the ragged trousered philanthropists-第41章

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‘The　Duke　of　Blankmind　also　presents　the　State　with　a　little　coloured　silk　flag　every　year　in　return　for　being　allowed　to　retain　possession　of　that　part　of　England　which　was　presented　…　in　addition　to　his　salary　…　to　one　of　His　Grace's　very　remote　ancestors；　for　his　services　at　the　battle　of　Commissariat　…　in　the　Netherlands。

‘The　Duke　of　Southward　is　another　instance；'　continued　Owen。　　‘He　〃owns〃　miles　of　the　country　we　speak　of　as　〃ours〃。　　Much　of　his　part　consists　of　confiscated　monastery　lands　which　were　stolen　from　the　owners　by　King　Henry　VIII　and　presented　to　the　ancestors　of　the　present　Duke。

‘Whether　it　was　right　or　wrong　that　these　parts　of　our　country　should　ever　have　been　given　to　those　people　…　the　question　whether　those　ancestor　persons　were　really　deserving　cases　or　not　…　is　a　thing　we　need　not　trouble　ourselves　about　now。　　But　the　present　holders　are　certainly　not　deserving　people。　　They　do　not　even　take　the　trouble　to　pretend　they　are。　　They　have　done　nothing　and　they　do　nothing　to　justify　their　possession　of　these　〃estates〃　as　they　call　them。　　And　in　my　opinion　no　man　who　is　in　his　right　mind　can　really　think　it's　just　that　these　people　should　be　allowed　to　prey　upon　their　fellow　men　as　they　are　doing　now。　　Or　that　it　is　right　that　their　children　should　be　allowed　to　continue　to　prey　upon　our　children　for　ever！　　The　thousands　of　people　on　those　estates　work　and　live　in　poverty　in　order　that　these　three　men　and　their　families　may　enjoy　leisure　and　luxury。　　Just　think　of　the　absurdity　of　it！'　continued　Owen；　pointing　to　the　drawings。　　‘All　those　people　allowing　themselves　to　be　overworked　and　bullied　and　starved　and　robbed　by　this　little　crowd　here！'

Observing　signs　of　a　renewal　of　the　storm　of　protests；　Owen　hurriedly　concluded：

‘Whether　it's　right　or　wrong；　you　can't　deny　that　the　fact　that　this　small　minority　possesses　nearly　all　the　land　of　the　country　is　one　of　the　principal　causes　of　the　poverty　of　the　majority。'

‘Well；　that　seems　true　enough；'　said　Easton；　slowly。　　‘The　rent's　the　biggest　item　a　workin'　man's　got　to　pay。　　When　you're　out　of　work　and　you　can't　afford　other　things；　you　goes　without　'em；　but　the　rent　'as　to　be　paid　whether　you're　workin'　or　not。'

‘Yes；　that's　enough；'　said　Harlow　impatiently；　‘but　you　gets　value　for　yer　money：　you　can't　expect　to　get　a　'ouse　for　nothing。'

‘Suppose　we　admits　as　it's　wrong；　just　for　the　sake　of　argyment；'　said　Crass　in　a　jeering　tone。　　‘Wot　then？　　Wot　about　it？　　'Ow's　it　agoin'　to　be　altered。'

‘Yes！'　cried　Harlow　triumphantly。　　‘That's　the　bloody　question！　　'Ow's　it　goin'　to　be　altered？　　It　can't　be　done！'

There　was　a　general　murmur　of　satisfaction。　　Nearly　everyone　seemed　very　pleased　to　think　that　the　existing　state　of　things　could　not　possibly　be　altered。

‘Whether　it　can　be　altered　or　not；　whether　it's　right　or　wrong；　landlordism　is　one　of　the　causes　of　poverty；'　Owen　repeated。　　‘Poverty　is　not　caused　by　men　and　women　getting　married；　it's　not　caused　by　machinery；　it's　not　caused　by　〃over…production〃；　it's　not　caused　by　drink　or　laziness；　and　it's　not　caused　by　〃over…population〃。　　It's　caused　by　Private　Monopoly。　　That　is　the　present　system。　　They　have　monopolized　everything　that　it　is　possible　to　monopolize；　they　have　got　the　whole　earth；　the　minerals　in　the　earth　and　the　streams　that　water　the　earth。　　The　only　reason　they　have　not　monopolized　the　daylight　and　the　air　is　that　it　is　not　possible　to　do　it。　　If　it　were　possible　to　construct　huge　gasometers　and　to　draw　together　and　compress　within　them　the　whole　of　the　atmosphere；　it　would　have　been　done　long　ago；　and　we　should　have　been　compelled　to　work　for　them　in　order　to　get　money　to　buy　air　to　breathe。　　And　if　that　seemingly　impossible　thing　were　accomplished　tomorrow；　you　would　see　thousands　of　people　dying　for　want　of　air　…　or　of　the　money　to　buy　it　…　even　as　now　thousands　are　dying　for　want　of　the　other　necessities　of　life。　You　would　see　people　going　about　gasping　for　breath；　and　telling　each　other　that　the　likes　of　them　could　not　expect　to　have　air　to　breathe　unless　the　had　the　money　to　pay　for　it。　　Most　of　you　here；　for　instance；　would　think　and　say　so。　　Even　as　you　think　at　present　that　it's　right　for　so　few　people　to　own　the　Earth；　the　Minerals　and　the　Water；　which　are　all　just　as　necessary　as　is　the　air。　　In　exactly　the　same　spirit　as　you　now　say：　〃It's　Their　Land；〃　〃It's　Their　Water；〃　〃It's　Their　Coal；〃　〃It's　Their　Iron；〃　so　you　would　say　〃It's　Their　Air；〃　〃These　are　their　gasometers；　and　what　right　have　the　likes　of　us　to　expect　them　to　allow　us　to　breathe　for　nothing？〃　　And　even　while　he　is　doing　this　the　air　monopolist　will　be　preaching　sermons　on　the　Brotherhood　of　Man；　he　will　be　dispensing　advice　on　〃Christian　Duty〃　in　the　Sunday　magazines；　he　will　give　utterance　to　numerous　more　or　less　moral　maxims　for　the　guidance　of　the　young。　　And　meantime；　all　around；　people　will　be　dying　for　want　of　some　of　the　air　that　he　will　have　bottled　up　in　his　gasometers。　　And　when　you　are　all　dragging　out　a　miserable　existence；　gasping　for　breath　or　dying　for　want　of　air；　if　one　of　your　number　suggests　smashing　a　hole　in　the　side　of　one　of　th　gasometers；　you　will　all　fall　upon　him　in　the　name　of　law　and　order；　and　after　doing　your　best　to　tear　him　limb　from　limb；　you'll　drag　him；　covered　with　blood；　in　triumph　to　the　nearest　Police　Station　and　deliver　him　up　to　〃justice〃　in　the　hope　of　being　given　a　few　half…pounds　of　air　for　your　trouble。'

