State Socialism 123 



State. To the same source, they look for police 

 protection and postal and telegraphic services, 

 and for help and supervision in the establishment 

 of new industries. After bad seasons, the State 

 supplies them with seed wheat, and sometimes 

 advances money to tide them over to the next 

 harvest. 



For the artisans and miners, the State does 

 even more. It regulates the conditions under 

 which they work and their hours of labour, and 

 even fixes their rate of wages. It decides in- 

 dustrial disputes between Labour and Capital, 

 enforces the closing of shops at certain hours, and 

 supervises the workshops and factories. It buys 

 the miner's gold, and opens up markets for the 

 producer in foreign countries. In one Australian 

 province, the State has turned publican, and re- 

 tails beer and spirits of the best quality at the 

 smallest percentage of profit. When the work- 

 man falls out of employment, the State accepts 

 the responsibility of finding work for him; and 

 when he becomes too old to toil any longer, it 

 pensions him off. 1 



The first result of this condition of affairs is the 

 existence of a large official class in the employ- 

 ment of the State. Public servants there are, 

 of course, in every community, but it is doubt- 

 ful whether any country maintains so many in 



1 The functions ascribed to the State still differ in the 

 various political divisions of Australia, and these state- 

 ments hold good only for some of the Australian States. 



