the ragged trousered philanthropists-第23节

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There　was　a　bloke　down　at　the　〃Cricketers〃　the　other　night　talkin'　about　the　same　thing　…　a　chap　as　takes　a　interest　in　politics　and　the　like；　and　'e　said　the　very　same　as　me。　　Why；　the　number　of　men　what's　been　throwed　out　of　work　by　all　this　'ere　new…fangled　machinery　is　something　chronic！'

‘Of　course；'　agreed　Easton；　‘everyone　knows　it。'

‘You　ought　to　give　us　a　look　in　at　the　〃Cricketers〃　some　night。　There's　a　lot　of　decent　chaps　comes　there。'

‘Yes；　I　think　I　will。'

‘What　'ouse　do　you　usually　use？'　asked　Crass　after　a　pause。

Easton　laughed。　　‘Well；　to　tell　you　the　truth　I've　not　used　anywhere's　lately。　　Been　'avin　too　many　'ollerdays。'

‘That　do　make　a　bit　of　difference；　don't　it？'　said　Crass。　　‘But　you'll　be　all　right　'ere；　till　this　job's　done。　　Just　watch　yerself　a　bit；　and　don't　get　comin'　late　in　the　mornin's。　　Old　Nimrod's　dead　nuts　on　that。'

‘I'll　see　to　that　all　right；'　replied　Easton。　　‘I　don't　believe　in　losing　time　when　there　IS　work　to　do。　　It's　bad　enough　when　you　can't　get　it。'

‘You　know；'　Crass　went　on；　confidentially。　　‘Between　me　an'　you　an'　the　gatepost；　as　the　sayin'　is；　I　don't　think　Mr　bloody　Owen　will　be　'ere　much　longer。　　Nimrod　'ates　the　sight　of　'im。'

Easton　had　it　in　his　mind　to　say　that　Nimrod　seemed　to　hate　the　sight　of　all　of　them：　but　he　made　no　remark；　and　Crass　continued：

‘'E's　'eard　all　about　the　way　Owen　goes　on　about　politics　and　religion；　an'　one　thing　an'　another；　an'　about　the　firm　scampin'　the　work。　　You　know　that　sort　of　talk　don't　do；　does　it？'

‘Of　course　not。'

‘'Unter　would　'ave　got　rid　of　'im　long　ago；　but　it　wasn't　'im　as　took　'im　on　in　the　first　place。　　It　was　Rushton　'imself　as　give　'im　a　start。　　It　seems　Owen　took　a　lot　of　samples　of　'is　work　an'　showed　'em　to　the　Bloke。'

‘Is　them　the　things　wot's　'angin'　up　in　the　shop…winder？'

‘Yes！'　said　Crass；　contemptuously。　　‘But　'e's　no　good　on　plain　work。　Of　course　'e　does　a　bit　of　grainin'　an'　writin'　…　after　a　fashion　…　when　there's　any　to　do；　and　that　ain't　often；　but　on　plain　work；　why；　Sawkins　is　as　good　as　'im　for　most　of　it；　any　day！'

‘Yes；　I　suppose　'e　is；'　replied　Easton；　feeling　rather　ashamed　of　himself　for　the　part　he　was　taking　in　this　conversation。

Although　he　had　for　the　moment　forgotten　the　existence　of　Bert；　Crass　had　instinctively　lowered　his　voice；　but　the　boy　…　who　had　left　off　working　to　warm　his　hands　by　putting　them　into　his　trousers　pockets　…　managed；　by　listening　attentively；　to　hear　every　word。

‘You　know　there's　plenty　of　people　wouldn't　give　the　firm　no　more　work　if　they　knowed　about　it；'　Crass　continued。　　‘Just　fancy　sendin'　a　br　like　that　to　work　in　a　lady's　or　gentleman's　'ouse　…　a　bloody　Atheist！'

‘Yes；　it　is　a　bit　orf；　when　you　look　at　it　like　that。'

‘I　know　my　missis　…　for　one　…　wouldn't　'ave　a　feller　like　that　in　our　place。　　We　'ad　a　lodger　once　and　she　found　out　that　'e　was　a　freethinker　or　something；　and　she　cleared　'im　out；　bloody　quick；　I　can　tell　yer！'

