LABOR AND CAPITAL
VIEWS ENTERTAINED BY ROTHSCHILD ON THE SUBJECT
The Baron Does Not Believe a Crisis Is At Hand and Thinks the Laboring Man Is Content With Things As They Are
Paris, Sept. 14. SPECIAL CABLE - FIGARO published today a special interview with Baron Alphonso Rothschild on the so-called social and economic crisis of the present. Baron Rothschild preluded his remarks with the declaration that there was neither a social nor an economic crisis, as alarmists in all countries were pretending.
There had been monetary crises, resulting in unfortunate failures, as for instance, the collapse of the Barings, but the general situation in Europe had remained unchanged by them. The business world at present was far from being in a bad condition.
"I do not believe the so-called Labor Movement", Baron Rothschild continued, "I am confident that the workingmen generally speaking are satisfied with their condition, and have neither cause nor desire to complain. They are, I am convinced, indifferent to Socialism. To be sure, some agitators make plenty of noise, but that amounts to nothing. They do not influence the honest and reasonable workmen. In considering the so-called labor movement it is necessary however to distinguish good bad workmen. Only the idle, good-for-nothing desire the eight-hour day. Serious men, fathers of families, work as long as they think necessary for their own and for their children's needs. There is too much loose talk nowadays about the danger of so much capital in the hands of a few men. This is all rubbish. Some men are richer; others are poorer; tomorrow this is all changed by vicissitudes which nobody can control. It is money which circulates, that fructifies, and money circulates with the same risk to all. It is money which one lends in confidence for so-called good things which do not always turn out to be good. All that applies to the great as well as to the small venturer. Frighten and threaten capital and it vanishes. Capital is like water. Grasp it violently, and it slips through your fingers; treat it gently, dig a canal in which to lead it, and it runs wherever you will."
"Capital is a country's fortune. It represents the energy, intelligence, thrift and labor of the people. Capital is labor. Apart from unhappy exceptions which seem to be unavoidable, each shares in the capital according to his intelligence, energy and work accomplished. If a workman is dissatisfied with his share, he may strike. It is unjust to compare a man with capital and intelligence, organization faculties, invention and knowledge with any gross, brutal workman who applies to his work only the unintelligent work of his hands."
In conclusion, Baron Rothschild said that the war on capital was brutal and baneful, and that anti-Semitism was brutal and irrational.
Poster Comment:
I posted this on Liberty Forum about a year and a half ago. As it's now gone from their database, I thought a repost here might be in order. Please let me know if you all get something from this type of history. I'd be happy to post more of it if I think it interests people.