Page:Alexander Jonas - Reporter and Socialist (1885).djvu/15

 To be brief: The Abolition of the capitalistic mode of production and introduction of a social system of production.

I don't understand you.

I don't doubt, for it is a matter to which the Press very seldom devotes either space or time, and if it really does, it shows an enormous amount of ignorance in treating the subject in question. Therefore, if you really intend to instruct yourself for the benefit of your paper — do you have that intention? — —

Most assuredly.

Now then, if you really have this intention, and if you are not merely bent upon writing up a sensation it will be necessary to proceed systematically—to commence with the letter A and to go through until the letter Z be reached. For this purpose allow me, for a moment, to change places, and let me ask some questions of you.

I have not the least objection.

Do you know how at the present day the things man needs to satisfy his wants, to wit: bread, meat, and other victuals, houses, clothes, shoes, arms, tools, sewing-, threshing- and all other machines, fancy goods, and commodities of every kind are produced?

They are produced by labor, as they were always.

Please be not too rash, youg man, "by labor"—is right; but "as always" is wrong.

May I ask why?

To be brief: The kind of labor is not the same "as always." Take any article you like, for instance boots and shoes, don't you know that they are produced differently from what they were formerly?

You mean to say more at wholesale, with the assistance of machinery?

That's it. And of the immense quantities so produced but very few people have an idea. There, look at the figures of the census in regard to the manufacture of boots and