the ragged trousered philanthropists-第106章

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nnecessary　work；　and　large　numbers　never　doing　any　work　at　all；　there　is　enough　produced　to　go　all　round　after　a　fashion。　　More　than　enough；　for　in　consequence　of　what　they　call　〃Over…Production〃；　the　markets　are　periodically　glutted　with　commodities　of　all　kinds；　and　then　for　a　time　the　factories　are　closed　and　production　ceases。　　And　yet　we　can　all　manage　to　exist　…　after　a　fashion。　　This　proves　that　if　productive　industry　were　organized　on　the　lines　advocated　by　Socialists　there　could　be　produced　such　a　prodigious　quantity　of　everything；　that　everyone　could　live　in　plenty　and　comfort。　　The　problem　of　how　to　produce　sufficient　for　all　to　enjoy　abundance　is　already　solved：　the　problem　that　then　remains　is　…　How　to　get　rid　of　those　whose　greed　and　callous　indifference　to　the　sufferings　of　others；　prevents　it　being　done。'

‘Yes！　and　you'll　never　be　able　to　get　rid　of　'em；　mate；'　cried　Crass；　triumphantly　…　and　the　man　with　the　copper　wire　stitches　in　his　boot　said　that　it　couldn't　be　done。

‘Well；　we　mean　to　have　a　good　try；　anyhow；'　said　Barrington。

Crass　and　most　of　the　others　tried　hard　to　think　of　something　to　say　in　defence　of　the　existing　state　of　affairs；　or　against　the　proposals　put　forward　by　the　lecturer；　but　finding　nothing；　they　maintained　a　sullen　and　gloomy　silence。　　The　man　with　the　copper　wire　stitches　in　his　boot　in　particular　appeared　to　be　very　much　upset；　perhaps　he　was　afraid　that　if　the　things　advocated　by　the　speaker　ever　came　to　pass　he　would　not　have　any　boots　at　all。　　To　assume　that　he　had　some　such　thought　as　this；　is　the　only　rational　way　to　account　for　his　hostility；　for　in　his　case　no　change　could　have　been　for　the　worse　unless　it　reduced　him　to　almost　absolute　nakedness　and　starvation。

To　judge　by　their　unwillingness　to　consider　any　proposals　to　alter　the　present　system；　one　might　have　supposed　that　they　were　afraid　of　losing　something；　instead　of　having　nothing　to　lose　…　except　their　poverty。

It　was　not　till　the　chairman　had　made　several　urgent　appeals　for　more　questions　that　Crass　brightened　up：　a　glad　smile　slowly　spread　over　and　illuminated　his　greasy　visage：　he　had　at　last　thought　of　a　most　serious　and　insurmountable　obstacle　to　the　establishment　of　the　Co…operative　Commonwealth。

‘What；'　he　demanded；　in　a　loud　voice；　‘what　are　you　goin'　to　do；　in　this　'ere　Socialist　Republic　of　yours；　with　them　wot　WON'T　WORK'！〃

As　Crass　flung　this　bombshell　into　the　Socialist　camp；　the　miserable；　ragged…trousered　crew　around　him　could　scarce　forbear　a　cheer；　but　the　more　intelligent　part　of　the　audience　only　laughed。

‘We　don't　believe　that　there　will　be　any　such　people　as　that；'　said　Barrington。

‘There's　plenty　of　'em　about　now；　anyway；'　sneered　Crass。

‘You　can't　change　'uman　nature；　you　know；'　cried　the　man　behind　the　moat；　and　the　one　who　had　the　copper　wire　stitches　in　his　boot　laughed　scornfully。

‘Yes；　I　know　there　are　plenty　such　now；'　rejoined　Barrington。　　‘It's　only　what　is　to　be　expected；　considering　that　practically　all　workers　live　in　poverty；　and　are　regarded　with　contempt。　　The　conditions　under　which　most　of　the　work　is　done　at　present　are　so　unpleasant　and　degrading　that　everyone　refuses　to　do　any　unless　they　are　compelled；　none　of　us　here；　for　instance；　would　continue　to　work　for　Rushton　if　it　were　not　for　the　fact　that　we　have　either　to　do　so　or　starve；　and　when　we　do　work　we　only　just　earn　enough　to　keep　body　and　soul　together。　　Under　the　present　system　everybody　who　can　possibly　manage　to　do　so　avoids　doing　any　work；　the　only　difference　being　that　some　people　do　their　loafing　better　than　others。　　The　aristocracy　are　too　lazy　to　work；　but　they　seem　to　get　on　all　right；　they　have　their　tenants　to　work　for　them。　　Rushton　is　too　lazy　to　work；　so　he　has　arranged　that　we　and　Nimrod　shall　work　instead；　and　he　fares　much　better　than　any　of　us　who　do　work。　　Then　there　is　another　kind　of　loafers　who　go　about　begging　and　occasionally　starving　rather　than　submit　to　such　abominable　conditions　as　are　offered　to　them。　　These　last　are　generally　not　much　worse　off　than　we　are　and　they　are　often　better　off。　　At　present；　people　have　everything　to　gain　and　but　little　to　lose　by　refusing　to　work。　　Under　Socialism　it　would　be　just　the　reverse；　the　conditions　of　labour　would　be　so　pleasant；　the　hours　of　obligatory　work　so　few；　and　the　reward　so　great；　that　it　is　absurd　to　imagine　that　any　one　would　be　so　foolish　as　to　incur　the　contempt　of　his　fellows　and　make　himself　a　social　outcast　by　refusing　to　do　the　small　share　of　work　demanded　of　him　by　the　community　of　which　he　was　a　member。