‘Oh；　by　the　way；'　said　Easton；　glad　of　an　opportunity　to　change　the　subject；　‘you　don't　happen　to　know　of　anyone　as　wants　a　room；　do　you？　We've　got　one　more　than　we　want；　so　the　wife　thought　that　we　might　as　well　let　it。'

Crass　thought　for　a　moment。　　‘Can't　say　as　I　do；'　he　answered；　doubtfully。　　‘Slyme　was　talking　last　week　about　leaving　the　place　'e's　lodging　at；　but　I　don't　know　whether　'e's　got　another　place　to　go　to。　You　might　ask　him。　　I　don't　know　of　anyone　else。'

‘I'll　speak　to　'im；'　replied　Easton。　　‘What's　the　time？　it　must　be　nearly　on　it。'

‘So　it　is：　just　on　eight；'　exclaimed　Crass；　and　drawing　his　whistle　he　blew　a　shrill　blast　upon　it　to　apprise　the　others　of　the　fact。

‘Has　anyone　seen　old　Jack　Linden　since　'e　got　the　push？'　inquired　Harlow　during　breakfast。

‘I　seen　'im　Saterdy；'　said　Slyme。

‘Is　'e　doin'　anything？'

‘I　don't　know：　I　didn't　'ave　time　to　speak　to　'im。'

‘No；　'e　ain't　got　nothing；'　remarked　Philpot。　　‘I　seen　'im　Saterdy　night；　an'　'e　told　me　'e's　been　walkin'　about　ever　since。'

Philpot　did　not　add　that　he　had　‘lent'　Linden　a　shilling；　which　he　never　expected　to　see　again。

‘'E　won't　be　able　to　get　a　job　again　in　a　'urry；'　remarked　Easton。　‘'E's　too　old。'

‘You　know；　after　all；　you　can't　blame　Misery　for　sackin'　'im；'　said　Crass　after　a　pause。　　‘'E　was　too　slow　for　a　funeral。'

‘I　wonder　how　much　YOU'LL　be　able　to　do　when　you're　as　old　as　he　is？'　said　Owen。

‘P'raps　I　won't　want　to　do　nothing；'　replied　Crass　with　a　feeble　laugh。　　‘I'm　goin'　to　live　on　me　means。'

‘I　should　say　the　best　thing　old　Jack　could　do　would　be　to　go　in　the　union；'　said　Harlow。

‘Yes：　I　reckon　that's　what'll　be　the　end　of　it；'　said　Easton　in　a　matter…of…fact　tone。

‘It's　a　grand　finish；　isn't　it？'　observed　Owen。　　‘After　working　hard　all　one's　life　to　be　treated　like　a　criminal　at　the　end。'

‘I　don't　know　what　you　call　bein'　treated　like　criminals；'　exclaimed　Crass。　　‘I　reckon　they　'as　a　bloody　fine　time　of　it；　an'　we've　got　to　find　the　money。'

‘Oh；　for　God's　sake　don't　start　no　more　arguments；'　cried　Harlow；　addressing　Owen。　　‘We　'ad　enough　of　that　last　week。　　You　can't　expect　a　boss　to　employ　a　man　when　'e's　too　old　to　work。'

‘Of　course　not；'　said　Crass。

Philpot　said　…　nothing。

‘I　don't　see　no　sense　in　always　grumblin'；'　Crass　proceeded。　　‘These　things　can't　be　altered。　　You　can't　expect　there　can　be　plenty　of　work　for　everyone　with　all　this　'ere　labour…savin'　machinery　what's　been　invented。'

‘Of　course；'　said　Harlow；　‘the　people　what　used　to　be　employed　on　the　work　what's　now　done　by　machinery；　has　to　find　something　else　to　do。　Some　of　'em　goes　to　our　trade；　for　instance：　the　result　is　there's　too　many　at　it；　and　there　ain't　enough　work　to　keep　'em　all　goin'。'

‘Yes；'　cried　Crass；　eagerly。　　‘That's　just　what　I　say。　　Machinery　is　the　real　cause　of　the　poverty。　　That's　what　I　said　the　other　day。'

‘Machinery　is　undoubtedly　the　cause　of　unemployment；'　replied　Owen；　‘but　it's　not　the　cause　of　poverty：　that's　another　matter　altogether。'

