at :11]? ’i‘l:<.> 't;ll'mu:' jusiiy .1-m11p1uix1m‘;11:211. \‘.'?:i}v his ]>ruCl.:<'t.~ \\'(‘l'L‘ lixod at :1 ;'._;ir {a.2::_i 1'«):1S-..~:::1})‘:c pl‘i('o, “L‘»‘U.l:*l' ‘M--,»;L:1p " xwrs gl'<,).<:'-‘.lt\,' I~l'u[it«‘:“.‘i rig‘ -4:l‘. M" fltmzz. H’ -tt~'r« \=.L::~' so in this a"".'.":'_‘»'. .3 ‘E? =-. _'\-’:I'.“~ “UHl‘.‘l' pen--1-? " .~~:'“':‘ I_,'-Lm ‘:.= 15'.‘ 'm.»!<':-sax of mm . :11} 1"; 4, \-.fi‘a2. \<.‘<‘»()E. H‘ i.~: _?“'hl"i'll‘, 2;" ’ =';g‘‘_ .. 7. =;§-.-‘ M? _?L;E‘- ‘:1’;-.' 1";':‘ Mll9 ,; ~:-'.::~t‘ Ex" r.’,."z“'.:ln‘.i'!';' 1".:«A z'i‘_'_'hl’ tn .'; ‘- "._';’.- -1," ‘>l:-. " ;‘ Vf::f' 1, ' ; 3

xoulh-11 111'.1n;:;“:zc‘rL11'er to profitcer, it

is oq1.1;1li;.~' wrong .t'0:t11 c farmer or the hide auzd wool march-.lllt.

‘ 'l'llc .l:':=.11111»1' (:I[e2ll't from the 1211111 s1»::c11lat.o11-xm) are 1"-.11: and I'casoll-able 111-311, sa‘l'iSl"lcd witli :1 £llll‘ pl'.'lco for Il'loil' p:'01l11ce, if the collsulllcl' ' reccl:rell the 130110111, but 0120 is not 5111'pl“l>‘L'd 111111‘ he 11':111ts to join the \l'2cl:cLl_l)ll_a_§lless, '\\'llell he sees profitcers 111al~:i11g fol‘tllllos 011% of his- produce zlbl'oad, and believes the 5211110 evil exists’ as 1101110. The (:0111111:11‘1d0c1‘ did not go £2ll’ cu1<.~:1gl1. It should have followed =tllc 11111’ 111:1te1'i:1‘1 fl‘r.~‘l 13111 ;.1*1>1l111:01' to {hr} cmlslllllol'. 1101 {Ex ilm price far H 11: grower, tllcll l1a::<l it over to the 111z11111f:1cturer with little 01' 110 13011tml. The people sl11111l:l know 1:110 1191311111011 ‘the groal <‘lii'S.'1~1'o11cel)ot1.11~o11 the prices of 1:111.’ 111111‘-1'i:1l and the 111a1111fz1<:t11I'0d al-livlc. -3.11:1 1~:l1ctl101* .~-.11.:-l1 dilTol-0.11695 ;~.11~ jll<:iflu<,l. We fix w:lge.< ll_\.' l1=;211‘(l.\' and 0tl11"1' \‘.':l_\'S_, 211111 tl11?1'1- i;.; 1:11 .~30 1101‘ c9llt. 11'.'ov_- and above I‘}::;.‘i' \\‘:l_s_:l.‘. Holl‘ 11.119; do we expo.-1 the \'.';‘lg'«\ 911111111‘ to be loyal :1111l.1:111‘-:1l1i(li11g. I’Celillg all the "Lime that la/3 I;-2 fife ‘.‘i(=lil‘;l of ill~

justice‘? If we :<t:lmhn'i.<c. :1 m:nl’s wage we must also st:llldardi.<e the ]\,!‘i<*,(‘ of 11ec0ssitio.<. which that wage must buy I'o su.=sl:—lin him and his i':nn9.l_v. The people are ontiiled to we-h pl‘-Ir"‘1wo ;_~;:'0§\’!1 in ‘rhis (?<jnlntl'_\* 11>: .“ewj.' I'oq:_:i."2‘ to .\'ll.<t'.lin Hfo at a. fair and rw:l.<onzlM«_- price: by all Im~:m.< go‘. all we 0:11! for the b:l]B.m*o xvhir.-h is expovfcd. The 111:21".<<‘-1‘ pl'ir~e, lwing no 1011391‘ t.'z«‘lm'w.ilwG by <-mnp('Ttii'ion. has 110'.‘:)2l".‘ jllst as tmwll :‘.~< mm ho oxfl'a<’t—(‘(l #'mm :1. In-Is)‘-u.—‘.~‘ nvop‘lo. TS il'jn.<l' I'-;,~1' us In tukv ;1«I\‘:1nI:‘..<;'«-‘ of fhaf h<‘lp—_ 1“-*'>'I!'-‘*‘.~‘-. 3-.il<l IwPe.‘::-ii_\".‘ Do \.\'«* I'o3liw that‘ if \\.‘zl.< ‘Hw ;);:Izxxh!ir<;‘ Spirit‘ :\::{1 Q‘l'(‘(‘¢l. not’ :‘:0 n:':::'m.*.\' cut’ 132:‘ Km-

