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s the had the money to pay for it。 Most of you here； for instance； would think and say so。 Even as you think at present that it's right for so few people to own the Earth； the Minerals and the Water； which are all just as necessary as is the air。 In exactly the same spirit as you now say： 〃It's Their Land；〃 〃It's Their Water；〃 〃It's Their Coal；〃 〃It's Their Iron；〃 so you would say 〃It's Their Air；〃 〃These are their gasometers； and what right have the likes of us to expect them to allow us to breathe for nothing？〃 And even while he is doing this the air monopolist will be preaching sermons on the Brotherhood of Man； he will be dispensing advice on 〃Christian Duty〃 in the Sunday magazines； he will give utterance to numerous more or less moral maxims for the guidance of the young。 And meantime； all around； people will be dying for want of some of the air that he will have bottled up in his gasometers。 And when you are all dragging out a miserable existence； gasping for breath or dying for want of air； if one of your number suggests smashing a hole in the side of one of th gasometers； you will all fall upon him in the name of law and order； and after doing your best to tear him limb from limb； you'll drag him； covered with blood； in triumph to the nearest Police Station and deliver him up to 〃justice〃 in the hope of being given a few half…pounds of air for your trouble。'
‘I suppose you think the landlords ought to let people live in their 'ouses for nothing？' said Crass； breaking the silence that followed。
‘Certainly；' remarked Harlow； pretending to be suddenly converted to Owen's views； ‘I reckon the landlord ought to pay the rent to the tenant！'
‘Of course； Landlordism is not the only cause；' said Owen； ignoring these remarks。 ‘ The wonderful system fosters a great many others。 Employers of labour； for instance； are as great a cause of poverty as landlords are。'
This extraordinary statement was received with astonished silence。
‘Do you mean to say that if I'm out of work and a master gives me a job； that 'e's doin' me a injury？' said Crass at length。
‘No； of course not；' replied Owen。
‘Well； what the bloody 'ell DO yer mean； then？'
‘I mean this： supposing that the owner of a house wishes to have it repainted。 What does he usually do？'
‘As a rule； 'e goes to three or four master painters and asks 'em to give 'im a price for the job。'
‘Yes； and those master painters are so eager to get the work that they cut the price down to what they think is the lowest possible point；' answered Owen； ‘and the lowest usually gets the job。 The successful tenderer has usually cut the price so fine that to make it pay he has to scamp the work； pay low wages； and drive and sweat the men whom he employs。 He wants them to do two days' work for one day's pay。 The result is that a job which … if it were done properly … would employ say twenty men for two months； is rushed and scamped in half that time with half that number of men。
‘This means that … in one such case as this … ten men are deprived of one month's employment； and ten other men are deprived of two months' employment； and all because the employers have been cutting each other's throats to get the work。'
‘And we can't 'elp ourselves； you nor me either；' said Harlow。 ‘Supposing one of us on this job was to make up 'is mind not to tear into it like we do； but just keep on steady and do a fair day's work： wot would 'appen？'
No one answered； but the same thought was in everyone's mind。 Such a one would be quickly marked by Hunter； and even if the latter failed to notice it would not be long before Crass reported his conduct。
‘We can't 'elp ourselves；' said Easton； gloomily。 ‘If one man won't do it there's twenty others ready to take 'is place。'
‘We could help ourselves to a certain extent if we would stand by each other。 If； for instance； we all belonged to the Society；' said Owen。
‘I don't believe in the Society；' observed Crass。 ‘I can't see as it's right that a inferior man should 'ave the same wages as me。'
‘They're a drunken lot of beer…swillers；' remarked Slyme。 ‘That's why they always 'as their meetings in public 'ouses。'
Harlow made no comment on this question。 He had at one time belonged to the Union and he was rather ashamed of having fallen away from it。
‘Wot good 'as the Society ever done 'ere？' said Easton。 ‘None that I ever 'eard of。'