‘I　suppose　you　think　the　landlords　ought　to　let　people　live　in　their　'ouses　for　nothing？'　said　Crass；　breaking　the　silence　that　followed。

‘Certainly；'　remarked　Harlow；　pretending　to　be　suddenly　converted　to　Owen's　views；　‘I　reckon　the　landlord　ought　to　pay　the　rent　to　the　tenant！'

‘Of　course；　Landlordism　is　not　the　only　cause；'　said　Owen；　ignoring　these　remarks。　‘　The　wonderful　system　fosters　a　great　many　others。　Employers　of　labour；　for　instance；　are　as　great　a　cause　of　poverty　as　landlords　are。'

This　extraordinary　statement　was　received　with　astonished　silence。

‘Do　you　mean　to　say　that　if　I'm　out　of　work　and　a　master　gives　me　a　job；　that　'e's　doin'　me　a　injury？'　said　Crass　at　length。

‘No；　of　course　not；'　replied　Owen。

‘Well；　what　the　bloody　'ell　DO　yer　mean；　then？'

‘I　mean　this：　supposing　that　the　owner　of　a　house　wishes　to　have　it　repainted。　　What　does　he　usually　do？'

‘As　a　rule；　'e　goes　to　three　or　four　master　painters　and　asks　'em　to　give　'im　a　price　for　the　job。'

‘Yes；　and　those　master　painters　are　so　eager　to　get　the　work　that　they　cut　the　price　down　to　what　they　think　is　the　lowest　possible　point；'　answered　Owen；　‘and　the　lowest　usually　gets　the　job。　　The　successful　tenderer　has　usually　cut　the　price　so　fine　that　to　make　it　pay　he　has　to　scamp　the　work；　pay　low　wages；　and　drive　and　sweat　the　men　whom　he　employs。　　He　wants　them　to　do　two　days'　work　for　one　day's　pay。　　The　result　is　that　a　job　which　…　if　it　were　done　properly　…　would　employ　say　twenty　men　for　two　months；　is　rushed　and　scamped　in　half　that　time　with　half　that　number　of　men。

‘This　means　that　…　in　one　such　case　as　this　…　ten　men　are　deprived　of　one　month's　employment；　and　ten　other　men　are　deprived　of　two　months'　employment；　and　all　because　the　employers　have　been　cutting　each　other's　throats　to　get　the　work。'

‘And　we　can't　'elp　ourselves；　you　nor　me　either；'　said　Harlow。　‘Supposing　one　of　us　on　this　job　was　to　make　up　'is　mind　not　to　tear　into　it　like　we　do；　but　just　keep　on　steady　and　do　a　fair　day's　work：　wot　would　'appen？'

No　one　answered；　but　the　same　thought　was　in　everyone's　mind。　　Such　a　one　would　be　quickly　marked　by　Hunter；　and　even　if　the　latter　failed　to　notice　it　would　not　be　long　before　Crass　reported　his　conduct。

‘We　can't　'elp　ourselves；'　said　Easton；　gloomily。　　‘If　one　man　won't　do　it　there's　twenty　others　ready　to　take　'is　place。'

‘We　could　help　ourselves　to　a　certain　extent　if　we　would　stand　by　each　other。　　If；　for　instance；　we　all　belonged　to　the　Society；'　said　Owen。

‘I　don't　believe　in　the　Society；'　observed　Crass。　　‘I　can't　see　as　it's　right　that　a　inferior　man　should　'ave　the　same　wages　as　me。'

‘They're　a　drunken　lot　of　beer…swillers；'　remarked　Slyme。　　‘That's　why　they　always　'as　their　meetings　in　public