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le' people are determined to do their best to perpetuate。
If the people who expect to be praised and glorified for being charitable were never to give another farthing it would be far better for the industrious poor； because then the community as a whole would be compelled to deal with the absurd and unnecessary state of affairs that exists today … millions of people living and dying in wretchedness and poverty in an age when science and machinery have made it possible to produce such an abundance of everything that everyone might enjoy plenty and comfort。 It if were not for all this so…called charity the starving unemployed men all over the country would demand to be allowed to work and produce the things they are perishing for want of； instead of being … as they are now … content to wear their masters' cast…off clothing and to eat the crumbs that fall from his table。
Chapter 37
A Brilliant Epigram
All through the winter； the wise； practical； philanthropic； fat persons whom the people of Mugsborough had elected to manage their affairs … or whom they permitted to manage them without being elected … continued to grapple； or to pretend to grapple； with the ‘problem' of unemployment and poverty。 They continued to hold meetings； rummage and jumble sales； entertainments and special services。 They continued to distribute the rotten cast…off clothing and boots； and the nourishment tickets。 They were all so sorry for the poor； especially for the ‘dear little children'。 They did all sorts of things to help the children。 In fact； there was nothing that they would not do for them except levy a halfpenny rate。 It would never do to do that。 It might pauperize the parents and destroy parental responsibility。 They evidently thought that it would be better to destroy the health or even the lives of the ‘dear little children' than to pauperize the parents or undermine parental responsibility。 These people seemed to think that the children were the property of their parents。 They did not have sense enough to see that the children are not the property of their parents at all； but the property of the community。 When they attain to manhood and womanhood they will be； if mentally or physically inefficient； a burden on the community； if they become criminals； they will prey upon the community； and if they are healthy； educated and brought up in good surroundings； they will become useful citizens； able to render valuable service； not merely to their parents； but to the community。 Therefore the children are the property of the community； and it is the business and to the interest of the community to see that their constitutions are not undermined by starvation。 The Secretary of the local Trades Council； a body formed of delegates from all the different trades unions in the town； wrote a letter to the Obscurer； setting forth this view。 He pointed out that a halfpenny rate in that town would produce a sum of ？00； which would be more than sufficient to provide food for all the hungry schoolchildren。 In the next issue of the paper several other letters appeared from leading citizens； including； of course； Sweater； Rushton； Didlum and Grinder； ridiculing the proposal of the Trades Council； who were insultingly alluded to as ‘pothouse politicians'； ‘beer…sodden agitators' and so forth。 Their right to be regarded as representatives of the working men was denied； and Grinder； who； having made inquiries amongst working men； was acquainted with the facts； stated that there was scarcely one of the local branches of the trades unions which had more than a dozen members； and as Grinder's statement was true； the Secretary was unable to contradict it。 The majority of the working men were also very indignant when they heard about the Secretary's letter： they said the rates were quite high enough as it was； and they sneered at him for presuming to write to the papers at all：
‘Who the bloody 'ell was 'e？' they said。 ‘'E was not a Gentleman！ 'E was only a workin' man the same as themselves … a common carpenter！ What the 'ell did 'e know about it？ Nothing。 'E was just trying to make 'isself out to be Somebody； that was all。 The idea of one of the likes of them writing to the papers！'
One day； having nothing better to do； Owen was looking at some books that were exposed for sale on a table outside a second…hand furniture shop。 One book in particular took his attention： he read several pages with great interest； and regretted that he had not the necessary sixpence to buy it。 The title of the book was： Consumption： Its Causes and Its Cure。 The author was a well…known physician who devoted his whole attention to the study of that disease。 Amongst other things； the book gave rules for the feeding of delicate children； and there were also several different dietaries recommended for adult persons suffering from the disease。 One of these dietaries amused him very much； because as far as the majority of those who suffer from consumption are concerned； the good doctor might just as well have prescribed a trip to the moon：
‘Immediately on waking in the morning； half a pint of milk … this should be hot； if possible … with a small slice of bread and butter。
‘At breakfast： half a pint of milk； with coffee； chocolate； or oatmeal： eggs and bacon； bread and butter； or dry toast。
‘At eleven o'clock： half a pint of milk with an egg beaten up in it or some beef tea and bread and butter。
‘At one o'clock： half a pint of warm milk with a biscuit or sandwich。
‘At two o'clock： fish and roast mutton； or a mutton chop； with as much fat as possible： poultry； game； etc。； may be taken with vegetables； and milk pudding。
‘At five o'clock： hot milk with coffee or chocolate； bread and butter； watercress； etc。
‘At eight o'clock： a pint of milk； with oatmeal or chocolate； and gluten bread； or two lightly boiled eggs with bread and butter。
‘Before retiring to rest： a glass of warm milk。
‘During the night： a glass of milk with a biscuit or bread and butter should be placed by the bedside and be eaten if the patient awakes。'
Whilst Owen was reading this book； Crass； Harlow； Philpot and Easton were talking together on the other side of the street； and presently Crass caught sight of him。 They had been discussing the Secretary's letter re the halfpenny rate； and as Owen was one of the members of the Trades Council； Crass suggested that they should go across and tackle him about it。
‘How much is your house assessed at？' asked Owen after listening for about a quarter of an hour to Crass's objection。
‘Fourteen pound；' replied Crass。
‘That means that you would have to pay sevenpence per year if we had a halfpenny rate。 Wouldn't it be worth sevenpence a year to you to know that there were no starving children in the town？'
‘Why should I 'ave to 'elp to keep the children of a man who's too lazy to work； or spends all 'is money on drink？' shouted Crass。 ‘'Ow are yer goin' to make out about the likes o' them？'
‘If his children are starving we should feed them first； and punish him afterwards。'
‘The rates is quite high enough as it is；' grumbled Harlow； who had four children himself。
‘That's quite true； but you must remember that the rates the working classes at present pay are spent mostly for the benefit of other people。 Good roads are maintained for people who ride in motor cars and carriages； the Park and the Town Band for those who have leisure to enjoy them； the Police force to protect the property of those who have something to lose； and so on。 But if we pay this rate we shall get something for our money。'
‘We gets the benefit of the good roads when we 'as to push a 'andcart with a load o' paint and ladders；' said Easton。
‘Of course；' said Crass； ‘and besides； the workin' class gets the benefit of all the other things too； because it all makes work。'
‘Well； for my part；' said Philpot； ‘I wouldn't mind payin' my share towards a 'appeny rate； although I ain't got no kids o' me own。'
The hostility of most of。the working men to the proposed rate was almost as bitter as that of the ‘better' classes … the noble…minded philanthropists who were always gushing out their sympathy for the ‘dear little ones'； the loathsome hypocrites who pretended that there was no need to levy a rate because they were willing to give sufficient money in the form of charity to meet the case： but the children continued to go hungry all the same。
‘Loathsome hypocrites' may seem a hard saying； but it was a matter of common knowledge that the majority of the children attending the local elementary schools were insufficiently fed。 It was admitted that the money that could be raised by a halfpenny rate would be more than sufficient to provide them all with one good meal every day。 The charity…mongers who professed such extravagant sympathy with the ‘dear little children' resisted the levying of the rate ‘because it would press so heavily on the poorer ratepayers'； and said that they were willing to give more in voluntary charity than the rate would amount to： but； the ‘dear little children' … as they were so fond of calling them … continued to go to school hungry all the same。
To judge them by their profession。 and their performances；