DRAG OF THE HARROWS 247 



" I'd get along alright if the Farmer would pay up 

 his debts to me," cries the Retailer. " I've been giving 

 him too long a line of credit and now he's running 

 rings around me and tying me up in a knot. When he 

 gets some money he goes and buys from my competitors 

 for cash or he buys more land and machinery. If I 

 shorten the rope he busts it and runs away !" 



" I'd be alright if everybody else would mind their 

 own business/' grumbles the Wholesaler. " Just trot 

 along there now! Pay your bills, Farmer. Improve 

 your service, Retailer. Don't ask me about high or low 

 tariff. I've got my hands full with established lines 

 and it's my business to supply them as cheaply as is 

 consistent with quality. I want to see everybody suc- 

 ceed and it isn't fair to include me in any mix-up. Only 

 the humming of that confounded flying-machine up 

 there Can't somebody bring down that Mail-Order 

 bird ? He isn't paying his share of the taxes while I've 

 helped to finance this country." 



" We shall come rejoicing, bringing in the sheaves," 

 sings the Manufacturer. " Giddap, Dobbin !" 



" * Money makes the mare go,' " quotes the Finance 

 Minister, taking another look out of the window at the 

 War Cloud. " * Money comes from the Soil,' " and he 

 push-buttons a buzz-bell over in the Department of 

 Agriculture. 



" Send out the choir and let's have that ' Patriotism 

 and Production ' song again," is the order issued by 

 some deputy sub-chief's assistant in response to the 

 F. M.'s signal. " We must encourage our farmers to 

 even nobler efforts." 



And all the while the Unearned Increment loafs 

 around, studying the Interest Charges which are ticking 



