`Well, whether you agree or not, the fact remains.A man might possess so much money that, in England, he would be comparatively rich, and yet if he went to some country where the cost of living is very high he would find himself in a condition of poverty.Or one might conceivably be in a place where the necessaries of life could not be bought for money at all.Therefore it is more conducive to an intelligent understanding of the subject if we say that to be rich consists not necessarily in having much money, but in being able to enjoy an abundance of the things that are made by work; and that poverty consists not merely in being without money, but in being short of the necessaries and comforts of life - or in other words in being short of the Benefits of Civilization, the things that are all, without exception, produced by work.Whether you agree or not with anything else that I say, you will all admit that that is our condition at the present time.We do not enjoy a full share of the benefits of civilization - we are all in a state of more or less abject poverty.'
`Question!' cried Crass, and there were loud murmurs of indignant dissent from several quarters as Owen proceeded:
`How does it happen that we are so short of the things that are made by work?'
`The reason why we're short of the things that's made by work,'
interrupted Crass, mimicking Owen's manner, `is that we ain't got the bloody money to buy 'em.'
`Yes,' said the man on the pail; `and as I said before, if all the money in the country was shared out equal today according to Owen's ideas - in six months' time it would be all back again in the same 'ands as it is now, and what are you goin' to do then?'
`Share again, of course.'
This answer came derisively from several places at the same instant, and then they all began speaking at once, vying with each other in ridiculing the foolishness of `them there Socialists', whom they called `The Sharers Out'.
Barrington was almost the only one who took no part in the conversation.He was seated in his customary place and, as usual, silently smoking, apparently oblivious to his surroundings.
`I never said anything about "sharing out all the money",' said Owen during a lull in the storm, `and I don't know of any Socialist who advocates anything of the kind.Can any of you tell me the name of someone who proposes to do so?'
No one answered, as Owen repeated his inquiry, this time addressing himself directly to Crass, who had been one of the loudest in denouncing and ridiculing the `Sharers Out'.Thus cornered, Crass -who knew absolutely nothing about the subject - for a few moments looked rather foolish.Then he began to talk in a very loud voice:
`Why, it's a well-known fact.Everybody knows that's what they wants.
But they take bloody good care they don't act up to it theirselves, though.Look at them there Labour members of Parliament - a lot of b--rs what's too bloody lazy to work for their livin'! What the bloody 'ell was they before they got there? Only workin' men, the same as you and me! But they've got the gift o' the gab and -'
`Yes, we know all about that,' said Owen, `but what I'm asking you is to tell us who advocates taking all the money in the country and sharing it out equally?'
`And I say that everybody knows that's what they're after!' shouted Crass.`And you know it as well as I do.A fine thing!' he added indignantly.`Accordin' to that idear, a bloody scavenger or a farm labourer ought to get as much wages as you or me!'
`We can talk about that some other time.What I want to know at present is - what authority have you for saying that Socialists believe in sharing out all the money equally amongst all the people?'
`Well, that's what I've always understood they believed in doing,'
said Crass rather lamely.
`It's a well-known fact,' said several others.
`Come to think of it,' continued Crass as he drew the Obscurer cutting from his waistcoat pocket, `I've got a little thing 'ere that I've been goin' to read to yer.It's out of the Obscurer.I'd forgotten all about it.'
Remarking that the print was too small for his own eyes, he passed the slip of paper to Harlow, who read aloud as follows:
PROVE YOUR PRINCIPLES: OR, LOOK AT BOTH SIDES`I wish I could open your eyes to the true misery of our condition: injustice, tyranny and oppression!' said a discontented hack to a weary-looking cob as they stood side by side in unhired cabs.
`I'd rather have them opened to something pleasant, thank you,'
replied the cob.
`I am sorry for you.If you could enter into the noble aspirations -' the hack began.
`Talk plain.What would you have?' said the cob, interrupting him.
`What would I have? Why, equality, and share and share alike all over the world,' said the hack.
`You MEAN that?' said the cob.
`Of course I do.What right have those sleek, pampered hunters and racers to their warm stables and high feed, their grooms and jockeys? It is really heart-sickening to think of it,' replied the hack.
`I don't know but you may be right,' said the cob, `and to show I'm in earnest, as no doubt you are, let me have half the good beans you have in your bag, and you shall have half the musty oats and chaff I have in mine.There's nothing like proving one's principles.'
Original Parables.By Mrs Prosier.
`There you are!' cried several voices.
`What does that mean?' cried Crass, triumphantly.`Why don't you go and share your wages with the chaps what's out of work?'
