Review of Reviews, 2012/06. 



A Lesson In Ethics. 



139- 



I have been the active head of this business for over 

 thirty years. I am the owner of as much or more 

 property than I want. It has been made by the co- 

 operation of the employes and the customers. I now 

 want them to have the benefit of it. 



As the business has been for several years, and is 

 now, and looks for the future, it should take a very 

 few years to pass it entirely into the ownership of the 

 employes and the customers. It can be made more 

 and more profitable by this mutual interest, and this 

 additional profit goes entirely to those who make it. 



No customer is placed under any obligation. He 

 need not buy unless the prices and quality and service 

 suit him. No salesman will ever hold out the dividend 

 as an excuse for high prices. Whatever your opinion 

 may at any time be of the prices or the house, please 

 do not lay it to the profit-sharing plan. In our busi- 

 ness of over two million a year, there are many small 

 accounts, the dividends on which it would be cumber- 

 some to figure and impossible to issue stock for. Pur- 

 chases amounting to less than 100 dollars within the 

 year will not be counted. Dividends of small frac- 

 tional parts of a share will be held on deposit until 

 made up to half a share. 



There will be no change in the operation and 

 methods of the company nor in its management. At 

 the end of the year the customers and the employes 

 will be asked to appoint an auditor to verify the profit 

 and dividend statement. 



Some of the employes demurred to this wholesale 

 co-operation, but Mr. Nelson brought them to a 

 proper frame of mind. It must be noted that Mr. 

 Nelson foregoes even the profits on his stock. These 

 he divides between customers (four-tenths), em- 

 ployes (three-tenths), philanthropy (three-tenths). 

 This the two former get in addition to the profits 

 from the business. 



For managing the company Mr. Nelson receives a 

 salary, " but it is no larger than others in the com- 

 pany receive, and he has pledged that he will not 

 use his stock to retain his position as manager." 

 And although it is not likely to happen, yet the other 

 stock-holders could discharge him if they chose. 



The article closes with a statement from the pen 

 of Mr. Nelson : — 



It seems to me that discussion of this ought to be 

 stripped of all usual personality and by presenting the 

 main point, which is that a captain of industry has 

 been engaged in simply conducting business for the use 

 ic was to those doing its work and for those getting its 

 product. 



Second, that having got the business squarely on its 

 feet and well rounded, its future increment is to be 

 the property of the two classes which carry it on — 

 namely, the employes of all sorts and the customers. 



Third, that having always recognised its duty as a 

 corporation of men to care for its own disabled and 

 do its share in educational and benevolent work, it 

 establishes as one of its fundamentals, the diversion of 

 about three-tenths of its profits to such necessary 

 public purposes. 



Fourth, that it illustrates that co-operation can be 

 started from the top as well as from the bottom. 



Fifth, that it shows that within the constitution 

 and the law and the system, any man or any company 

 of men can carry on business for the good of at least 

 so large a number as it directly touches, just as well 

 or better than it can for the advantage of one or a 

 few. 



Sixth, that as abundantly proven by European ex- 

 perience, private companies turned first into profit- 

 sharing and then into co-operative ownership and man- 

 agement, by the co-operative movement, in which 

 Great Britain alone has two million one hundred thou- 

 sand members, an annual business of 500,000,000 dol- 

 lars manufacturing and trading can be done better co- 

 operatively than for private profit. 



Truly it is a thrilling story which Mr. Pomeroy, 

 the writer, tells, and yet its beauty lies chiefly in its 

 unobtrusiveness, and in the unphilanthropic way in 

 which Mr. Nelson regards his work. Evidently to 

 him it is a duty to be performed without favour or 

 expectation of reward. Certainly it is one of the 

 shining examples beckoning the world to the plane 

 where men regard not themselves, but the interests 

 of others. 



* ESPERANTO. 



^ 



Our stock of Esperanto books should now be not far 

 from Melbourne, for almost sufficient time has now 

 elapsed for them to arrive. Will the numerous friends 

 who forwarded remittances for them be good enough 

 to make their patience last out for a little longer. 

 When the books arrive no delay will take place in 

 forwarding them to purchasers. They will leave by 

 first mail. Any Australasian news regarding Esperanto 

 will be welcomed. Send to the Editor. " Review of 

 Reviews," Equitable Building, Melbourne, Intending 

 students should get intoi touch with the President of the 

 Melbourne Club, .Mr. Jas. Booth, 25 Kathdown-st., Carlton. 



As ever, it is possible only to summarise the ex- 

 traordinary progress made by Esperanto in popular 

 estimation. One instance is the fact that it was one 

 of the subjects for discussion at the general meeting 

 of the Modern Language Association, held at Univer- 

 sity College in December. There the general feeling 

 was emphasised ; namely, that as a utilitarian inter- 

 national medium of communication it is admirable, 

 but if it claims to be of great literary value the claim 

 cannot be substantiated. To this the only answer 

 can be that the primary purpose of Esperanto is as a 



key language, and for such it Mas designed; but even 

 for that it must have some literary value, else how 

 could scientists and literary men make use of it? But 

 it has never attempted to be and was never designed 

 as a rival to natural languages. Their beauty lies 

 largely in their idioms and irregularities, the product 

 of the ages ; such adornments unfit them for — just as 

 its simplicity and regularity fit Esperanto for its 

 special purpose — the medium for a. world-wide entente 

 cordiale. 



It was very curious to note the speeches at the 

 Modern Language dinner, held lately in London, and 

 realise how certain arguments there used are argu- 

 ments for the use of such a language ae Esperanto. 



Mr. Warren, the President of Magdalen College, 

 said that the study of modern language must never 

 degenerate into a mere utilitarian pursuit. (To pre- 

 vent this use Esperanto for utilitarian purposes.) Dr. 

 Fielder said: — Language is a bond which knits all 

 humanity together." (Then learn some common 

 tongue which all humanity can also learn, and so this 

 tie will knit together the poor as well as the leisured: 

 classes.) 



