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ision is the goal that capitalism constantly approaches。 No man wants all the gasoline。 He wants six gallons at a time； with a service station every few miles。 Capital performs this service for him。 Under 〃capitalism；〃 so？called wealth is more equally divided than under any other system ever known。
Work is a blessing； not a curse。 This country had the good luck to be settled by the hardest workers in the world。 Their big production made us rich。 If we slacken production we will soon be poor。 The Indians owned everything in common。 They did not work。 And they were so poor that this whole continent would support less than two million of them。 Thousands of Indians used to starve and freeze to death every hard winter。
The white man who doesn't want to work is sick。 He needs a dose of medicine； not a dose of the millennium。 The Bible says that in the sweat of his face man shall eat bread。 When labor loafs； it injures labor first and capital last。 For labor grows poor to…day while the capitalist gets poor to…morrow。 But to…morrow never comes。 The capitalist can turn laborer and raise himself a mess of pork and beans。
The laborer who does not turn capitalist and have a house and garden for his old age is lacking in foresight。
Men will never be equal。 John L。 Sullivan had many fights； and John always whipped the other fellow； or the other fellow whipped John。 When all men are equal； every prize fight will end in a draw； and every batter will knock as many home runs as Babe Ruth。
〃There is enough already created to supply everybody if it were equally divided。〃 Yes。 And there is enough ice at the North Pole to cool off the Sahara Desert if it were equally divided。 There is enough water in the seven seas to flood the six continents if it were equally divided。
The time to quit work and divide the wealth is just two weeks before the end of the world。 For the world's surplus of supplies is just two weeks ahead of starvation。 Wheat is being harvested in one country or another every week in the year。 And yet with all the hard work that men can do； they can not boost the world's supply of bread so as to increase our two weeks' lead on the wolf of famine。 The wolf is ever behind us only two weeks away。 And if we stumble for a moment； he gets nearer。
American machinery enabled the western farmer to raise and harvest as much wheat as twenty Russian peasants。 In India where wheat is raised by hand； the labor of one family will only feed one family。 But in the Dakotas； the labor of one man will deliver in Chicago enough flour to feed three hundred men a year。 This increase in man's power to produce wheat caused the world's population to double itself since McCormack invented the reaper。 The Chinese and Hindu millions who would have starved to death； have been fed； and that's why they're with us to…day。 The natural limit of population is starvation。 The more bread the more mouths； less bread； fewer people。 Europe and the Orient reached the starvation limit before America was settled。 A bad crop meant a famine； and a famine started a plague。 This plague and famine would sweep off a third of the population； and the rest could then raise food enough to thrive on。 England and Wales have had famines； Ireland has had famines； France has had famines； Russia has a deadly famine after every bad crop year； while in India and China famine is a chronic condition。
America has never had a famine。 But we are not exempt from famine。 In the year 1816； known as the year of 〃eighteen…hundred… and…froze…to…death；〃 the crops failed throughout America because of freezing weather all summer long。 Little or no food was raised and the Americans would have perished from famine had it not been for the wild meat in the woods。 The people lived on deer and bear that winter。 To…day if our food supply fails we can not live on venison。 No country is by natural law exempt from famine。 Our famine will come when we fill this country as thickly as men can stand； China and India have so filled themselves。 Famine awaits us when we repeat their folly。 That day will come soon unless we bar the unworthy from our gates。
But cold weather and crop failure are not the only things that could bring a famine in America。 Slacking in production has the same effect as crop failure。 A farmers' strike could bring a famine。 A railroad strike could do the same。 Many men advocate a combination farmers' strike and railroad strike to destroy capital （that is； to destroy the food supply）。 Don't get impatient； boys。 You shall have your famine； if you will wait long enough。 And the less work you do while you are waiting； the sooner it will come。 Nature is never whipped。 Nature will take a crack at you； if you leave an opening。 The generation that went before you worked ten to fourteen hours a day； they battled face to face with a raw continent in their fight with Nature。 And by their muscle they drove Nature back and she surrendered。 She went down like crumpled Germany； and she signed a treaty。 Hard were the treaty terms our fighting fathers made with Nature。 They took an indemnity。 She delivered to them more houses than her cyclones had destroyed； she furnished them millions of cattle in place of the wild deer and buffalo。 She yielded up her coal regions to warm them in payment for the torture her winters had inflicted。 By this treaty she gave them everything she had and promised to be good。
We are the inheritors of the good things of that peace treaty。 We were born rich； we revel in the 〃reparations〃 that our fathers wrung from a conquered Nature。 But Nature； like Germany； is not really whipped。 If we relax； she will default on her payments。 As long as Nature is not really whipped； her treaty is a scrap of paper。 Nature； right now； is preparing for a come…back。 She will not arm openly； for we would then arm to meet her。 She is planning to attack us by a method that is new。 She will weaken us by propaganda； and when we are helpless she will march over us at will。
Who then are the propagandists that Nature is using to undermine the race that conquered her？ Communists； slackers； sick men and fools。 The man who says let us 〃quit work and divide our cake and eat it〃 is opening the way for Nature to strike suddenly with a famine。 The man who advocates 〃one big strike〃 to destroy our capital is the secret agent of starvation。 Nature when up in arms can sweep men off like flies。 She has always done it and she always will； unless man uses his intelligence and his cooperation to fight the evils in Nature and not to fight his fellow men。
〃Capitalism；〃 as the communists call it； is an imperfect system。 But it is the only system that has banished famine。 Under communism and feudalism there was hunger。 Under capitalism the world has been able to feed twice as many mouths as could be fed before。
Capitalism found a world of wood and iron ore； and made it into a world of steel。 How？ It puddled the pig…iron until the dross was out； and the pure metal was bessemered into steel。 Now the task is to purify men as we have purified metals。 Men have dross in their nature。 They break under civilization's load。 A steel world is hopeless if men are pig…iron。 There is greed and envy and malice in all o