THE FRENCH CONVENTION AND MONOPOLY.
[To THE Earros or THE " SPECTATOR...1 Sur,—In removing the covering papers from the bindings of some old volumes, parts of a Decree of the National Convention of France came to light. Piecing them together, I found that the Decree had in view monopolies and monopolists, and seeing that the matter dealt with is no less vital now than it was in the early days of the French Republic, from 1792 on, I send you a note of the first three articles of the Decree. Perhaps you may think them worthy to be recalled. Quite clearly the Decree has the commonweal in view; quite clearly it envisages the monopolist as a common enemy to that weal. The true spirit of democracy speaks here in the interests of the commonwealth, res publics; here is the republicanism which we all can honour—the profiteerer stands irrevocably condemned. But if this is true of the selfish man who for his own ends makes a corner in respect of any commodity essential to the nation, it is no lees true of any com- bination of men who unite together to further their own ends regardless of the commonweal. The selfish strike is profiteering; the self-seeking, unscrupulous striker is a profiteerer, and he stands also irrevocably condemned : he is a monopolist, and wo may note that the National Convention made this a capital offence. That the monopoly in the OHO case concerns goods, and in
the other labour, makes no difference, for, in that the striker has his labour for sale, his labour is merchandise.—I am, Sir, Be.
H. S.
"Demme or ran NATIONAL Cortvermos, No. 1272.
The National Convention, having regard to all the evils done to society by monopolists through their murderous (deadly) specula- tions in respect of the most pressing needs of life and to the common distress, decrees as follows:— First Article.
Monopoly is a capital offence.
11.
Those are guilty of monopoly who keep out of the market mer- ehandise or commodities which are air essential need; which same they purchase and hold locked up instead of putting them on sale daily and in the open market.
III.
Equally guilty of monopolizing are those who destroy, or who allow to perish, those commodities and goods which aro an essen- tial need."
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