Books: The Ragged Trousered Philanthropists

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They worked from half past eight in the morning till eight at night,
with an interval of an hour for dinner, and at half past four they
ceased work for fifteen minutes for tea. This was provided by the
firm - half a pint for each girl, but they had to bring their own milk
and sugar and bread and butter.

Few of the girls ever learned their trades thoroughly. Some were
taught to make sleeves; others cuffs or button-holes, and so on. The
result was that in a short time each one became very expert and quick
at one thing; and although their proficiency in this one thing would
never enable them to earn a decent living, it enabled Mr Sweater to
make money during the period of their apprenticeship, and that was all
he cared about.

Occasionally a girl of intelligence and spirit would insist on the
fulfilment of the terms of her indentures, and sometimes the parents
would protest. If this were persisted in those girls got on better:
but even these were turned to good account by the wily Sweater, who
induced the best of them to remain after their time was up by paying
them what appeared - by contrast with the others girls' money - good
wages, sometimes even seven or eight shillings a week! and liberal
promises of future advancement. These girls then became a sort of
reserve who could be called up to crush any manifestation of
discontent on the part of the leading hands.

The greater number of the girls, however, submitted tamely to the
conditions imposed upon them. They were too young to realize the
wrong that was being done them. As for their parents, it never
occurred to them to doubt the sincerity of so good a man as Mr
Sweater, who was always prominent in every good and charitable work.

At the expiration of the girl's apprenticeship, if the parents
complained of her want of proficiency, the pious Sweater would
attribute it to idleness or incapacity, and as the people were
generally poor he seldom or never had any trouble with them. This was
how he fulfilled the unctuous promise made to the confiding parents at
the time the girl was handed over to his tender mercy - that he would
`make a woman of her'.

This method of obtaining labour by false pretences and without
payment, which enabled him to produce costly articles for a mere
fraction of the price for which they were eventually sold, was adopted
in other departments of his business. He procured shop assistants of
both sexes on the same terms. A youth was indentured, usually for
five years, to be `Made a Man of and `Turned out fit to take a
Position in any House'. If possible, a premium, five, ten, or twenty
pounds - according to their circumstances - would be extracted from
the parents. For the first three years, no wages: after that, perhaps
two or three shillings a week.

At the end of the five years the work of `Making a Man of him' would
be completed. Mr Sweater would then congratulate him and assure him
that he was qualified to assume a `position' in any House but regret
that there was no longer any room for him in his. Business was so
bad. Still, if the Man wished he might stay on until he secured a
better `position' and, as a matter of generosity, although he did not
really need the Man's services, he would pay him ten shillings per
week!

Provided he was not addicted to drinking, smoking, gambling or the
Stock Exchange, or going to theatres, the young man's future was thus
assured. Even if he were unsuccessful in his efforts to obtain
another position he could save a portion of his salary and eventually
commence business on his own account.

However, the branch of Mr Sweater's business to which it is desired to
especially direct the reader's attention was the Homeworkers
Department. He employed a large number of women making ladies'
blouses, fancy aprons and children's pinafores. Most of these
articles were disposed of wholesale in London and elsewhere, but some
were retailed at `Sweaters' Emporium' in Mugsborough and at the firm's
other retail establishments throughout the county. Many of the women
workers were widows with children, who were glad to obtain any
employment that did not take hem away from their homes and families.

The blouses were paid for at tie rate of from two shillings to five
shillings a dozen, the women having to provide their own machine and
cotton, besides calling for and delivering the work. These poor women
were able to clear from six to eight shillings a week: and to earn
even that they had to work almost incessantly for fourteen or sixteen
hours a day. There was no time for cooling and very little to cook,
for they lived principally on bread and margarine and tea. Their
homes were squalid, their children half-starved and raggedly clothed
in grotesque garments hastily fashioned out of the cast-off clothes of
charitable neighbours.

