utopia of usurers and other essays-第7部分

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We　shall　inhabit　but　not　own
When　Britons　ever　shall　be　slaves；
The　water's　waiting　in　the　trough；
The　tame　oats　sown　are　portioned　free；
There　is　Enough；　and　just　Enough；
And　all　is　ready　now　but　we。


But　you　have　not　caught　us　yet；　my　lords；
You　have　us　still　to　get。
A　sorry　army　you'd　have　got；
Its　flags　are　rags　that　float　and　rot；
Its　drums　are　empty　pan　and　pot；
Its　baggage　isan　empty　cot；
But　you　have　not　caught　us　yet。


A　little；　and　we　might　have　slipped
When　came　your　rumours　and　your　sales
And　the　foiled　rich　men；　feeble…lipped；
Said　and　unsaid　their　sorry　tales；
Great　God！　　It　needs　a　bolder　brow
To　keep　ten　sheep　inside　a　pen；
And　we　are　sheep　no　longer　now；
You　are　but　Masters。　　We　are　Men。


We　give　you　all　good　thanks；　my　lords；
We　buy　at　easy　price；
Thanks　for　the　thousands　that　you　stole；
The　bribes　by　wire；　the　bets　on　coal；
The　knowledge　of　that　naked　whole
That　hath　delivered　our　flesh　and　soul
Out　of　your　Paradise。


We　had　held　safe　your　parks；　but　when
Men　taunted　you　with　bribe　and　fee；
We　only　saw　the　Lord　of　Men
Grin　like　an　Ape　and　climb　a　tree；
And　humbly　had　we　stood　without
Your　princely　barns；　did　we　not　see
In　pointed　faces　peering　out
What　Rats　now　own　the　granary。


It　is　too　late；　too　late；　my　lords；
We　give　you　back　your　grace：
You　cannot　with　all　cajoling
Make　the　wet　ditch；　or　winds　that　sting；
Lost　pride；　or　the　pawned　wedding　rings；
Or　drink　or　Death　a　blacker　thing
Than　a　smile　upon　your　face。




THE　NEW　RAID

The　two　kinds　of　social　reform；　one　of　which　might　conceivably　free　us　at
last　while　the　other　would　certainly　enslave　us　forever；　are　exhibited　in
an　easy　working　model　in　the　two　efforts　that　have　been　made　for　the
soldiers'　wivesI　mean　the　effort　to　increase　their　allowance　and　the
effort　to　curtail　their　alleged　drinking。　　In　the　preliminary
consideration；　at　any　rate；　we　must　see　the　second　question　as　quite
detached　from　our　own　sympathies　on　the　special　subject　of　fermented
liquor。　　It　could　be　applied　to　any　other　pleasure　or　ornament　of　life；　it
will　be　applied　to　every　other　pleasure　and　ornament　of　life　if　the
Capitalist　campaign　can　succeed。　　The　argument　we　know；　but　it　cannot　be
too　often　made　clear。　　An　employer；　let　us　say；　pays　a　seamstress　twopence
a　day；　and　she　does　not　seem　to　thrive　on　it。　　So　little；　perhaps；　does
she　thrive　on　it　that　the　employer　has　even　some　difficulty　in　thriving
upon　her。　　There　are　only　two　things　that　he　can　do；　and　the　distinction
between　them　cuts　the　whole　social　and　political　world　in　two。　　It　is　a
touchstone　by　which　we　cannot　sometimes；　but　alwaysdistinguish
economic　equality　from　servile　social　reform。　　He　can　give　the　girl　some
magnificent　sum；　such　as　sixpence　a　day；　to　do　as　she　likes　with；　and
trust　that　her　improved　health　and　temper　will　work　for　the　benefit　of　his
business。　　Or　he　may　keep　her　to　the　original　sum　of　a　shilling　a　week；
but　earmark　each　of　the　pennies　to　be　used　or　not　to　be　used　for　a
particular　purpose。　　If　she　must　not　spend　this　penny　on　a　bunch　of
violets；　or　that　penny　on　a　novelette；　or　the　other　penny　on　a　toy　for
some　baby；　it　is　possible　that　she　will　concentrate　her　expenditure　more
upon　physical　necessities；　and　so　become；　from　the　employer's　point　of
view；　a　more　efficient　person。　　Without　the　trouble　of　adding　twopence　to
her　wages；　he　has　added　twopenny…worth　to　her　food。　　In　short；　she　has　the
holy　satisfaction　of　being　worth　more　without　being　paid　more。