‘It might be able to do some good if most of us belonged to it； but after all； that's another matter。 Whether we could help ourselves or not； the fact remains that we don't。 But you must admit that this competition of the employers is one of the causes of unemployment and poverty； because it's not only in our line … exactly the same thing happens in every other trade and industry。 Competing employers are the upper and nether millstones which grind the workers between them。'
‘I suppose you think there oughtn't to be no employers at all？' sneered Crass。 ‘Or p'raps you think the masters ought to do all the bloody work theirselves； and give us the money？'
‘I don't see 'ow its goin' to be altered；' remarked Harlow。 ‘There MUST be masters； and SOMEONE 'as to take charge of the work and do the thinkin'。'
‘Whether it can be altered or not；' said Owen； ‘Landlordism and Competing Employers are two of the causes of poverty。 But of course they're only a small part of the system which produces luxury； refinement and culture for a few； and condemns the majority to a lifelong struggle with adversity； and many thousands to degradation； hunger and rags。 This is the system you all uphold and defend； although you don't mind admitting that it has made the world into a hell。'
Crass slowly drew the Obscurer cutting from his waistcoat pocket； but after a moment's thought he replaced it； deciding to defer its production till a more suitable occasion。
‘But you 'aven't told us yet 'ow you makes out that money causes poverty；' cried Harlow； winking at the others。 ‘That's what I'M anxious to 'ear about！'
‘So am I；' remarked the man behind the moat。 ‘I was just wondering whether I 'adn't better tell ole Misery that I don't want no wages this week。'
‘I think I'll tell 'im on Saterday to keep MY money and get 'imself a few drinks with it；' said Philpot。 ‘It might cheer 'im up a bit and make 'im a little more sociable and friendly like。'
‘Money IS the principal cause of poverty；' said Owen。
‘'Ow do yer make it out？' cried Sawkins。
But their curiosity had to remain unsatisfied for the time being because Crass announced that it was ‘just on it'。
Chapter 16
True Freedom
About three o'clock that afternoon； Rushton suddenly appeared and began walking silently about the house； and listening outside the doors of rooms where the hands were working。 He did not succeed in catching anyone idling or smoking or talking。 The nearest approach to what the men called ‘a capture' that he made was； as he stood outside the door of one of the upper rooms in which Philpot and Harlow were working； he heard them singing one of Sankey's hymns … ‘Work！ for the night is coming'。 He listened to two verses and several repetitions of the chorus。 Being a ‘Christian'； he could scarcely object to this； especially as by peeping through the partly open door he could see that they were suiting the action to the word。 When he went into the room they glanced around to see who it was； and stopped singing。 Rushton did not speak； but stood in the middle of the floor； silently watching them as they worked； for about a quarter of an hour。 Then； without having uttered a syllable； he turned and went out。
They heard him softly descend the stairs； and Harlow； turning to Philpot said in a hoarse whisper：
‘What do you think of the br； standing there watchin' us like that； as if we was a couple of bloody convicts？ If it wasn't that I've got someone else beside myself to think of； I would 'ave sloshed the bloody sod in the mouth with this pound brush！'
‘Yes； it does make yer feel like that； mate；' replied Philpot； ‘but of course we mustn't give way to it。'
‘Several times；' continued Harlow； who was livid with anger； ‘I was on the point of turnin' round and sayin' to 'im； 〃What the bloody 'ell do you mean by standin' there and watchin' me； you bloody； psalm…singin' swine？〃 It took me all my time to keep it in； I can tell you。'
Meanwhile； Rushton was still going about the house； occasionally standing and watching the other men in the same manner as he had watched Philpot and Harlow。
None of the men looked round from their work or spoke either to Rushton or to each other。 The only sounds heard were the noises made by the saws and hammers of the carpenters who were fixing the frieze rails and dado rails or repairing parts of the woodwork in some of the rooms。
Crass placed himself in Rushton's way several times with the hope of being spoken to； but beyond curtly acknowledging the ‘foreman's' servile ‘Good hafternoon； sir；' the master took no notice of him。
After about an hour spent in this manner Rushton went away； but as no one say him go； it was not until some considerable time after his departure that they knew that he was gone。
Owen was secretly very disappointed。 ‘I thought he h