But it was not in vain that these women toiled every weary day until
exhaustion compelled them to case. It was not in vain that they
passed their cheerless lives bending with aching shoulders over the
thankless work that barely brought them bread. It was not in vain that
they and their children went famished and in rags, for after all, the
principal object of their labour was accomplished: the Good Cause was
advanced. Mr Sweater waxed rich and increased in goods and
respectability.

Of course, none of those women were COMPELLED to engage in that
glorious cause. No one is compelled to accept any particular set of
conditions in a free country like this. Mr Trafaim - the manager of
Sweater's Homework Department - always put the matter before them in
the plainest, fairest possible way. There was the work: that was the
figure! And those who didn't like it could leave it. There was no
compulsion.

Sometimes some perverse creature belonging to that numerous class who
are too lazy to work DID leave it! But as the manager said, there
were plenty of others who were only too glad to take it. In fact,
such was the enthusiasm amongst these women - especially such of them
as had little children to provide for - and such was their zeal for
the Cause, that some of them have been known to positively beg to be
allowed to work!

By these and similar means Adam Sweater had contrived to lay up for
himself a large amount of treasure upon earth, besides attaining
undoubted respectability; for that he was respectable no one
questioned. He went to chapel twice every Sunday, his obese figure
arrayed in costly apparel, consisting - with other things - of grey
trousers, a long garment called a frock-coat, a tall silk hat, a
quantity of jewellery and a morocco-bound gilt-edged Bible. He was an
official of some sort of the Shining Light Chapel. His name appeared
in nearly every published list of charitable subscriptions. No
starving wretch had ever appealed to him in vain for a penny soup
ticket.

Small wonder that when this good and public-spirited man offered his
services to the town - free of charge - the intelligent working men of
Mugsborough accepted his offer with enthusiastic applause. The fact
that he had made money in business was a proof of his intellectual
capacity. His much-advertised benevolence was a guarantee that his
abilities would be used to further not his own private interests, but
the interests of every section of the community, especially those of
the working classes, of whom the majority of his constituents was
composed.

As for the shopkeepers, they were all so absorbed in their own
business - so busily engaged chasing their employees, adding up their
accounts, and dressing themselves up in feeble imitation of the
`Haristocracy' - that they were incapable of taking a really
intelligent interest in anything else. They thought of the Town
Council as a kind of Paradise reserved exclusively for jerry-builders
and successful tradesmen. Possibly, some day, if they succeeded in
making money, they might become town councillors themselves! but in
the meantime public affairs were no particular concern of theirs. So
some of them voted for Adam Sweater because he was a Liberal and some
of them voted against him for the same `reason'.

Now and then, when details of some unusually scandalous proceeding of
the Council's leaked out, the townspeople - roused for a brief space
from their customary indifference - would discuss the matter in a
casual, half-indignant, half-amused, helpless sort of way; but always
as if it were something that did not directly concern them. It was
during some such nine days' wonder that the title of `The Forty
Thieves' was bestowed on the members of the Council by their
semi-imbecile constituents, who, not possessing sufficient
intelligence to devise means of punishing the culprits, affected to
regard the manoeuvres of the Brigands as a huge joke.

There was only one member of the Council who did not belong to the
Band - Councillor Weakling, a retired physician; but unfortunately he
also was a respectable man. When he saw something going forwards that
he did not think was right, he protested and voted against it and then -
he collapsed! There was nothing of the low agitator about HIM. As
for the Brigands, they laughed at his protests and his vote did not
matter.

With this one exception, the other members of the band were very
similar in character to Sweater, Rushton, Didlum and Grinder. They
had all joined the Band with the same objects, self-glorification and
the advancement of their private interests. These were the real
reasons why they besought the ratepayers to elect them to the Council,
but of course none of them ever admitted that such was the case. No!
When these noble-minded altruists offered their services to the town
they asked the people to believe that they were actuated by a desire
to give their time and abilities for the purpose of furthering the
interests of Others, which was much the same as asking them to believe
that it is possible for the leopard to change his spots.