i:.l]i.~'f. \\'hi<:h nl.-Hit‘ fllou.<;—llnls of penplt‘ \'<.vto for o_\:n-¢n;i,<l;< I;l.<’r Dv«mn—bor? Do we realist} that ‘.lwro is :1 linlif V‘ WlO pa‘riOm"o of Hw gvooplo unflfltifli m- Inrzy 'm\ nvzwilw; the limit 11m\'‘? .\ mrtn wlm _\:‘.~.x;_w,}..: ‘:< t"'mn his neigh?u"‘.lv‘.< pr>.~‘!;y~: §..~ I*. thief’. hut‘ I'('('GiV(‘:< }“v’!3=h!»l~.“~..'*: hu \.\'.".O fi'l\'.(‘.\‘ Fl.-,.',l~"xn<l>‘ 1);.‘ \\‘:l:.‘ «;=l“' ux;_§:':<t g‘:'«~fi* 35 :1 <=lc .1 '<€_.{lfl ‘!‘.=.'..~---' 1:7-":T‘.. \':‘.‘ om‘ \'-smx-‘l-.,-:'.~=, If‘ ‘n'.~ ‘=32: ::}‘::in.<: ’:*::'.::‘.t:'l{}.' 1:4 not Q;l'(~,‘«ilfm‘.

Ta: 3.. y~._«»4.— :::~ {ln \\'3dr.-<;>l'(‘:\«] am‘! in;<i«.li—' o'-_‘:.~'’.’ ‘ '),1~._~ 1m:.~ g;-’ :_-he <'cv~a2:.:o:l *_‘-‘JKL-" :'m:“z mm :‘.z‘:'_ .=0 :1 \'«-:‘_x' 1321 1=.:;:' 1331'} t’.'.<* '!':l‘l‘.:'v ‘"4 : :'v:‘_.«‘x 11 Yl‘-1' v:<;_m':=:Sl‘.".',‘ 1 th».«:=~ \”z:~\~;;~. :22“; \\'ilT‘.-1 all (‘:11'1!0SfI!;‘S.<{; I ;._«I.; ii‘ 3: IN‘: ti-m‘ \‘.‘(‘ nl‘.H‘iVat-?«'! :1 ' 1';-;~;.: .:=‘.'i--Iv l~’~':1':‘.“." ?..’-Int" '\‘."_‘ ‘;'=‘.".‘i~"'-.1!; {hut him‘. .1‘ <‘uuf’_\' m on: I‘-;z?ig!~.‘m)=:2'; 3“; \- -3‘ :7, ’:s 42'-.l‘.'.~‘."‘l\‘w‘T£. .‘4olfis';2n.“=::l 521.! '.‘::~= ‘.ff"‘=.‘o": M" :2 ‘l’-:“.\' w::;~: the b-39:3 ~.A : '3'“ W’ Pu-‘~“ “<."'-n== v. is .x‘l‘.v‘xl .1201‘ Hll‘ ‘ “ ‘ -‘.‘i.":*‘ i(‘»(‘»:‘.\'?. Y 4"; ‘.l-."\'! L ' "1 7 “ ‘ ~

partners with the 1.W.W., and disloyalist; in its propaganda. Are they not I'CSpl)nSiblO for the gatllol'illg_fol'ce of unrest, v.'llich, if not alloyed, may ul*timately oVerwhelnl and destroy us‘? 011 us alone will rest the I'espollsibility; azxd 19.21.1210. The pI'CSCIIt selfish spirit is not in keeping with the best traditions of the British people, nor is it, unfortunately, confined to any one section or class. It is lowering our

dignity, prestige, honour, and every noble attribute so long associated with bill‘ I‘:‘.co. To have an industrious, happy, and united people is by far 3. nob‘.m‘ aim thtm this accilnlillatioii of woalih.

I l)-cliovo the present systenrof gove1'I1m(?11t is the best, so far, evolved for our people. It 11:13 nlan}’ faults; let us f,‘l'2l¢liC£LTC them and perfect our constitution along the lines of justice, vqui‘ry, anal ln'otllorl_\f love, realising thaf nmn. women, and little chilclren. are more vzlluablo and more precious Itlmn gold. ’l‘lllls, fortified by right; anzl justice, all ‘the attack:= of Bolshevl'sm and (lisloy:lli.<t shall be forever ‘vain and impotonx‘.

Lvt us, HlOl-efol-0, put away the hand whic-h tool€ but never gave, bef"m'o if is too late. '-