Part 54 (2/2)
But they take b.l.o.o.d.y 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 b.l.o.o.d.y lazy to work for their livin'! What the b.l.o.o.d.y '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 Cra.s.s. 'And you know it as well as I do. A fine thing!' he added indignantly. 'Accordin' to that idear, a b.l.o.o.d.y 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 Cra.s.s rather lamely.
'It's a well-known fact,' said several others.
'Come to think of it,' continued Cra.s.s 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 pa.s.sed 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 n.o.ble 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 Cra.s.s, triumphantly. 'Why don't you go and share your wages with the chaps what's out of work?'
'What does it mean?' replied Owen contemptuously. 'It means that if the Editor of the Obscurer put that in his paper as an argument against Socialism, either he is of feeble intellect himself or else he thinks that the majority of his readers are. That isn't an argument against Socialism--it's an argument against the hypocrites who pretend to be Christians--the people who profess to ”Love their neighbours as themselves”--who pretend to believe in Universal Brotherhood, and that they do not love the world or the things of the world and say that they are merely ”Pilgrims on their way to a better land”. As for why I don't do it--why should I? I don't pretend to be a Christian. But you're all ”Christians”--why don't you do it?'
'We're not talkin' about religion,' exclaimed Cra.s.s, impatiently.
'Then what are you talking about? I never said anything about ”Sharing Out” or ”Bearing one another's burdens”. I don't profess to ”Give to everyone who asks of me” or to ”Give my cloak to the man who take away my coat”. I have read that Christ taught that His followers must do all these things, but as I do not pretend to be one of His followers I don't do them. But you believe in Christianity: why don't you do the things that He said?'
As n.o.body seemed to know the answer to this question, the lecturer proceeded:
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