Owing to the extraordinary apathy of the other inhabitants, the
Brigands were able to carry out their depredations undisturbed.
Daylight robberies were of frequent occurrence.

For many years these Brigands had looked with greedy eyes upon the
huge profits of the Gas Company. They thought it was a beastly shame
that those other bandits should be always raiding the town and getting
clear away with such rich spoils.

At length - about two years ago - after much study and many private
consultations, a plan of campaign was evolved; a secret council of war
was held, presided over by Mr Sweater, and the Brigands formed
themselves into an association called `The Mugsborough Electric Light
Supply and Installation Coy. Ltd.', and bound themselves by a solemn
oath to do their best to drive the Gas Works Bandits out of the town
and to capture the spoils at present enjoyed by the latter for
themselves.

There was a large piece of ground, the property of the town, that was
a suitable site for the works; so in their character of directors of
the Electric Light Coy. they offered to buy this land from the
Municipality - or, in other words, from themselves - for about half
its value.

At the meeting of the Town Council when this offer was considered, all
the members present, with the solitary exception of Dr Weakling, being
shareholders in the newly formed company, Councillor Rushton moved a
resolution in favour of accepting it. He said that every
encouragement should be given to the promoters of the Electric Light
Coy., those public-spirited citizens who had come forward and were
willing to risk their capital in an undertaking that would be a
benefit to every class of residents in the town that they all loved so
well. (Applause.) There could be no doubt that the introduction of
the electric light would be a great addition to the attractions of
Mugsborough, but there was another and more urgent reason that
disposed him to do whatever he could to encourage the Company to
proceed with this work. Unfortunately, as was usual at that time of
the year (Mr Rushton's voice trembled with emotion) the town was full
of unemployed. (The Mayor, Alderman Sweater, and all the other
Councillors shook their heads sadly; they were visibly affected.)
There was no doubt that the starting of that work at that time would
be an inestimable boon to the working-classes. As the representative
of a working-class ward he was in favour of accepting the offer of the
Company. (Hear. Hear.)

Councillor Didlum seconded. In his opinion, it would be nothing short
of a crime to oppose anything that would provide work for the
unemployed.

Councillor Weakling moved that the offer be refused. (Shame.) He
admitted that the electric light would be an improvement to the town,
and in view of the existing distress he would be glad to see the work
started, but the price mentioned was altogether too low. It was not
more than half the value of the land. (Derisive laughter.)

Councillor Grinder said he was astonished at the attitude taken up by
Councillor Weakling. In his (Grinder's) opinion it was disgraceful
that a member of the council should deliberately try to wreck a
project which would do so much towards relieving the unemployed.

The Mayor, Alderman Sweater, said that he could not allow the
amendment to be discussed until it was seconded: if there were no
seconder he would put the original motion.

There was no seconder, because everyone except Weakling was in favour
of the resolution, which was carried amid loud cheers, and the
representatives of the ratepayers proceeded to the consideration of
the next business.

Councillor Didlum proposed that the duty on all coal brought into the
borough be raised from two shillings to three shillings per ton.

Councillor Rushton seconded. The largest consumer of coal was the Gas
Coy., and, considering the great profits made by that company, they
were quite justified in increasing the duty to the highest figure the
Act permitted.

After a feeble protest from Weakling, who said it would only increase
the price of gas and coal without interfering with the profits of the
Gas Coy., this was also carried, and after some other business had
been transacted, the Band dispersed.

That meeting was held two years ago, and since that time the Electric
Light Works had been built and the war against the gasworks carried on
vigorously. After several encounters, in which they lost a few
customers and a portion of the public lighting, the Gasworks Bandits
retreated out of the town and entrenched themselves in a strong
position beyond the borough boundary, where they erected a number of
gasometers. They were thus enabled to pour gas into the town at long
range without having to pay the coal dues.

