第212章

Each is a necessary and indispensable part of the whole; therefore everyone who has done his full share of necessary work is justly entitled to a full share of the results.The men who put the slates on are just as indispensable as the men who lay the foundations.The work of the men who build the walls and make the doors is just as necessary as the work of the men who decorate the cornice.None of them would be of much use without the architect, and the plans of the architect would come to nothing, his building would be a mere castle in the air, if it were not for the other workers.Each part of the work is equally necessary, useful and indispensable if the building is to he perfected.Some of these men work harder with their brains than with their hands and some work harder with their hands than with their brains, BUT EACH ONE DOES HIS FULL SHARE OF THE WORK.This truth will be recognized and acted upon by those who build up and maintain the fabric of our Co-operative Commonwealth.Every man who does his full share of the useful and necessary work according to his abilities shall have his full share of the total result.Herein will be its great difference from the present system, under which it is possible for the cunning and selfish ones to take advantage of the simplicity of others and rob them of part of the fruits of their labour.As for those who will be engaged in the higher branches, they will be sufficiently rewarded by being privileged to do the work they are fitted for and enjoy.The only men and women who are capable of good and great work of any kind are those who, being naturally fit for it, love the work for its own sake and not for the money it brings them.

Under the present system, many men who have no need of money produce great works, not for gain but for pleasure: their wealth enables them to follow their natural inclinations.Under the present system many men and women capable of great works are prevented from giving expression to their powers by poverty and lack of opportunity: they live in sorrow and die heartbroken, and the community is the loser.

These are the men and women who will be our artists, sculptors, architects, engineers and captains of industry.

`Under the present system there are men at the head of affairs whose only object is the accumulation of money.Some of them possess great abilities and the system has practically compelled them to employ those abilities for their own selfish ends to the hurt of the community.Some of them have built up great fortunes out of the sweat and blood and tears of men and women and little children.For those who delight in such work as this, there will be no place in our Co-operative Commonwealth.'

`Is there any more questions?' demanded Philpot.

`Yes,' said Harlow.`If there won't be no extry pay and if anybody will have all they need for just doing their part of the work, what encouragement will there be for anyone to worry his brains out trying to invent some new machine, or make some new discovery?'

`Well,' said Barrington, `I think that's covered by the last answer, but if it were found necessary - which is highly improbable - to offer some material reward in addition to the respect, esteem or honour that would be enjoyed by the author of an invention that was a boon to the community, it could be arranged by allowing him to retire before the expiration of his twenty-five years service.The boon he had conferred on the community by the invention, would be considered equivalent to so many years work.But a man like that would not desire to cease working; that sort go on working all their lives, for love.There's Edison for instance.He is one of the very few inventors who have made money out of their work; he is a rich man, but the only use his wealth seems to be to him is to procure himself facilities for going on with his work; his life is a round of what some people would call painful labour: but it is not painful labour to him; it's just pleasure, he works for the love of it.Another way would be to absolve a man of that sort from the necessity of ordinary work, so as to give him a chance to get on with other inventions.It would be to the interests of the community to encourage him in every way and to place materials and facilities at his disposal.

`But you must remember that even under the present system, Honour and Praise are held to be greater than money.How many soldiers would prefer money to the honour of wearing the intrinsically valueless Victoria Cross?

`Even now men think less of money than they do of the respect, esteem or honour they are able to procure with it.Many men spend the greater part of their lives striving to accumulate money, and when they have succeeded, they proceed to spend it to obtain the respect of their fellow-men.Some of them spend thousands of pounds for the honour of being able to write "MP" after their names.Others buy titles.Others pay huge sums to gain admission to exclusive circles of society.Others give the money away in charity, or found libraries or universities.The reason they do these things is that they desire to be applauded and honoured by their fellow-men.

`This desire is strongest in the most capable men - the men of genius.

Therefore, under Socialism the principal incentive to great work will be the same as now - Honour and Praise.But, under the present system, Honour and Praise can be bought with money, and it does not matter much how the money was obtained.

`Under Socialism it will be different.The Cross of Honour and the Laurel Crown will not be bought and sold for filthy lucre.They will be the supreme rewards of Virtue and of Talent.'

`Anyone else like to be flattened Out?' inquired Philpot.

`What would you do with them what spends all their money in drink?'

asked Slyme.