war of the classes(阶级斗争)-第12章
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of Covent Garden。 The irresponsible rich are likewise non…scabs；and by
them is meant that coupon…clipping class which hires its managers and
brains to invest the money usually left it by its ancestors。
Outside these lucky creatures； all the rest； at one time or another in
their lives； are scabs； at one time or another are engaged in giving more for
a certain price than any one else。 The meek professor in some endowed
institution； by his meek suppression of his convictions； is giving more for
his salary than gave the other and more outspoken professor whose chair
he occupies。 And when a political party dangles a full dinner…pail in the
eyes of the toiling masses； it is offering more for a vote than the dubious
dollar of the opposing party。 Even a money…lender is not above taking a
slightly lower rate of interest and saying nothing about it。
Such is the tangle of conflicting interests in a tooth…and…nail society
that people cannot avoid being scabs； are often made so against their
desires； and are often unconsciously made so。 When several trades in a
certain locality demand and receive an advance in wages； they are
unwittingly making scabs of their fellow…laborers in that district who have
received no advance in wages。 In San Francisco the barbers； laundry…
workers； and milk…wagon drivers received such an advance in wages。
Their employers promptly added the amount of this advance to the selling
price of their wares。 The price of shaves； of washing； and of milk went up。
This reduced the purchasing power of the unorganized laborers； and； in
point of fact； reduced their wages and made them greater scabs。
Because the British laborer is disinclined to scab；that is； because he
restricts his output in order to give less for the wage he receives；it is to a
certain extent made possible for the American capitalist； who receives a
less restricted output from his laborers； to play the scab on the English
capitalist。 As a result of this； （of course combined with other causes）； the
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War of the Classes
American capitalist and the American laborer are striking at the food and
shelter of the English capitalist and laborer。
The English laborer is starving today because； among other things； he
is not a scab。 He practises the policy of 〃ca' canny；〃 which may be defined
as 〃go easy。〃 In order to get most for least； in many trades he performs but
from one…fourth to one…sixth of the labor he is well able to perform。 An
instance of this is found in the building of the Westinghouse Electric
Works at Manchester。 The British limit per man was 400 bricks per day。
The Westinghouse Company imported a 〃driving〃 American contractor；
aided by half a dozen 〃driving〃 American foremen； and the British
bricklayer swiftly attained an average of 1800 bricks per day； with a
maximum of 2500 bricks for the plainest work。
But； the British laborer's policy of 〃ca' canny；〃 which is the very
honorable one of giving least for most； and which is likewise the policy of
the English capitalist； is nevertheless frowned upon by the English
capitalist； whose business existence is threatened by the great American
scab。 From the rise of the factory system； the English capitalist gladly
embraced the opportunity； wherever he found it； of giving least for most。
He did it all over the world whenever he enjoyed a market monopoly； and
he did it at home with the laborers employed in his mills； destroying them
like flies till prevented； within limits； by the passage of the Factory Acts。
Some of the proudest fortunes of England today may trace their origin to
the giving of least for most to the miserable slaves of the factory towns。
But at the present time the English capitalist is outraged because his
laborers are employing against him precisely the same policy he employed
against them； and which he would employ again did the chance present
itself。
Yet 〃ca' canny〃 is a disastrous thing to the British laborer。 It has driven
ship…building from England to Scotland； bottle…making from Scotland to
Belgium； flint…glass…making from England to Germany； and today is
steadily driving industry after industry to other countries。 A correspondent
from Northampton wrote not long ago： 〃Factories are working half and
third time。 。 。 。 There is no strike； there is no real labor trouble； but the
masters and men are alike suffering from sheer lack of employment。
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War of the Classes
Markets which were once theirs are now American。〃 It would seem that
the unfortunate British laborer is 'twixt the devil and the deep sea。 If he
gives most for least； he faces a frightful slavery such as marked the
beginning of the factory system。 If he gives least for most； he drives
industry away to other countries and has no work at all。
But the union laborers of the United States have nothing of which to
boast； while； according to their trade…union ethics； they have a great deal
of which to be ashamed。 They passionately preach short hours and big
wages； the shorter the hours and the bigger the wages the better。 Their
hatred for a scab is as terrible as the hatred of a patriot for a traitor； of a
Christian for a Judas。 And in the face of all this； they are as colossal scabs
as the United States is a colossal scab。 For all of their boasted unions and
high labor ideals； they are about the most thoroughgoing scabs on the
planet。
Receiving 4。50 per day； because of his proficiency and immense
working power； the American laborer has been known to scab upon scabs
（so called） who took his place and received only 0。90 per day for a longer
day。 In this particular instance； five Chinese coolies； working longer hours；
gave less value for the price received from their employer than did one
American laborer。
It is upon his brother laborers overseas that the American laborer most
outrageously scabs。 As Mr。 Casson has shown； an English nail… maker gets
3 per week； while an American nail…maker gets 30。 But the English
worker turns out 200 pounds of nails per week； while the American turns
out 5500 pounds。 If he were as 〃fair〃 as his English brother； other things
being equal； he would be receiving； at the English worker's rate of pay；
82。50。 As it is； he is scabbing upon his English brother to the tune of
79。50 per week。 Dr。 Schultze… Gaevernitz has shown that a German
weaver produces 466 yards of cotton a week at a cost of 。303 per yard；
while an American weaver produces 1200 yards at a cost of 。02 per yard。
But； it may be objected； a great part of this is due to the more
improved American machinery。 Very true； but none the less a great part is
still due to the superior energy； skill； and willingness of the American
laborer。 The English laborer is faithful to the policy of 〃ca' canny。〃 He
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War of the Classes
refuses point…blank to get the work out of a machine that the New World
scab gets out of a machine。 Mr。 Maxim； observing a wasteful hand…labor
process in his English factory； invented a machine which he proved
capable of displacing several men。 But workman after workman was put at
the machine； and without exception they turned out neither more nor less
than a workman turned out by hand。 They obeyed the mandate of the
union and went easy； while Mr。 Maxim gave up in despair。 Nor will the
British workman run machines at as high speed as the American； nor will
he run so many。 An American workman will 〃give equal attention
simultaneously to three； four； or six machines or tools； while the British
workman is compelled by his trade union to limit his attention to one； so
that employment may be given to half a dozen men。〃
But for scabbing； no blame attaches itself anywhere。 With rare
exceptions； all the people in the world are scabs。 The strong； capable
workman gets a job and holds it because of his strength and capacity。 And
he holds it because out of his strength and capacity he gives a better value
for his wage than does the weaker and less capable workman。 Therefore he
is scabbing upon his weaker and less capable brother workman。 He is
giving more value for the price paid by the employer。
The superior workman scabs upon the inferior workman because he is
so constituted and cannot help it。 The one； by fortune of birth and
upbringing； is strong and capable； the other； by fortune of birth and
upbringing； is not so strong nor capable。 It is for the same reason that one
country scabs upon another。 That country which has the good fortune to
possess great natural resources； a finer sun and soil； unhampering
institutions； and a deft and intelligent labor class and capitalist class is
bound to scab upon a country less fortunately situated。 It is the good
fortune of the United States that is making her the colossal scab； just as it
is the good fortune of one man to be born with a straight back while his
brother is born with a hump。
It is not good to give most for least； not good to be a scab。 The word
has gained universal opprobrium。 On the other hand； to be a non…scab； to
give least for most； is universally branded as stingy； selfish； and
unchristian…like。 So all the world； like the British workman； is 'twixt the
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