the people of the abyss(深渊居民)-第39章
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violets in Islington at three farthings a gross； when more children and
violet…makers than they can cope with are being born right along？ This
violet…maker handles each flower four times； 576 handlings for three
farthings； and in the day she handles the flowers 6912 times for a wage of
ninepence。 She is being robbed。 Somebody is on her back； and a
yearning for the Beautiful and True and Good will not lighten her burden。
They do nothing for her； these dabblers； and what they do not do for the
mother； undoes at night； when the child comes home； all that they have
done for the child in the day。
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And one and all； they join in teaching a fundamental lie。 They do not
know it is a lie； but their ignorance does not make it more of a truth。 And
the lie they preach is 〃thrift。〃 An instant will demonstrate it。 In
overcrowded London； the struggle for a chance to work is keen； and
because of this struggle wages sink to the lowest means of subsistence。
To be thrifty means for a worker to spend less than his incomein other
words； to live on less。 This is equivalent to a lowering of the standard of
living。 In the competition for a chance to work； the man with a lower
standard of living will underbid the man with a higher standard。 And a
small group of such thrifty workers in any overcrowded industry will
permanently lower the wages of that industry。 And the thrifty ones will
no longer be thrifty； for their income will have been reduced till it balances
their expenditure。
In short； thrift negates thrift。 If every worker in England should heed
the preachers of thrift and cut expenditure in half； the condition of there
being more men to work than there is work to do would swiftly cut wages
in half。 And then none of the workers of England would be thrifty； for
they would be living up to their diminished incomes。 The short…sighted
thrift…preachers would naturally be astounded at the outcome。 The
measure of their failure would be precisely the measure of the success of
their propaganda。 And； anyway； it is sheer bosh and nonsense to preach
thrift to the 1；800；000 London workers who are divided into families
which have a total income of less than 21s。 per week； one quarter to one
half of which must be paid for rent。
Concerning the futility of the people who try to help； I wish to make
one notable； noble exception； namely； the Dr。 Barnardo Homes。 Dr。
Barnardo is a child…catcher。 First； he catches them when they are young；
before they are set； hardened； in the vicious social mould； and then he
sends them away to grow up and be formed in another and better social
mould。 Up to date he has sent out of the country 13；340 boys； most of
them to Canada； and not one in fifty has failed。 A splendid record； when
it is considered that these lads are waifs and strays； homeless and
parentless； jerked out from the very bottom of the Abyss； and forty…nine
out of fifty of them made into men。
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Every twenty…four hours in the year Dr。 Barnardo snatches nine waifs
from the streets； so the enormous field he has to work in may be
comprehended。 The people who try to help have something to learn from
him。 He does not play with palliatives。 He traces social viciousness
and misery to their sources。 He removes the progeny of the gutter…folk
from their pestilential environment； and gives them a healthy； wholesome
environment in which to be pressed and prodded and moulded into men。
When the people who try to help cease their playing and dabbling with
day nurseries and Japanese art exhibits and go back and learn their West
End and the sociology of Christ； they will be in better shape to buckle
down to the work they ought to be doing in the world。 And if they do
buckle down to the work； they will follow Dr。 Barnardo's lead； only on a
scale as large as the nation is large。 They won't cram yearnings for the
Beautiful； and True； and Good down the throat of the woman making
violets for three farthings a gross； but they will make somebody get off her
back and quit cramming himself till； like the Romans； he must go to a bath
and sweat it out。 And to their consternation； they will find that they will
have to get off that woman's back themselves； as well as the backs of a
few other women and children they did not dream they were riding upon。
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CHAPTER XXVIITHE
MANAGEMENT
In this final chapter it were well to look at the Social Abyss in its
widest aspect； and to put certain questions to Civilisation； by the answers
to which Civilisation must stand or fall。 For instance； has Civilisation
bettered the lot of man？ 〃Man；〃 I use in its democratic sense； meaning
the average man。 So the question re… shapes itself： HAS
CIVILISATION BETTERED THE LOT OF THE AVERAGE MAN？
Let us see。 In Alaska； along the banks of the Yukon River； near its
mouth； live the Innuit folk。 They are a very primitive people；
manifesting but mere glimmering adumbrations of that tremendous artifice；
Civilisation。 Their capital amounts possibly to 2 pounds per head。
They hunt and fish for their food with bone…headed spews and arrows。
They never suffer from lack of shelter。 Their clothes； largely made from
the skins of animals； are warm。 They always have fuel for their fires；
likewise timber for their houses； which they build partly underground； and
in which they lie snugly during the periods of intense cold。 In the
summer they live in tents； open to every breeze and cool。 They are
healthy； and strong； and happy。 Their one problem is food。 They have
their times of plenty and times of famine。 In good times they feast； in
bad times they die of starvation。 But starvation； as a chronic condition；
present with a large number of them all the time； is a thing unknown。
Further； they have no debts。
In the United Kingdom； on the rim of the Western Ocean； live the
English folk。 They are a consummately civilised people。 Their capital
amounts to at least 300 pounds per head。 They gain their food； not by
hunting and fishing； but by toil at colossal artifices。 For the most part； they
suffer from lack of shelter。 The greater number of them are vilely housed；
do not have enough fuel to keep them warm； and are insufficiently clothed。
A constant number never have any houses at all； and sleep shelterless
under the stars。 Many are to be found； winter and summer； shivering on
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the streets in their rags。 They have good times and bad。 In good times
most of them manage to get enough to eat； in bad times they die of
starvation。 They are dying now； they were dying yesterday and last year；
they will die to…morrow and next year； of starvation； for they； unlike the
Innuit； suffer from a chronic condition of starvation。 There are
40；000；000 of the English folk； and 939 out of every 1000 of them die in
poverty； while a constant army of 8；000；000 struggles on the ragged edge
of starvation。 Further； each babe that is born； is born in debt to the sum
of 22 pounds。 This is because of an artifice called the National Debt。
In a fair comparison of the average Innuit and the average Englishman；
it will be seen that life is less rigorous for the Innuit； that while the Innuit
suffers only during bad times from starvation； the Englishman suffers
during good times as well； that no Innuit lacks fuel； clothing； or housing；
while the Englishman is in perpetual lack of these three essentials。 In
this connection it is well to instance the judgment of a man such as Huxley。
From the knowledge gained as a medical officer in the East End of
London； and as a scientist pursuing investigations among the most
elemental savages； he concludes； 〃Were the alternative presented to me； I
would deliberately prefer the life of the savage to that of those people of
Christian London。〃 The creature comforts man enjoys are the products
of man's labour。 Since Civilisation has failed to give the average
Englishman food and shelter equal to that enjoyed by the Innuit； the
question arises： HAS CIVILISATION INCREASED THE
PRODUCING POWER OF THE AVERAGE MAN？ If it has not
increased man's producing power； then Civilisation cannot stand。
But； it will be instantly admitted； Civilisation has increased man's
producing power。 Five men can produce bread for a thousand。 One
man can produce cotton cloth for 250 people； woollens for 300； and boots
and shoes for 1000。 Yet it has been shown throughout the pages of this
book that English folk by the millions do not receive enough food； clothes；
and boots。 Then arises the third and inexorable question： IF
CIVILISATION HAS INCREASED THE PRODUCING POWER OF
THE AVERAGE MAN； WHY HAS IT NOT BETTERED THE LOT OF
THE AVERAGE MAN？
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There can