This　Capitalist　is　an　ingenious　person；　and　has　many　polished
characteristics；　but　I　think　the　most　singular　thing　about　him　is　his
staggering　lack　of　shame。　　Neither　the　hour　of　death　nor　the　day　of
reckoning；　neither　the　tent　of　exile　nor　the　house　of　mourning；　neither
chivalry　nor　patriotism；　neither　womanhood　nor　widowhood；　is　safe　at　this
supreme　moment　from　his　dirty　little　expedient　of　dieting　the　slave。　　As
similar　bullies；　when　they　collect　the　slum　rents；　put　a　foot　in　the　open
door；　these　are　always　ready　to　push　in　a　muddy　wedge　wherever　there　is　a
slit　in　a　sundered　household　or　a　crack　in　a　broken　heart。　　To　a　man　of
any　manhood　nothing　can　be　conceived　more　loathsome　and　sacrilegious　than
even　so　much　as　asking　whether　a　woman　who　has　given　up　all　she　loved　to
death　and　the　fatherland　has　or　has　not　shown　some　weakness　in　her　seeking
for　self…comfort。　　I　know　not　in　which　of　the　two　cases　I　should　count
myself　the　baser　for　inquiringa　case　where　the　charge　was　false　or　a
case　where　it　was　true。　　But　the　philanthropic　employer　of　the　sort　I
describe　is　not　a　man　of　any　manhood；　in　a　sense　he　is　not　a　man　at　all。
He　shows　some　consciousness　of　the　fact　when　he　calls　his　workers　〃men〃　as
distinct　from　masters。　　He　cannot　comprehend　the　gallantry　of
costermongers　or　the　delicacy　that　is　quite　common　among　cabmen。　　He　finds
this　social　reform　by　half…rations　on　the　whole　to　his　mercantile　profit；
and　it　will　be　hard　to　get　him　to　think　of　anything　else。

But　there　are　people　assisting　him；　people　like　the　Duchess　of　Marlborough；
who　know　not　their　right　hand　from　their　left；　and　to　these　we　may
legitimately　address　our　remonstrance　and　a　resume　of　some　of　the　facts
they　do　not　know。　　The　Duchess　of　Marlborough　is；　I　believe；　an　American；
and　this　separates　her　from　the　problem　in　a　special　way；　because　the
drink　question　in　America　is　entirely　different　from　the　drink　question　in
England。　　But　I　wish　the　Duchess　of　Marlborough　would　pin　up　in　her
private　study；　side　by　side　with　the　Declaration　of　Independence；　a
document　recording　the　following　simple　truths：　（1）　Beer；　which　is　largely
drunk　in　public…houses；　is　not　a　spirit　or　a　grog　or　a　cocktail　or　a　drug。
It　is　the　common　English　liquid　for　quenching　the　thirst；　it　is　so　still
among　innumerable　gentlemen；　and；　until　very　lately；　was　so　among
innumerable　ladies。　　Most　of　us　remember　dames　of　the　last　generation
whose　manners　were　fit　for　Versailles；　and　who　drank　ale　or　Stout　as　a
matter　of　course。　　Schoolboys　drank　ale　as　a　matter　of　course；　and　their
schoolmasters　gave　it　to　them　as　a　matter　of　course。　　To　tell　a　poor　woman
that　she　must　not　have　any　until　half　the　day　is　over　is　simply　cracked；
like　telling　a　dog　or　a　child　that　he　must　not　have　water。　　（2）　The
public…house　is　not　a　secret　rendezvous　of　bad　characters。　　It　is　the　open
and　obvious　place　for　a　certain　purpose；　which　all　men　used　for　that
purpose　until　the　rich　began　to　be　snobs　and　the　poor　to　become　slaves。
One　might　as　well　warn　people　against　Willesden　Junction。　　（3）　Many　poor
people　live　in　houses　where　they　cannot；　without　great　preparation；　offer
hospitality。　　（4）　The　climate　of　these　picturesque　islands　does　not　favour
conducting　long　conversations　with　one's　oldest　friends　on　an　iron　seat　in
the　park。　　（5）　Halfpast　eleven　a。m。　　is　not　early　in　the　day　for　a　woman
who　gets　up　before　six。　　（6）　The　bodies　and　minds　of　these　women　belong　to
God　and　to　themselves。