‘As　for　what　we　should　do　to　such　individuals　if　there　did　happen　to　be　some；　I　can　assure　you　that　we　would　not　treat　them　as　you　treat　them　now。　　We　would　not　dress　them　up　in　silk　and　satin　and　broadcloth　and　fine　linen：　we　would　not　embellish　them；　as　you　do；　with　jewels　of　gold　and　jewels　of　silver　and　with　precious　stones；　neither　should　we　allow　them　to　fare　sumptuously　every　day。　　Our　method　of　dealing　with　them　would　be　quite　different　from　yours。　　In　the　Co…operative　Commonwealth　there　will　be　no　place　for　loafers；　whether　they　call　themselves　aristocrats　or　tramps；　those　who　are　too　lazy　to　work　shall　have　no　share　in　the　things　that　are　produced　by　the　labour　of　others。　Those　who　do　nothing　shall　have　nothing。　　If　any　man　will　not　work；　neither　shall　he　eat。　　Under　the　present　system　a　man　who　is　really　too　lazy　to　work　may　stop　you　in　the　street　and　tell　you　that　he　cannot　get　employment。　　For　all　you　know；　he　may　be　telling　the　truth；　and　if　you　have　any　feeling　and　are　able；　you　will　help　him。　　But　in　the　Socialist　State　no　one　would　have　such　an　excuse；　because　everyone　that　was　willing　would　be　welcome　to　come　and　help　in　the　work　of　producing　wealth　and　happiness　for　all；　and　afterwards　he　would　also　be　welcome　to　his　full　share　of　the　results。'

‘Any　more　complaints？'　inquired　the　chairman；　breaking　the　gloomy　silence　that　followed。

‘I　don't　want　anyone　to　think　that　I　am　blaming　any　of　these　present…day　loafers；'　Barrington　added。　　‘The　wealthy　ones　cannot　be　expected　voluntarily　to　come　and　work　under　existing　conditions　and　if　they　were　to　do　so　they　would　be　doing　more　harm　than　good　…　they　would　be　doing　some　poor　wretches　out　of　employment。　　They　are　not　to　be　blamed；　the　people　who　are　to　blame　are　the　working　classes　themselves；　who　demand　and　vote　for　the　continuance　of　the　present　system。　　As　for　the　other　class　of　loafers　…　those　at　the　bottom；　the　tramps　and　people　of　that　sort；　if　they　were　to　become　sober　and　industrious　tomorrow；　they　also　would　be　doing　more　harm　than　good　to　the　other　workers；　it　would　increase　the　competition　for　work。　　If　all　the　loafers　in　Mugsborough　could　suddenly　be　transformed　into　decent　house　painters　next　week；　Nimrod　might　be　able　to　cut　down　the　wages　another　penny　an　hour。　　I　don't　wish　to　speak　disrespectfully　of　these　tramps　at　all。　　Some　of　them　are　such　simply　because　they　would　rather　starve　than　submit　to　the　degrading　conditions　that　we　submit　to；　they　do　not　see　the　force　of　being　bullied　and　chased；　and　driven　about　in　order　to　gain　semi…starvation　and　rags。　　They　are　able　to　get　those　without　working；　and　I　sometimes　think　that　they　are　more　worthy　of　respect　and　are　altogether　a　nobler　type　of　beings　than　a　lot　of　broken…spirited　wretches　like　ourselves；　who　are　always　at　the　mercy　of　our　masters；　and　always　in　dread　of　the　sack。'

‘Any　more　questions？'　said　the　chairman。

‘Do　you　mean　to　say　as　the　time　will　ever　come　when　the　gentry　will　mix　up　on　equal　terms　with　the　likes　of　us？'　demanded　the　man　behind　the　moat；　scornfully。

