in darkest england and the way out-第66部分

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much　of　their　poverty　and　distress。　　But　from　early　morn　until　the　lights　are　out　at　night；　all　is　a　round　of　busy；　and；　to　a　great　extent；　very　uninteresting　labour；　while　the　girls　have；　as　a　human　inducement；　only　domestic　service　to　look　forward　toof　which　they　are　in　no　way　particularly　enamouredand　yet　here　is　no　mutiny；　no　objection；　no　unwillingness　to　work；　in　fact　they　appear　well　pleased　to　be　kept　continually　at　it。　　Here　is　a　report　that　teaches　the　same　lesson。

A　small　Bookbinding　Factory　is　worked　in　connection　with　the　Rescue　Homes　in　London。　　The　folders　and　stitchers　are　girls　saved　from　the　streets；　but　who；　for　various　reasons；　were　found　unsuitable　for　domestic　service。　　The　Factory　has　solved　the　problem　of　employment　for　some　of　the　most　difficult　cases。　　Two　of　the　girls　at　present　employed　there　are　crippled；　while　one　is　supporting　herself　and　two　young　children。

While　learning　the　work　they　live　in　the　Rescue　Homes；　and　the　few　shillings　they　are　able　to　earn　are　paid　into　the　Home　funds。　As　soon　as　they　are　able　to　earn　12s。　a　week；　a　lodging　is　found　for　them　（with　Salvationists；　if　possible）；　and　they　are　placed　entirely　upon　their　own　resources。　　The　majority　of　girls　working　at　this　trade　in　London　are　living　in　the　family；　and　6s。；　7s。；　and　8s。　a　week　make　an　acceptable　addition　to　the　Home　income；　but　our　girls　who　are　entirely　dependent　upon　their　own　earnings　must　make　an　average　wage　of　12s。　a　week　at　least。　　In　order　that　they　may　do　this　we　are　obliged　to　pay　higher　wages　than　other　employers。　　For　instance；　we　give　from　2　1/2d。　to　3d。　a　thousand　more　than　the　trade　for　binding　small　pamphlets；　nevertheless；　after　the　Manager；　a　married　man；　is　paid；　and　a　man　for　the　superintendence　of　the　machines；　a　profit　of　about　#500　has　been　made；　and　the　work　is　improving。　　They　are　all　paid　piecework。

Eighteen　women　are　supporting　themselves　in　this　way　at　present；　and　conducting　themselves　most　admirably。　　One　of　their　number　acts　as　forewoman；　and　conducts　the　Prayer　Meeting　at　12。30；　the　Two…minutes'　Prayer　after　meals；　etc。　　Their　continuance　in　the　factory　is　subject　to　their　good　behaviourboth　at　home　as　well　as　at　work。　In　one　instance　only　have　we　had　any　trouble　at　all；　and　in　this　solitary　case　the　girl　was　so　penitent　she　was　forgiven；　and　has　done　well　ever　since。　　I　think　that；　without　exception；　they　are　Salvation　Soldiers；　and　will　be　found　at　nearly　every　meeting　on　the　Sabbath；　etc。　　The　binding　of　Salvation　Army　publications　〃The　Deliverer；〃　〃All　the　World；〃　the　Penny　Song　Books；　etc。；　almost　keep　us　going。　A　little　outside　work　for　the　end　of　the　months　is　taken；　but　we　are　not　able　to　make　any　profit　generally；　it　is　so　badly　paid。

It　will　be　seen　that　this　is　a　miniature　factory；　but　still　it　is　a　factory；　and　worked　on　principles　that　will　admit　of　illimitable　extension；　and　may；　I　think；　be　justly　regarded　as　an　encouragement　and　an　exemplification　of　what　may　be　accomplished　in　endless　variations。

V。Again；　it　is　objected　that　the　class　whose　benefit　we　contemplate　would　not　have　physical　ability　to　work　on　a　farm；　or　in　the　open　air。

How；　it　is　asked；　would　tailors；　clerks；　weavers；　seamstresses；　and　the　destitute　people；　born　and　reared　in　the　slums　and　poverty…hovels　of　the　towns　and　cities；　do　farm　or　any　other　work　that　has　to　do　with　the　land？　　The　employment　in　the　open　air；　with　exposure　to　every　kind　of　weather　which　accompanies　it；　would；　it　is　said；　kill　them　off　right　away。

We　reply；　that　the　division　of　labour　before　described　would　render　it　as　unnecessary　as　it　would　be　undesirable　and　uneconomical；　to　put　many　of　these　people　to　dig　or　to　plant。　　Neither　is　it　any　part　of　our　plan　to　do　so。　　On　our　Scheme　we　have　shown　how　each　one　would　be　appointed　to　that　kind　of　work　for　which　his　previous　knowledge　and　experience　and　strength　best　adapted　him。　　Moreover；　there　can　be　no　possible　comparison　between　the　conditions　of　health　enjoyed　by　men　and　women　wandering　about　homeless；　sleeping　in　the　streets　or　in　the　fever…haunted　lodging…houses；　or　living　huddled　up　in　a　single　room；　and　toiling　twelve　and　fourteen　hours　in　a　sweater's　den；　and　living　in　comparative　comfort　in　well…warmed　and　ventilated　houses；　situated　in　the　open　country；　with　abundance　of　good；　healthy　food。

Take　a　man　or　a　woman　out　into　the　fresh　air；　give　them　proper　exercise；　and　substantial　food。　　Supply　them　with　a　comfortable　home；　cheerful　companions；　and　a　fair　prospect　of　reaching　a　position　of　independence　in　this　or　some　other　land；　and　a　complete　renewal　of　health　and　careful　increase　of　vigour　will；　we　expect；　be　one　of　the　first　great　benefits　that　will　ensue。

