第115章

`Look here,' said Owen.`The people in number four produce everything, don't they?'

`Yes; we knows all about that,' interrupted Harlow.`But they gets paid for it, don't they? They gets their wages.'

`Yes, and what does their wages consist of?' said Owen.

`Why, money, of course,' replied Harlow, impatiently.

And what do they do with their money when they get it? Do they eat it, or drink it, or wear it?'

At this apparently absurd question several of those who had hitherto been attentive listeners laughed derisively; it was really very difficult to listen patiently to such nonsense.

`Of course they don't,' answered Harlow scornfully.`They buy the things they want with it.'

`Do you think that most of them manage to save a part of their wages -put it away in the bank.'

`Well, I can speak for meself,' replied Harlow amid laughter.`It takes me all my bloody time to pay my rent and other expenses and to keep my little lot in shoe leather, and it's dam little I spend on beer; p'r'aps a tanner or a bob a week at the most.'

`A single man can save money if he likes,' said Slyme.

`I'm not speaking of single men,' replied Owen.`I'm referring to those who live natural lives.'

`What about all the money what's in the Post Office Savings Bank, and Building and Friendly Societies?' said Crass.

`A very large part of that belongs to people who are in business, or who have some other source of income than their own wages.There are some exceptionally fortunate workers who happen to have good situations and higher wages than the ordinary run of workmen.Then there are some who are so placed - by letting lodgings, for instance -that they are able to live rent free.Others whose wives go out to work; and others again who have exceptional jobs and work a lot of overtime - but these are all exceptional cases.'

`I say as no married workin' man can save any money at all!' shouted Harlow, 'not unless 'e goes without some of even the few things we are able to get - and makes 'is wife and kids go without as well.'

`'Ear, 'ear,' said everybody except Crass and Slyme, who were both thrifty working men, and each of them had some money saved in one or other of the institutions mentioned.

`Then that means,' said Owen, `that means that the wages the people in division four receive is not equivalent to the work they do.'

`Wotcher mean, equivalent?' cried Crass.`Why the 'ell don't yer talk plain English without draggin' in a lot of long words wot nobody can't understand?'

`I mean this,' replied Owen, speaking very slowly.`Everything is produced by the people in number four.In return for their work they are given - Money, and the things they have made become the property of the people who do nothing.Then, as the money is of no use, the workers go to shops and give it away in exchange for some of the things they themselves have made.They spend - or give back - ALLtheir wages; but as the money they got as wages is not equal in value to the things they produced, they find that they are only able to buy back a VERY SMALL PART.So you see that these little discs of metal -this Money - is a device for enabling those who do not work to rob the workers of the greater part of the fruits of their toil.'

The silence that ensued was broken by Crass.

`It sounds very pretty,' he sneered, `but I can't make no 'ead or tail of it, meself.'

`Look here!' cried Owen.`The producing class - these people in number four are supposed to be paid for their work.Their wages are supposed to be equal in value to their work.But it's not so.If it were, by spending all their wages, the producing class would be able to buy back All they had produced.'

Owen ceased speaking and silence once more ensued.No one gave any sign of understanding, or of agreeing or of disagreeing with what he had said.Their attitude was strictly neutral.Barrington's pipe had gone out during the argument.He relit it from the fire with a piece of twisted paper.

`If their wages were really equal in value to the product of their labour,' Owen repeated, `they would be able to buy back not a small part - but the Whole.'...

At this, a remark from Bundy caused a shout of laughter, and when Wantley added point to the joke by making a sound like the discharge of a pistol the merriment increased tenfold.

`Well, that's done it,' remarked Easton, as he got up and opened the window.

`It's about time you was buried, if the smell's anything to go by,'

said Harlow, addressing Wantley, who laughed and appeared to think he had distinguished himself.

`But even if we include the whole of the working classes,' continued Owen, `that is, the people in number three as well as those in number four, we find that their combined wages are insufficient to buy the things made by the producers.The total value of the wealth produced in this country during the last year was ?,800,000,000, and the total amount paid in wages during the same period was only ?00,000,000.In other words, by means of the Money Trick, the workers were robbed of two-thirds of the value of their labour.All the people in numbers three and four are working and suffering and starving and fighting in order that the rich people in numbers one and two may live in luxury, and do nothing.These are the wretches who cause poverty: they not only devour or waste or hoard the things made by the worker, but as soon as their own wants are supplied - they compel the workers to cease working and prevent them producing the things they need.Most of these people!' cried Owen, his usually pale face flushing red and his eyes shining with sudden anger, `most of these people do not deserve to be called human beings at all! They're devils! They know that whilst they are indulging in pleasures of every kind - all around them men and women and little children are existing in want or dying of hunger.'

The silence which followed was at length broken by Harlow:

`You say the workers is entitled to all they produce, but you forget there's the raw materials to pay for.They don't make them, you know.'