This masterly stratagem created something like a panic in the ranks of
the Forty Thieves. At the end of two years they found themselves
exhausted with the protracted campaign, their movements hampered by a
lot of worn-out plant and antiquated machinery, and harassed on every
side by the lower charges of the Gas Coy. They were reluctantly
constrained to admit that the attempt to undermine the Gasworks was a
melancholy failure, and that the Mugsborough Electric Light and
Installation Coy. was a veritable white elephant. They began to ask
themselves what they should do with it; and some of them even urged
unconditional surrender, or an appeal to the arbitration of the
Bankruptcy Court.

In the midst of all the confusion and demoralization there was,
however, one man who did not lose his presence of mind, who in this
dark hour of disaster remained calm and immovable, and like a vast
mountain of flesh reared his head above the storm, whose mighty
intellect perceived a way to turn this apparently hopeless defeat into
a glorious victory. That man was Adam Sweater, the Chief of the Band.

Chapter 21

The Reign of Terror. The Great Money Trick

During the next four weeks the usual reign of terror continued at `The
Cave'. The men slaved like so many convicts under the vigilant
surveillance of Crass, Misery and Rushton. No one felt free from
observation for a single moment. It happened frequently that a man
who was working alone - as he thought - on turning round would find
Hunter or Rushton standing behind him: or one would look up from his
work to catch sight of a face watching him through a door or a window
or over the banisters. If they happened to be working in a room on
the ground floor, or at a window on any floor, they knew that both
Rushton and Hunter were in the habit of hiding among the trees that
surrounded the house, and spying upon them thus.

There was a plumber working outside repairing the guttering that ran
round the bottom edge of the roof. This poor wretch's life was a
perfect misery: he fancied he saw Hunter or Rushton in every bush. He
had two ladders to work from, and since these ladders had been in use
Misery had thought of a new way of spying on the men. Finding that he
never succeeded in catching anyone doing anything wrong when he
entered the house by one of the doors, Misery adopted the plan of
crawling up one of the ladders, getting in through one of the upper
windows and creeping softly downstairs and in and out of the rooms.
Even then he never caught anyone, but that did not matter, for he
accomplished his principal purpose - every man seemed afraid to cease
working for even an instant.

The result of all this was, of course, that the work progressed
rapidly towards completion. The hands grumbled and cursed, but all
the same every man tore into it for all he was worth. Although he did
next to nothing himself, Crass watched and urged on the others. He
was `in charge of the job': he knew that unless he succeeded in
making this work pay he would not be put in charge of another job. On
the other hand, if he did make it pay he would be given the preference
over others and be kept on as long as the firm had any work. The firm
would give him the preference only as long as it paid them to do so.

As for the hands, each man knew that there was no chance of obtaining
work anywhere else at present; there were dozens of men out of
employment already. Besides, even if there had been a chance of
getting another job somewhere else, they knew that the conditions were
more or less the same on every firm. Some were even worse than this
one. Each man knew that unless he did as much as ever he could, Crass
would report him for being slow. They knew also that when the job
began to draw to a close the number of men employed upon it would be
reduced, and when that time came the hands who did the most work would
be kept on and the slower ones discharged. It was therefore in the
hope of being one of the favoured few that while inwardly cursing the
rest for `tearing into it', everyone as a matter of self-preservation
went and `tore into it' themselves.

They all cursed Crass, but most of them would have been very to change
places with him: and if any one of them had been in his place they
would have been compelled to act in the same way - or lose the job.

They all reviled Hunter, but most of them would have been glad to
change places with him also: and if any one of them had been in his
place they would have been compelled to do the same things, or lose
the job.

They all hated and blamed Rushton. Yet if they had been in Rushton's
place they would have been compelled to adopt the same methods, or
become bankrupt: for it is obvious that the only way to compete
successfully against other employers who are sweaters is to be a
sweater yourself. Therefore no one who is an upholder of the present
system can consistently blame any of these men. Blame the system.

