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ed in useful work！ With the exception of criminals and the poorer sort of loafers； the working classes are considered to be the lowest and least worthy in the community。 Those who manage to get money for doing something other than productive work are considered more worthy of respect on that account。 Those who do nothing themselves； but get money out of the labour of others； are regarded as being more worthy still！ But the ones who are esteemed most of all and honoured above all the rest； are those who obtain money for doing absolutely nothing！'
‘But I can't see as that proves that money is the cause of poverty；' said Easton。
‘Look here；' said Owen。 ‘The people in number four produce everything； don't they？'
‘Yes； we knows all about that；' interrupted Harlow。 ‘But they gets paid for it； don't they？ They gets their wages。'
‘Yes； and what does their wages consist of？' said Owen。
‘Why； money； of course；' replied Harlow； impatiently。
And what do they do with their money when they get it？ Do they eat it； or drink it； or wear it？'
At this apparently absurd question several of those who had hitherto been attentive listeners laughed derisively； it was really very difficult to listen patiently to such nonsense。
‘Of course they don't；' answered Harlow scornfully。 ‘They buy the things they want with it。'
‘Do you think that most of them manage to save a part of their wages … put it away in the bank。'
‘Well； I can speak for meself；' replied Harlow amid laughter。 ‘It takes me all my bloody time to pay my rent and other expenses and to keep my little lot in shoe leather； and it's dam little I spend on beer； p'r'aps a tanner or a bob a week at the most。'
‘A single man can save money if he likes；' said Slyme。
‘I'm not speaking of single men；' replied Owen。 ‘I'm referring to those who live natural lives。'
‘What about all the money what's in the Post Office Savings Bank； and Building and Friendly Societies？' said Crass。
‘A very large part of that belongs to people who are in business； or who have some other source of income than their own wages。 There are some exceptionally fortunate workers who happen to have good situations and higher wages than the ordinary run of workmen。 Then there are some who are so placed … by letting lodgings； for instance … that they are able to live rent free。 Others whose wives go out to work； and others again who have exceptional jobs and work a lot of overtime … but these are all exceptional cases。'
‘I say as no married workin' man can save any money at all！' shouted Harlow； 'not unless 'e goes without some of even the few things we are able to get … and makes 'is wife and kids go without as well。'
‘'Ear； 'ear；' said everybody except Crass and Slyme； who were both thrifty working men； and each of them had some money saved in one or other of the institutions mentioned。
‘Then that means；' said Owen； ‘that means that the wages the people in division four receive is not equivalent to the work they do。'
‘Wotcher mean； equivalent？' cried Crass。 ‘Why the 'ell don't yer talk plain English without draggin' in a lot of long words wot nobody can't understand？'
‘I mean this；' replied Owen； speaking very slowly。 ‘Everything is produced by the people in number four。 In return for their work they are given … Money； and the things they have made become the property of the people who do nothing。 Then； as the money is of no use； the workers go to shops and give it away in exchange for some of the things they themselves have made。 They spend … or give back … ALL their wages； but as the money they got as wages is not equal in value to the things they produced； they find that they are only able to buy back a VERY SMALL PART。 So you see that these little discs of metal … this Money … is a device for enabling those who do not work to rob the workers of the greater part of the fruits of their toil。'
The silence that ensued was broken by Crass。
‘It sounds very pretty；' he sneered； ‘but I can't make no 'ead or tail of it； meself。'
‘Look here！' cried Owen。 ‘The producing class … these people in number four are supposed to be paid for their work。 Their wages are supposed to be equal in value to their work。 But it's not so。 If it were； by spending all their wages； the producing class would be able to buy back All they had produced。'
Owen ceased speaking and silence once more ensued。 No one gave any sign of understanding； or of agreeing or of disagreeing with what he had said。 Their attitude was strictly neutral。 Barrington's pipe had gone out during the argument。 He relit it from the fire with a piece of twisted paper。
‘If their wages were really equal in value to the product of their labour；' Owen repeated； ‘they would be able to buy back not a small part … but the Whole。' 。。。
At this； a remark from Bundy caused a shout of laughter； and when Wantley added point to the joke by making a sound like the discharge of a pistol the merriment increased tenfold。
‘Well； that's done it；' remarked Easton； as he got up and opened the window。
‘It's about time you was buried； if the smell's anything to go by；' said Harlow； addressing Wantley； who laughed and appeared to think he had distinguished himself。
‘But even if we include the whole of the working classes；' continued Owen； ‘that is； the people in number three as well as those in number four； we find that their combined wages are insufficient to buy the things made by the producers。 The total value of the wealth produced in this country during the last year was ？；800；000；000； and the total amount paid in wages during the same period was only ？00；000；000。 In other words； by means of the Money Trick； the workers were robbed of two…thirds of the value of their labour。 All the people in numbers three and four are working and suffering and starving and fighting in order that the rich people in numbers one and two may live in luxury； and do nothing。 These are the wretches who cause poverty： they not only devour or waste or hoard the things made by the worker； but as soon as their own wants are supplied … they compel the workers to cease working and prevent them producing the things they need。 Most of these people！' cried Owen； his usually pale face flushing red and his eyes shining with sudden anger； ‘most of these people do not deserve to be called human beings at all！ They're devils！ They know that whilst they are indulging in pleasures of every kind … all around them men and women and little children are existing in want or dying of hunger。'
The silence which followed was at length broken by Harlow：
‘You say the workers is entitled to all they produce； but you forget there's the raw materials to pay for。 They don't make them； you know。'
‘Of course the workers don't create the raw materials；' replied Owen。 ‘But I am not aware that the capitalists or the landlords do so either。 The raw materials exist in abundance in and on the earth； but they are of no use until labour has been applied to them。'
‘But then； you see； the earth belongs to the landlords！' cried Crass； unguardedly。
‘I know that； and of course you think it's right that the whole country should belong to a few people …'
‘I must call the lecturer to horder；' interrupted Philpot。 ‘The land question is not before the meeting at present。'
‘You talk about the producers being robbed of most of the value of what they produce；' said Harlow； ‘but you must remember that it ain't all produced by hand labour。 What about the things what's made by machinery？'
‘The machines themselves were made by the workers；' returned Owen； ‘but of course they do not belong to the workers； who have been robbed of them by means of the Money Trick。'
‘But who invented all the machinery？' cried Crass。
‘That's more than you or I or anyone else can say；' returned Owen； ‘but it certainly wasn't the wealthy loafer class； or the landlords； or the employers。 Most of the men who invented the machinery lived and died unknown； in poverty and often in actual want。 The inventors too were robbed by the exploiter…of…labour class。 There are no men living at present who can justly claim to have invented the machinery that exists today。 The most they can truthfully say is that they have added to or improved upon the ideas of those who lived and worked before them。 Even Watt and Stevenson merely improved upon steam engines and locomotives already existing。 Your question has really nothing to do with the subject we are discussing： we are only trying to find out why the majority of people have to go short of the benefits of civilization。 One of the causes is … the majority of the population are engaged in work that does not produce those things； and most of what IS produced is appropriated and wasted by those who have no right to it。
‘The workers produce Everything！ If you walk through the streets of a town or a city； and look around； Everything that you can see … Factories； Machinery； Houses； Railways； Tramways； Canals； Furniture； Clothing； Food and the very road or pavement you stand upon were all made by the working class； who spend all their wages in buying back only a very small part of the things they produce。 Therefore what remains in the pos