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siness as the present owners。 I mean that even as the big Trusts and companies are crushing … by competition … the individual workers and small traders； so the State should crush the trusts by competition。 It is surely justifiable for the State to do for the benefit of the whole people that which the capitalists are already doing for the profit of a few shareholders。 The first step in this direction will be the establishment of Retail Stores for the purpose of supplying all national and municipal employees with the necessaries of life at the lowest possible prices。 At first the Administration will purchase these things from the private manufacturers； in such large quantities that it will be able to obtain them at the very cheapest rate； and as there will be no heavy rents to pay for showy shops； and no advertising expenses； and as the object of the Administration will be not to make profit； but to supply its workmen and officials with goods at the lowest price； they will be able to sell them much cheaper than the profit…making private stores。
‘The National Service Retail Stores will be for the benefit of only those in the public service； and gold； silver or copper money will not be accepted in payment for the things sold。 At first； all public servants will continue to be paid in metal money； but those who desire it will be paid all or part of their wages in paper money of the same nominal value； which will be accepted in payment for their purchases at the National Stores and at the National Hotels； Restaurants and other places which will be established for the convenience of those in the State service。 The money will resemble bank…notes。 It will be made of a special very strong paper； and will be of all value； from a penny to a pound。
‘As the National Service Stores will sell practically everything that could be obtained elsewhere； and as twenty shillings in paper money will be able to purchase much more at the stores than twenty shillings of metal money would purchase anywhere else； it will not be long before nearly all public servants will prefer to be paid in paper money。 As far as paying the salaries and wages of most of its officials and workmen is concerned； the Administration will not then have any need of metal money。 But it will require metal money to pay the private manufacturers who supply the goods sold in the National Stores。 But … all these things are made by labour； so in order to avoid having to pay metal money for them； the State will now commence to employ productive labour。 All the public land suitable for the purpose will be put into cultivation and State factories will be established for manufacturing food； boots； clothing； furniture and all other necessaries and comforts of life。 All those who are out of employment and willing to work； will be given employment on these farms and in these factories。 In order that the men employed shall not have to work unpleasantly hard； and that their hours of labour may be as short as possible … at first； say； eight hours per day … and also to make sure that the greatest possible quantity of everything shall be produced； these factories and farms will be equipped with the most up…to…date and efficient labour…saving machinery。 The people employed in the farms and factories will be paid with paper money。。。 The commodities they produce will go to replenish the stocks of the National Service Stores； where the workers will be able to purchase with their paper money everything they need。
‘As we shall employ the greatest possible number of labour…saving machines； and adopt the most scientific methods in our farms and factories； the quantities of goods we shall be able to produce will be so enormous that we shall be able to pay our workers very high wages … in paper money … and we shall be able to sell our produce so cheaply； that all public servants will be able to enjoy abundance of everything。
‘When the workers who are being exploited and sweated by the private capitalists realize how much worse off they are than the workers in the employ of the State； they will come and ask to be allowed to work for the State； and also； for paper money。 That will mean that the State Army of Productive Workers will be continually increasing in numbers。 More State factories will be built； more land will be put into cultivation。 Men will be given employment making bricks； woodwork； paints； glass； wallpapers and all kinds of building materials and others will be set to work building … on State land … beautiful houses； which will be let to those employed in the service of the State。 The rent will be paid with paper money。
‘State fishing fleets will be established and the quantities of commodities of all kinds produced will be so great that the State employees and officials will not be able to use it all。 With their paper money they will be able to buy enough and more than enough to satisfy all their needs abundantly； but there will still be a great and continuously increasing surplus stock in the possession of the State。
‘The Socialist Administration will now acquire or build fleets of steam trading vessels； which will of course be manned and officered by State employees … the same as the Royal Navy is now。 These fleets of National trading vessels will carry the surplus stocks I have mentioned； to foreign countries； and will there sell or exchange them for some of the products of those countries； things that we do not produce ourselves。 These things will be brought to England and sold at the National Service Stores； at the lowest possible price； for paper money； to those in the service of the State。 This of course will only have the effect of introducing greater variety into the stocks … it will not diminish the surplus： and as there would be no sense in continuing to produce more of these things than necessary； it would then be the duty of the Administration to curtail or restrict production of the necessaries of life。 This could be done by reducing the hours of the workers without reducing their wages so as to enable them to continue to purchase as much as before。
‘Another way of preventing over production of mere necessaries and comforts will be to employ a large number of workers producing the refinements and pleasures of life； more artistic houses； furniture； pictures； musical instruments and so forth。
‘In the centre of every district a large Institute or pleasure house could be erected； containing a magnificently appointed and decorated theatre； Concert Hall； Lecture Hall； Gymnasium； Billiard Rooms； Reading Rooms； Refreshment Rooms； and so on。 A detachment of the Industrial Army would be employed as actors； artistes； musicians； singers and entertainers。 In fact everyone that could be spared from the most important work of all … that of producing the necessaries of life … would be employed in creating pleasure； culture； and education。 All these people … like the other branches of the public service … would be paid with paper money； and with it all of them would be able to purchase abundance of all those things which constitute civilization。
‘Meanwhile； as a result of all this； the kind…hearted private employers and capitalists would find that no one would come and work for them to be driven and bullied and sweated for a miserable trifle of metal money that is scarcely enough to purchase sufficient of the necessaries of life to keep body and soul together。
‘These kind…hearted capitalists will protest against what they will call the unfair competition of State industry； and some of them may threaten to leave the country and take their capital with them。。。 As most of these persons are too lazy to work； and as we will not need their money； we shall be very glad to see them go。 But with regard to their real capital … their factories； farms； mines or machinery … that will be a different matter。。。 To allow these things to remain idle and unproductive would constitute an injury to the community。 So a law will be passed； declaring that all land not cultivated by the owner； or any factory shut down for more than a specified time； will be taken possession of by the State and worked for the benefit of the community。。。 Fair compensation will be paid in paper money to the former owners； who will be granted an income or pension of so much a year either for life or for a stated period according to circumstances and the ages of the persons concerned。
‘As for the private traders； the wholesale and retail dealers in the things produced by labour； they will be forced by the State competition to close down their shops and warehouses … first； because they will not be able to replenish their stocks； and； secondly； because even if they were able to do so； they would not be able to sell them。 This will throw out of work a great host of people who are at present engaged in useless occupations； the managers and assistants in the shops of which we now see half a dozen of the same sort in a single street； the thousands of men and women who are slaving away their lives producing advertisements； for； in most cases； a miserable pittance of metal money； with which many of them are unable to procure sufficient of the necessaries of life to secure them from starvation。
‘Th