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d to go to school hungry all the same。
To judge them by their profession。 and their performances； it appeared that these good kind persons were willing to do any mortal thing for the ‘dear little children' except allow them to be fed。
If these people had really meant to do what they pretended； they would not have cared whether they paid the money to a rate…collector or to the secretary of a charity society and they would have preferred to accomplish their object in the most efficient and economical way。
But although they would not allow the children to be fed； they went to church and to chapel； glittering with jewellery； their fat carcases clothed in rich raiment； and sat with smug smiles upon their faces listening to the fat parsons reading out of a Book that none of them seemed able to understand； for this was what they read：
‘And Jesus called a little child unto Him； and set him in the midst of them； and said： Whosoever shall receive one such little child in My name； receiveth Me。 But whoso shall offend one of these little ones； it were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck and that he were drowned in the depth of the sea。
‘Take heed that ye despise not one of these little ones； for I say unto you that in heaven their angels do always behold the face of My Father。'
And this： ‘Then shall He say unto them： Depart from me； ye cursed； into the everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels： for I was an hungered and ye gave Me no meat： I was thirsty and ye gave Me no drink： I was a stranger and ye took Me not in； naked； and ye clothed Me not。
‘Then shall they answer： 〃Lord； when saw we Thee an hungered or athirst or a stranger or naked； or sick； and did not minister unto Thee？〃 and He shall answer them； 〃Verily I say unto you； inasmuch as ye did it not to one of the least of these； ye did it not to Me。〃'
These were the sayings that the infidel parsons mouthed in the infidel temples to the richly dressed infidel congregations； who heard but did not understand； for their hearts were become gross and their ears dull of hearing。 And meantime； all around them； in the alley and the slum； and more terrible still … because more secret … in the better sort of streets where lived die respectable class of skilled artisans； the little children became thinner and paler day by day for lack of proper food； and went to bed early because there was no fire。
Sir Graball D'Encloseland； the Member of Parliament for the borough； was one of the bitterest opponents of the halfpenny rate； but as he thought it was probable that there would soon be another General Election and he wanted the children's fathers to vote for him again； he was willing to do something for them in another way。 He had a ten…year…old daughter whose birthday was in that month； so the kind… hearted Baronet made arrangements to give a Tea to all the school children in the town in honour of the occasion。 The tea was served in the schoolrooms and each child was presented with a gilt…edged card on which was a printed portrait of the little hostess； with ‘From your loving little friend； Honoria D'Encloseland'； in gold letters。 During the evening the little girl； accompanied by Sir Graball and Lady D'Encloseland； motored round to all the schools where the tea was being consumed： the Baronet made a few remarks； and Honoria made a pretty little speech； specially learnt for the occasion； at each place； and they were loudly cheered and greatly admired in response。 The enthusiasm was not confined to the boys and girls； for while the speechmaking was going on inside； a little crowd of grown…up children were gathered round outside the entrance； worshipping the motor car： and when the little party came out the crowd worshipped them also； going into imbecile ecstasies of admiration of their benevolence and their beautiful clothes。
For several weeks everybody in the town was in raptures over this tea … or； rather； everybody except a miserable little minority of Socialists； who said it was bribery； an electioneering dodge； that did no real good； and who continued to clamour for a halfpenny rate。
Another specious fraud was the ‘Distress Committee'。 This body … or corpse； for there was not much vitality in it … was supposed to exist for the purpose of providing employment for ‘deserving cases'。 One might be excused for thinking that any man … no matter what his past may have been … who is willing to work for his living is a ‘deserving case'： but this was evidently not the opinion of the persons who devised the regulations for the working of this committee。 Every applicant for work was immediately given a long job； and presented with a double sheet of foolscap paper to do it with。 Now； if the object of the committee had been to furnish the applicant with material for the manufacture of an appropriate headdress for himself； no one could reasonably have found fault with them： but the foolscap was not to be utilized in that way； it was called a ‘Record Paper'； three pages of it were covered with insulting； inquisitive； irrelevant questions concerning the private affairs and past life of the ‘case' who wished to be permitted to work for his living； and all these had to be answered to the satisfaction of Messrs D'Encloseland； Bosher； Sweater； Rushton； Didlum； Grinder and the other members of the committee； before the case stood any chance of getting employment。
However； notwithstanding the offensive nature of the questions on the application form； during the five months that this precious committee was in session； no fewer than 1；237 broken…spirited and humble ‘lion's whelps' filled up the forms and answered the questions as meekly as if they had been sheep。 The funds of the committee consisted of ？00； obtained from the Imperial Exchequer； and about ？50 in charitable donations。 This money was used to pay wages for certain work … some of which would have had to be done even if the committee had never existed … and if each of the 1；237 applicants had had an equal share of the work； the wages they would have received would have amounted to about twelve shillings each。 This was what the ‘practical' persons； the ‘business…men'； called ‘dealing with the problem of unemployment'。 Imagine having to keep your family for five months with twelve shillings！
And； if you like； imagine that the Government grant had been four times as much as it was； and that the charity had amounted to four times as much as it did； and then fancy having to keep your family for five months with two pounds eight shillings！
It is true that some of the members of the committee would have been very glad if they had been able to put the means of earning a living within the reach of every man who was willing to work； but they simply did not know what to do； or how to do it。 They were not ignorant of the reality of the evil they were supposed to be ‘dealing with' … appalling evidences of it faced them on every side； and as； after all； these committee men were human beings and not devils； they would have been glad to mitigate it if they could have done so without hurting themselves： but the truth was that they did not know what to do！
These are the ‘practical' men； the monopolists of intelligence； the wise individuals who control the affairs of the world： it is in accordance with the ideas of such men as these that the conditions of human life are regulated。
This is the position：
It is admitted that never before in the history of mankind was it possible to produce the necessaries of life in such abundance as at present。
The management of the affairs of the world ？the business of arranging the conditions under which we live … is at present in the hands of Practical； Level…headed； Sensible Business…men。
The result of their management is； that the majority of the people find it a hard struggle to live。 Large numbers exist in perpetual poverty： a great many more periodically starve： many actually die of want： hundreds destroy themselves rather than continue to live and suffer。
When the Practical； Level…headed； Sensible Business…men are asked why they do not remedy this state of things； they reply that they do not know what to do！ or； that it is impossible to remedy it！
And yet it is admitted that it is now possible to produce the necessaries of life； in greater abundance than ever before！
With lavish kindness； the Supreme Being had provided all things necessary for the existence and happiness of his creatures。 To suggest that it is not so is a blasphemous lie： it is to suggest that the Supreme Being is not good or even just。 On every side there is an overflowing superfluity of the materials requisite for the production of all the necessaries of life： from these materials everything we need may be produced in abundance … by Work。 Here was an army of people lacking the things that may be made by work； standing idle。 Willing to work； clamouring to be allowed to work； and the Practical； Level…headed； Sensible Business…men did not know what to do！
Of course； the real reason for the difficulty is that the raw materials that were created for the use and benefit of all have been stolen by a small number； who refuse to allow them to be used for the purposes f