the ragged trousered philanthropists-第102章

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in　the　middle　of　the　night　to　go　to　work　for　several　hours　before　they　go　to　school。　　We　must　make　it　illegal　for　any　greedy；　heartless　profit…hunter　to　hire　them　and　make　them　labour　for　several　hours　in　the　evening　after　school；　or　all　day　and　till　nearly　midnight　on　Saturday。　　We　must　first　see　that　our　children　are　cared　for；　as　well　as　the　children　of　savage　races；　before　we　can　expect　a　proper　return　for　the　money　that　we　spend　on　education。'

‘I　don't　mind　admitting　that　this　'ere　scheme　of　national　ownership　and　industries　is　all　right　if　it　could　only　be　done；'　said　Harlow；　‘but　at　present；　all　the　land；　railways　and　factories；　belongs　to　private　capitalists；　they　can't　be　bought　without　money；　and　you　say　you　ain't　goin'　to　take　'em　away　by　force；　so　I　should　like　to　know　how　the　bloody　'ell　you　are　goin'　to　get　'em？'

‘We　certainly　don't　propose　to　buy　them　with　money；　for　the　simple　reason　that　there　is　not　sufficient　money　in　existence　to　pay　for　them。

‘If　all　the　gold　and　silver　money　in　the　World　were　gathered　together　into　one　heap；　it　would　scarcely　be　sufficient　to　buy　all　the　private　property　in　England。　　The　people　who　own　all　these　things　now　never　really　paid　for　them　with　money　…　they　obtained　possession　of　them　by　means　of　the　〃Money　Trick〃　which　Owen　explained　to　us　some　time　ago。'

‘They　obtained　possession　of　them　by　usin'　their　brain；'　said　Crass。　‘Exactly；'　replied　the　lecturer。　　‘They　tell　us　themselves　that　that　is　how　they　got　them　away　from　us；　they　call　their　profits　the　〃wages　of　intelligence〃。　　Whilst　we　have　been　working；　they　have　been　using　their　intelligence　in　order　to　obtain　possession　of　the　things　we　have　created。　　The　time　has　now　arrived　for　us　to　use　our　intelligence　in　order　to　get　back　the　things　they　have　robbed　us　of；　aid　to　prevent　them　from　robbing　us　any　more。　　As　for　how　it　is　to　be　done；　we　might　copy　the　methods　that　they　have　found　so　successful。'

‘Oh；　then　you　DO　mean　to　rob　them　after　all；'　cried　Slyme；　triumphantly。　　‘If　it's　true　that　they　robbed　the　workers；　and　if　we're　to　adopt　the　same　method　then　we'll　be　robbers　too！'

‘When　a　thief　is　caught　having　in　his　possession　the　property　of　others　it　is　not　robbery　to　take　the　things　away　from　him　and　to　restore　them　to　their　rightful　owners；'　retorted　Barrington。

‘I　can't　allow　this　'ere　disorder　to　go　on　no　longer；'　shouted　Philpot；　banging　the　table　with　the　plumber's　hammer　as　several　men　began　talking　at　the　same　time。

‘There　will　be　plenty　of　tuneropperty　for　questions　and　opposition　at　the　hend　of　the　horation；　when　the　pulpit　will　be　throwed　open　to　anyone　as　likes　to　debate　the　question。　　I　now　calls　upon　the　professor　to　proceed　with　the　second　part　of　the　horation：　and　anyone　wot　interrupts　will　get　a　lick　under　the　ear…'ole　with　this'　…　waving　the　hammer　…　‘and　the　body　will　be　chucked　out　of　the　bloody　winder。'

Loud　cheers　greeted　this　announcement。　　It　was　still　raining　heavily；　so　they　thought　they　might　as　well　pass　the　time　listening　to　Barrington　as　in　any　other　way。

‘A　large　part　of　the　land　may　be　got　back　in　the　same　way　as　it　was　taken　from　us。　　The　ancestors　of　the　present　holders　obtained　possession　of　it　by　simply　passing　Acts　of　Enclosure：　the　nation　should　regain　possession　of　those　lands　by　passing　Acts　of　Resumption。　And　with　regard　to　the　other　land；　the　present　holders　should　be　allowed　to　retain　possession　of　it　during　their　lives　and　then　it　should　revert　to　the　State；　to　be　used　for　the　benefit　of　all。　Britain　should　belong　to　the　British　people；　not　to　a　few　selfish　individuals。　　As　for　the　railways；　they　have　already　been　nationalized　in　some　other　countries；　and　what　other　countries　can　do　we　can　do　also。　　In　New　Zealand；　Australia；　South　Africa；　Germany；　Belgium；　Italy；　Japan　and　some　other　countries　some　of　the　railways　are　already　the　property　of　the　State。　　As　for　the　method　by　which　we　can　obtain　possession　of　them；　the　difficulty　is　not　to　discover　a　method；　but　rather　to　decide　which　of　many　methods　we　shall　adopt。　　One　method　would　be　to　simply　pass　an　Act　declaring　that　as　it　was　contrary　to　the　public　interest　that　they　should　be　owned　by　private　individuals；　the　railways　would　henceforth　be　the　property　of　the　nation。　　All　railways　servants；　managers　and　officials　would　continue　in　their　employment；　the　only　difference　being　that　they　would　now　be　in　the　employ　of　the　State。　　As　to　the　shareholders　…'

‘They　could　all　be　knocked　on　the　'ead；　I　suppose；'　interrupted　Crass。

‘Or　go　to　the　workhouse；'　said　Slyme。

‘Or　to　'ell；'　suggested　the　man　behind　the　moat。

‘…　The　State　would　continue　to　pay　to　the　shareholders　the　same　dividends　they　had　received　on　an　average　for；　say；　the　previous　three　years。　　These　payments　would　be　continued　to　the　present　shareholders　for　life；　or　the　payments　might　be　limited　to　a　stated　number　of　years　and　the　shares　would　be　made　non…transferable；　like　the　railway　tickets　of　today。　As　for　the　factories；　shops；　and　other　means　of　production　and　distribution；　the　State　must　adopt　the　same　methods　of　doing　business　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　em