The　others　laughed　derisively。

‘Well；　it　seems　to　me　to　amount　to　the　same　thing；'　said　Harlow；　and　nearly　everyone　agreed。

‘It　doesn't　seem　to　me　to　amount　to　the　same　thing；'　Owen　replied。　‘In　my　opinion；　we　are　all　in　a　state　of　poverty　even　when　we　have　employment　…　the　condition　we　are　reduced　to　when　we're　out　of　work　is　more　properly　described　as　destitution。'

‘Poverty；'　continued　Owen　after　a　short　silence；　‘consists　in　a　shortage　of　the　necessaries　of　life。　　When　those　things　are　so　scarce　or　so　dear　that　people　are　unable　to　obtain　sufficient　of　them　to　satisfy　all　their　needs；　those　people　are　in　a　condition　of　poverty。　If　you　think　that　the　machinery；　which　makes　it　possible　to　produce　all　the　necessaries　of　life　in　abundance；　is　the　cause　of　the　shortage；　it　seems　to　me　that　there　must　be　something　the　matter　with　your　minds。'

‘Oh；　of　course　we're　all　bloody　fools　except　you；'　snarled　Crass。　‘When　they　were　servin'　out　the　sense；　they　give　you　such　a　'ell　of　a　lot；　there　wasn't　none　left　for　nobody　else。'

‘If　there　wasn't　something　wrong　with　your　minds；'　continued　Owen；　‘you　would　be　able　to　see　that　we　might　have　〃Plenty　of　Work〃　and　yet　be　in　a　state　of　destitution。　　The　miserable　wretches　who　toil　sixteen　or　eighteen　hours　a　day　…　father；　mother　and　even　the　little　children　…　making　match…boxes；　or　shirts　or　blouses；　have　〃plenty　of　work〃；　but　I　for　one　don't　envy　them。　　Perhaps　you　think　that　if　there　was　no　machinery　and　we　all　had　to　work　thirteen　or　fourteen　hours　a　day　in　order　to　obtain　a　bare　living；　we　should　not　be　in　a　condition　of　poverty？　　Talk　about　there　being　something　the　matter　with　your　minds！　If　there　were　not；　you　wouldn't　talk　one　day　about　Tariff　Reform　as　a　remedy　for　unemployment　and　then　the　next　day　admit　that　Machinery　is　the　cause　of　it！　　Tariff　Reform　won't　do　away　with　the　machinery；　will　it？'

‘Tariff　Reform　is　the　remedy　for　bad　trade；'　returned　Crass。

‘In　that　case　Tariff　Reform　is　the　remedy　for　a　disease　that　does　not　exist。　　If　you　would　only　take　the　trouble　to　investigate　for　yourself　you　would　find　out　that　trade　was　never　so　good　as　it　is　at　present：　the　output　…　the　quantity　of　commodities　of　every　kind　…　produced　in　and　exported　from　this　country　is　greater　than　it　has　ever　been　before。　　The　fortunes　amassed　in　business　are　larger　than　ever　before：　but　at　the　same　time　…　owing；　as　you　have　just　admitted　…　to　the　continued　introduction　and　extended　use　of　wages…saving　machinery；　the　number　of　human　beings　being　employed　is　steadily　decreasing。　　I　have　here；'　continued　Owen；　taking　out　his　pocket…book；　‘some　figures　which　I　copied　from　the　Daily　Mail　Year　Book　for　1907；　page　33：

‘〃It　is　a　very　noticeable　fact　that　although　the　number　of　factories　and　their　value　have　vastly　increased　in　the　United　Kingdom；　there　is　an　absolute　decrease　in　the　number　of　men　and　women　employed　in　those　factories　between　1895　and　1901。　　This　is　doubtless　due　to　the　displacement　of　hand　labour　by　machinery！〃

‘Will　Tariff　Reform　deal　with　that？　　Are　the　good；　kind　capitalists　going　to　abandon　the　use　of　wages…saving　machinery　if　we　tax　all　foreign…made　goods？　　Does　what　you　call　〃Free　Trade〃　help　us　here？　　Or　do　you　think　that　abolishing　the　House　of　Lo