If you, reader, had been one of the hands, would you have slogged? Or
would you have preferred to starve and see your family starve? If you
had been in Crass's place, would you have resigned rather than do such
dirty work? If you had had Hunter's berth, would you have given it up
and voluntarily reduced yourself to the level of the hands? If you
had been Rushton, would you rather have become bankrupt than treat
your `hands' and your customers in the same way as your competitors
treated theirs? It may be that, so placed, you - being the
noble-minded paragon that you are - would have behaved unselfishly.
But no one has any right to expect you to sacrifice yourself for the
benefit of other people who would only call you a fool for your pains.
It may be true that if any one of the hands - Owen, for instance - had
been an employer of labour, he would have done the same as other
employers. Some people seem to think that proves that the present
system is all right! But really it only proves that the present
system compels selfishness. One must either trample upon others or be
trampled upon oneself. Happiness might be possible if everyone were
unselfish; if everyone thought of the welfare of his neighbour before
thinking of his own. But as there is only a very small percentage of
such unselfish people in the world, the present system has made the
earth into a sort of hell. Under the present system there is not
sufficient of anything for everyone to have enough. Consequently
there is a fight - called by Christians the `Battle of Life'. In this
fight some get more than they need, some barely enough, some very
little, and some none at all. The more aggressive, cunning, unfeeling
and selfish you are the better it will be for you. As long as this
`Battle of Life' System endures, we have no right to blame other
people for doing the same things that we are ourselves compelled to
do. Blame the system.

But that IS just what the hands did not do. They blamed each other;
they blamed Crass, and Hunter, and Rushton, but with the Great System
of which they were all more or less the victims they were quite
content, being persuaded that it was the only one possible and the
best that human wisdom could devise. The reason why they all believed
this was because not one of them had ever troubled to inquire whether
it would not be possible to order things differently. They were
content with the present system. If they had not been content they
would have been anxious to find some way to alter it. But they had
never taken the trouble to seriously inquire whether it was possible
to find some better way, and although they all knew in a hazy fashion
that other methods of managing the affairs of the world had already
been proposed, they neglected to inquire whether these other methods
were possible or practicable, and they were ready and willing to
oppose with ignorant ridicule or brutal force any man who was foolish
or quixotic enough to try to explain to them the details of what he
thought was a better way. They accepted the present system in the
same way as they accepted the alternating seasons. They knew that
there was spring and summer and autumn and winter. As to how these
different seasons came to be, or what caused them, they hadn't the
remotest notion, and it is extremely doubtful whether the question had
ever occurred to any of them: but there is no doubt whatever about the
fact that none of them knew. From their infancy they had been trained
to distrust their own intelligence, and to leave the management of the
affairs of the world - and for that matter of the next world too - to
their betters; and now most of them were absolutely incapable of
thinking of any abstract subject whatever. Nearly all their betters -
that is, the people who do nothing - were unanimous in agreeing that
he present system is a very good one and that it is impossible to
alter or improve it. Therefore Crass and his mates, although they
knew nothing whatever about it themselves, accepted it as an
established, incontrovertible fact that the existing state of things
is immutable. They believed it because someone else told them so.
They would have believed anything: on one condition - namely, that
they were told to believe it by their betters. They said it was
surely not for the Like of Them to think that they knew better than
those who were more educated and had plenty of time to study.

As the work in the drawing-room proceeded, Crass abandoned the hope
that Owen was going to make a mess of it. Some of the rooms upstairs
being now ready for papering, Slyme was started on that work, Bert
being taken away from Owen to assist Slyme as paste boy, and it was
arranged that Crass should help Owen whenever he needed someone to
lend him a hand.

Sweater came frequently during these four weeks, being interested in
the progress of the work. On these occasions Crass always managed to
be present in the drawing-room and did most of the talking. Owen was
very satisfied with this arrangement, for he was always ill at ease
when conversing with a man like Sweater, who spoke in an offensively
patronizing way and expected common people to kowtow to and `Sir' him
at every second word. Crass however, seemed to enjoy doing that kind
of thing. He did not exactly grovel on the floor, when Sweater spoke
to him, but he contrived to convey the impression that he was willing
to do so if desired.