THE Curse of Education BY HAROLD E. GORST. New edition issued by the Society for the Liberation of Education from Defence League, 25, Victoria Street, Westminster, THE Englishwoman's Review OF SOCIAL, INDUSTRIAL, AND EDUCATIONAL Started in 1859 as Englishwoman's Journal. Edited by ANTOINETTE M. MACKENZIE. The Review endeavours to collect quarter by quarter all that is of most value for reference and record in regard to the work of women, in all parts of the world. Published quarterly-15th January, April, July, and October. Subscriptions or the year and orders for single copies may be sent to Miss EDITH HARE, Secretary, Office of the Englishwoman's Review, 22, Berners Street, London, W., or to the Publishers, Messrs. Williams and Norgate, 14, Henrietta Street, Covent Garden, London, W.C. MUNICIPAL TRADING. A Paper by the HON. VICARY GIBBS. Price 6d. A Paper by MR. DIXON H. DAVIES (Society of Arts). Price 6d. Lecture by the HON. ROBERT P. PORTER (London School of Economics). Address by the Rt. Hon. Lord Avebury, P.C., D.C.L. Gratis. INDUSTRIAL FREEDOM LEAGUE, 53, Parliament Street, Westminster. THE LIBERTY REVIEW WHAT HAS CAUSED THE JANUARY, 1905. NEW, TRUE OR NEITHER. 66 TOUCHED by the appeals of those professional philanthropists, the daily newspapers, the British public is "DISTRESS"? loosening its purse strings and handing over to unemployed committees money which will relieve the misery for a time, but do nothing whatever to remove the causes. If the British public-which, in a sentimental mood, is as dangerous as a Bengal tiger with tail erect-would stop to think, and remember that he gives thrice who thinks before giving! But the British public won't think. People whom you catch in the act of signing a cheque for the Lord Mayor's fund and expostulate with reply: Here are people starving. This is no time to consider what has caused the starvation, or even whether what is sent will in the long run do more harm than good." But until the causes of distress are removed, is it not worse than futile to deal in a temporary way with effects? Every reader of this Review ought to know to what the distress is really attributable. Chief among the causes are: (1) The labour-union policy, which for years past has restricted output, increased the cost of production, and discouraged capitalists by its opposition to machinery, its limitation of apprentices, and its cast-iron laws and regulations-written or unwritten. (2) Municipal socialism, which, by the competition of rate-fed undertakings with free industry, has deterred capitalists from starting new enterprises or enlarging old ones. (3) The growth of local rates, which has become a matter of grave concern alike for existing and for prospective industrial undertakings, a growth which will continue so long as local authorities are permitted to embark in businesses they are incompetent to manage, and to distribute what is practically outdoor relief in the form of " employment." (4) The policy of the Government, with its harassing legislation, which has let loose on the hapless manufacturer a swarm of inspectors enforcing rules and regulations of a drastic type. (5) The disturbance of trade and destruction of confidence caused by the tariff agitation. The Times has done well to draw attention to these and other causes of the distress so loudly complained of, but we are not sure that there has been such a transfer of capital to other countries as is spoken of in its articles, for it must be remembered that this is not the only country suffering from the plagues I |