THE　NEW　NAME

Something　has　come　into　our　community；　which　is　strong　enough　to　save　our
community；　but　which　has　not　yet　got　a　name。　　Let　no　one　fancy　I　confess
any　unreality　when　I　confess　the　namelessness。　　The　morality　called
Puritanism；　the　tendency　called　Liberalism；　the　reaction　called　Tory
Democracy；　had　not　only　long　been　powerful；　but　had　practically　done　most
of　their　work；　before　these　actual　names　were　attached　to　them。
Nevertheless；　I　think　it　would　be　a　good　thing　to　have　some　portable　and
practicable　way　of　referring　to　those　who　think　as　we　do　in　our　main
concern。　　Which　is；　that　men　in　England　are　ruled；　at　this　minute　by　the
clock；　by　brutes　who　refuse　them　bread；　by　liars　who　refuse　them　news；　and
by　fools　who　cannot　govern；　and　therefore　wish　to　enslave。

Let　me　explain　first　why　I　am　not　satisfied　with　the　word　commonly　used；
Which　I　have　often　used　myself；　and　which；　in　some　contexts；　is　quite　the
right　word　to　use。　　I　mean　the　word　〃rebel。〃　　Passing　over　the　fact　that
many　who　understand　the　justice　of　our　cause　（as　a　great　many　at　the
Universities）　would　still　use　the　word　〃rebel〃　in　its　old　and　strict　sense
as　meaning　only　a　disturber　of　just　rule。　　I　pass　to　a　much　more　practical
point。　　The　word　〃rebel〃　understates　our　cause。　　It　is　much　too　mild；　it
lets　our　enemies　off　much　too　easily。　　There　is　a　tradition　in　all　western
life　and　letters　of　Prometheus　defying　the　stars；　of　man　at　war　with　the
Universe；　and　dreaming　what　nature　had　never　dared　to　dream。　　All　this　is
valuable　in　its　place　and　proportion。　　But　it　has　nothing　whatever　to　do
with　our　ease；　or　rather　it　very　much　weakens　it。　　The　plutocrats　will　be
only　too　pleased　if　we　profess　to　preach　a　new　morality；　for　they　know
jolly　well　that　they　have　broken　the　old　one。　　They　will　be　only　too
pleased　to　be　able　to　say　that　we；　by　our　own　confession；　are　merely
restless　and　negative；　that　we　are　only　what　we　call　rebels　and　they　call
cranks。　　But　it　is　not　true；　and　we　must　not　concede　it　to　them　for　a
moment。　　The　model　millionaire　is　more　of　a　crank　than　the　Socialists；
just　as　Nero　was　more　of　a　crank　than　the　Christians。　　And　avarice　has
gone　mad　in　the　governing　class　to…day；　just　as　lust　went　mad　in　the
circle　of　Nero。　　By　all　the　working　and　orthodox　standards　of　sanity；
capitalism　is　insane。　　I　should　not　say　to　Mr。　　Rockefeller　〃I　am　a　rebel。〃
I　should　say　〃I　am　a　respectable　man：　and　you　are　not。〃


Our　Lawless　Enemies

But　the　vital　point　is　that　the　confession　of　mere　rebellion　softens　the
startling　lawlessness　of　our　enemies。　　Suppose　a　publisher's　clerk
politely　asked　his　employer　for　a　rise　in　his　salary；　and；　on　being
refused；　said　he　must　leave　the　employmont？　　Suppose　the　employer　knocked
him　down　with　a　ruler；　tied　him　up　as　a　brown　paper　parcel；　addressed　him
（in　a　fine　business　hand）　to　the　Governor　of　Rio　Janeiro　and　then　asked
the　policeman　to　promise　never　to　arrest　him　for　what　he　had　done？　　That
is　a　precise　copy；　in　every　legal　and　moral　principle；　of　the　〃deportation
of　the　strikers。〃　They　were　assaulted　and　kidnapped　for　not　accepting　a
contract；　and　for　nothing　else；　and　the　act　was　so　avowedly　criminal　that
the　law　had　to　be　altered　afterwards　to　cove