VI。It　is　objected　that　we　should　be　left　with　a　considerable　residuum　of　half…witted；　helpless　people。

Doubtless　this　would　be　a　real　difficulty；　and　we　should　have　to　prepare　for　it。　　We　certainly；　at　the　outset；　should　have　to　guard　against　too　many　of　this　class　being　left　upon　our　hands；　although　we　should　not　be　compelled　to　keep　anyone。　　It　would；　how　ever；　be　painful　to　have　to　send　them　back　to　the　dreadful　life　from　which　we　had　rescued　them。　　Still；　however；　this　would　not　be　so　ruinous　a　risk；　looked　at　financially；　as　some　would　imagine。　　We　could；　we　think；　maintain　them　for　4s。　per　week；　and　they　would　be　very　weak　indeed　in　body；　and　very　wanting　in　mental；　strength　if　they　were　not　able　to　earn　that　amount　in　some　one　of　the　many　forms　of　employment　which　the　Colony　would　open　up。

VII。Again；　it　will　be　objected　that　some　efforts　of　a　similar　character　have　failed。　　For　instance；　co…operative　enterprises　in　farming　have　not　succeeded。

True；　but　so　far　as　I　can　ascertain；　nothing　of　the　character　I　am　describing　has　ever　been　attempted。　　A　large　number　of　Socialistic　communities　have　been　established　and　come　to　grief　in　the　United　States；　in　Germany；　and　elsewhere；　but　they　have　all；　both　in　principle　and　practice；　strikingly　differed　from　what　we　are　proposing　here：　Take　one　particular　alone；　the　great　bulk　of　these　societies　have　not　only　been　fashioned　without　any　regard　to　the　principles　of　Christianity；　but；　in　the　vast　majority　of　instances；　have　been　in　direct　opposition　to　them；　and　the　only　communities　based　on　co…operative　principles　that　have　survived　the　first　few　months　of　their　existence　have　been　based　upon　Christian　truth。　　If　not　absolute　successes；　there　have　been　some　very　remarkable　results　obtained　by　efforts　partaking　somewhat　of　the　nature　of　the　one　I　am　setting　forth。　（See　that　of　Ralahine；　described　in　Appendix。）

VIII。It　is　further　objected　that　it　would　be　impossible　to　maintain　order　and　enforce　good　discipline　amongst　this　class　of　people。

We　are　of　just　the　opposite　opinion。　　We　think　that　it　would　nay；　we　are　certain　of　it；　and　we　speak　as　those　who　have　had　considerable　experience　in　dealing　with　the　lower　classes　of　Society。　We　have　already　dealt　with　this　difficulty。　　We　may　say　further

That　we　do　not　propose　to　commence　with　a　thousand　people　in　a　wild；　untamed　state；　either　at　home　or　abroad。　　To　the　Colony　Over…Sea　we　should　send　none　but　those　who　have　had　a　long　period　of　training　in　this　country。　　The　bulk　of　those　sent　to　the　Provincial　Farm　would　have　had　some　sort　of　trial　in　the　different　City　Establishments。　　We　should　only　draft　them　on　to　the　Estate　in　small　numbers；　as　we　were　prepared　to　deal　with　them；　and　I　am　quite　satisfied　that　without　the　legal　methods　of　maintaining　order　that　are　acted　upon　so　freely　in　workhouses　and　other　similar　institutions；　we　should　have　as　perfect　obedience　to　Law；　as　great　respect　for　authority；　and　as　strong　a　spirit　of　kindness　pervading　all　ranks　throughout　the　whole　of　the　community　as　could　be　found　in　any　other　institution　in　the　land。

It　will　be　borne　in　mind　that　our　Army　system　of　government　largely　prepares　us；　if　it　does　not　qualify　us；　for　this　task。　　Anyway；　it　gives　us　a　good　start。　　All　our　people　are　trained　in　habits　of　obedience；　and　all　our　Officers　are　educated　in　the　exercise　of　authority。　　The　Officers　throughout　the　Colony　would　be　almost　exclusively　recruited　from　the　ranks　of　the　Army；　and　everyone　of　them　would　go　to　the　work；　both　theoretically　and　practically；　familiar　with　those　principles　which　are　the　essence　of　good　discipline。

Then　we　can　argue；　and　that　very　forcibly；　from　the　actual　experience　we　have　already　had　in　dealing　with　this　class。　　Take　our　experience　in　the　Army　itself。　　Look　at　the　order　of　our　Soldiers。　　Here　are　men　and　women；　who　have　no　temporal　interest　whatever　at　stake；　receiving　no　remuneration；　often　sacrificing　their　earthly　interests　by　their　union　with　us；　and　yet　see　how　they　fall　into　line；　and　obey　orders　in　the　promptest　manner；　even　when　such　orders　go　right　in　the　teeth　of　their　temporal　interests。

〃Yes；〃　it　will　be　replied　by　some；　〃this　is　all　very　excellent　so　far　as　it　relates　to　those　who　are　altogether　of　your　own　way　of　thinking。　You　can　command　them　as　you　please；　and　they　will　obey；　but　what　proof　have　you　given　of　your　ability　to　control　and　discipline　those　who　are　not　of　your　way　of　thinking？

〃You　can　do　that　with　your　Salvationists　because　they　are　saved；　as　you　call　it。　　When　men　are　born　again　you　can　do　a