‘Oh；　no；'　replied　the　lecturer。　　When　we　get　Socialism　there　won't　be　any　people　like　us。　　Everybody　will　be　civilized。'

The　man　behind　the　moat　did　not　seem　very　satisfied　with　this　answer；　and　told　the　others　that　he　could　not　see　anything　to　laugh　at。

‘Is　there　any　more　questions？'　cried　Philpot。　　‘Now　is　your　chance　to　get　some　of　your　own　back；　but　don't　hall　speak　at　once。'

‘I　should　like　to　know　who's　goin'　to　do　all　the　dirty　work？'　said　Slyme。　　‘If　everyone　is　to　be　allowed　to　choose　'is　own　trade；　who'd　be　fool　enough　to　choose　to　be　a　scavenger；　a　sweep；　a　dustman　or　a　sewer　man？　nobody　wouldn't　want　to　do　such　jobs　as　them　and　everyone　would　be　after　the　soft　jobs。'

‘Of　course；'　cried　Crass；　eagerly　clutching　at　this　last　straw。　　‘The　thing　sounds　all　right　till　you　comes　to　look　into　it；　but　it　wouldn't　never　work！'

‘It　would　be　very　easy　to　deal　with　any　difficulty　of　that　sort；'　replied　Barrington；　‘if　it　were　found　that　too　many　people　were　desirous　of　pursuing　certain　callings；　it　would　be　known　that　the　conditions　attached　to　those　kinds　of　work　were　unfairly　easy；　as　compared　with　other　lines；　so　the　conditions　in　those　trades　would　be　made　more　severe。　　A　higher　degree　of　skill　would　be　required。　　If　we　found　that　too　many　persons　wished　to　be　doctors；　architects；　engineers　and　so　forth；　we　would　increase　the　severity　of　the　examinations。　　This　would　scare　away　all　but　the　most　gifted　and　enthusiastic。　　We　should　thus　at　one　stroke　reduce　the　number　of　applicants　and　secure　the　very　best　men　for　the　work　…　we　should　have　better　doctors；　better　architects；　better　engineers　than　before。

‘As　regards　those　disagreeable　tasks　for　which　there　was　a　difficulty　in　obtaining　volunteers；　we　should　adopt　the　opposite　means。　　Suppose　that　six　hours　was　the　general　thing；　and　we　found　that　we　could　not　get　any　sewer　men；　we　should　reduce　the　hours　of　labour　in　that　department　to　four；　or　if　necessary　to　two；　in　order　to　compensate　for　the　disagreeable　nature　of　the　work。

‘Another　way　out　of　such　difficulties　would　be　to　have　a　separate　division　of　the　Industrial　army　to　do　all　such　work；　and　to　make　it　obligatory　for　every　man　to　put　in　his　first　year　of　State　service　as　a　member　of　this　corps。　　There　would　be　no　hardship　in　that。　　Everyone　gets　the　benefit　of　such　work；　there　would　be　no　injustice　in　requiring　everyone　to　share。　　This　would　have　the　effect　also　of　stimulating　invention；　it　would　be　to　everyone's　interest　to　think　out　means　of　doing　away　with　such　kinds　of　work　and　there　is　no　doubt　that　most　of　it　will　be　done　by　machinery　in　some　way　or　other。　　A　few　years　ago　the　only　way　to　light　up　the　streets　of　a　town　was　to　go　round　to　each　separate　gas　lamp　and　light　each　jet；　one　at　a　time：　now；　we　press　a　few　buttons　and　light　up　the　town　with　electricity。　In　the　future　we　shall　probably　be　able　to　press　a　button　and　flush　the　sewers。'

‘What　about　religion？'　said　Slyme。　　‘I　suppose　there　won't　be　no　churches　nor　chapels；　we　shall　all　have　to　be　atheists。'

‘Everybody　will　be　perfectly　free　to　enjoy　their　own　opinions　and　to　practise　any　religion　they　like；　but　no　religion　or　sect　will　be　maintained　by　the　State。　　If　any　congregation　or　body　of　people　wish　to　have　a　building　for　their　own　exclusive　use　as　a　church　or　chapel　or　lecture　hall　it　will　be　supplied　to　them　by　the　State　on　the　same　terms　as　those　upon　which　dwelling　houses　will　be　supplied；　the　State　will　construct　the　special　kind　of　building　and　the　congregation　will　have　to　pay　the　rent；　the　amount　to　be　based　on　the　cost　of　construction；　in　paper　money　of　course。　　As　far　as　the　embellishment　or　decorati