The Reward of Labour : 
A Dialogue, Part 1
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Author : William Morris

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Source: “The Reward of Labor — A Dialogue” Commonweal, Vol 3, No. 71,
21 May 1887, p. 165;Transcribed: by Ted Crawford.Persons: An Earnest
Enquirer, an East-end Weaver, a West-end Landowner
Scene: Outside a philanthropical meeting on Social Science.
Earnest Enquirer. Excuse me, gentle — h'm, gentlemen! neither of you seem
quite comfortable after the noble sentiments showing the harmony that
should exist between the rich and the poor, and the inculcation of
altruism, and self-sacrifice on both sides, which we have heard in there.
You, sir (to the Weaver), whom I take to be a soldier in the noble army of
industry, seem discontented; a little sour — sulky even, if I may say so.
And you, sir (to the Landowner), you also (again a million apologies!) seem
sulky: although, probably because of the restraint which the refinement of
hereditary culture and habits of command makes easy to you, I can’t think
why.
Landowner (somewhat languidly). Not at all. I assure you I was much
interested. The subject is a very interesting one; I heard much which I did
not know before. (Lapses into thinking of something else.)
E.E. Were you puzzled?
L. No, I quite agreed with it all.
E.E. All? Was it all alike then?
Weaver (with a grin). Pretty much. 
E.E. Eh! what’s that? Would you answer me a question or two, my friend?
W. Well, yes, so long as it’s not chaff and you really want information.
You began as if you were going to chaff me openly and him slyly. Now, you
know, you said I was sulky and perhaps I am; anyhow I know I am irritable
because of my liver (you'd know why if you was me); and being irritable I
can’t stand chaff. So if you do chaff me, since I am not big enough to
hit you, I shall be off.
E.E. Well, thank you. I really didn’t mean to chaff you; one must begin
somehow, you know. (To L.) And you, sir, will you answer me a question or
two?
L. Well — yes; though I have a suspicion of what you are driving at.
Begin with this good man; I am curious to hear what he has to say; he looks
thoughtful and intelligent. (Aside.) Might get something out of him; looks
like an ultra-Radical — perhaps a Socialist; and we're all expected to be
so damned original in the House now.
E.E. (To W.) You heard that gentleman who moved the vote of thanks just
now, and who spoke so — well, so elegantly on the compensation which the
working classes have for their apparently inferior position; and how
necessary it was for the progress of civilization that there should be this
division of labor and life; and what a noble position it was for the
workers to hold; and how the slight sacrifices they had to make they ought
to make cheerfully and almost as a matter of religion, that new religion of
Humanity, considering their position as the foundation of all the culture,
thought, light and leading which is the glory of Humanity. What did you
think of all that?
W. What’s the use of asking me such questions as that? I shall go away at
once if you haven’t got something more than that to say to me.
L. (to W.) My dear sir, if you would but pay a little more attention to
such speeches as that which this gentleman is speaking of, it would be a
very good thing for you.
W. Think so? Do you know what he meant by it?
L. Yes, I think I do.
W. (to E.E.) Do you know what he meant by it?
E.E. No, I think I don’t.
W. Well, I think I do. Besides, it ain’t quite new to me, you see But
that’s neither here nor there; don’t waste your time by asking me what
I think of a vote-of-thanks speech but ask me something about my work and
my earnings and the sort of way I live in.
E.E. Well, well, I was going to, but allow explanation, I want to find out
something about that compensation which our altruistic friend in there did
apparently think was due to you for your apparently inferior position;
which, indeed, so far as I can see is abundantly apparent to me. Your
clothes are old, worn, and when they were new they were bad, you're not
very clean, you don’t speak like an educated man (though I perceive in
you some of the intelligence which this educated man here spoke about so
patronizingly) and worst of all you don’t look properly grown or healthy;
you are stunted, sallow, and ugly — there, don’t bounce out at me! I
cannot fail to see that some compensation is due to you, if all this, as I
suppose, is the result of your being the foundation of the progress of
civilization, and a bearer of the palm branch of martyrdom for the behoof
of the religion of Humanity. No, no, don’t go! That vote-of-thanks speech
will stick in my memory, as meaningless words often will, when they are
spoken according to art. What I want to get at is how you get that
compensation above spoken of. So here goes for my definite questions. What
is your occupation?
W. I am a silk weaver.
E.E. Is that difficult? Does it take skill to do?
W. Well, you wouldn’t ask that if you had seen a weaver at work, taking
care that his pattern doesn’t work out longer or shorter than it should
mending half-a-dozen of the fine silk threads of the warp, for instance.
E.E. As difficult as a barrister’s work for instance?
W. I'm sure I don’t know — it’s not so easy as lying, at any rate.
But don’t get off the subject.
E.E. Is it a useful occupation?
W. It seems so. People will have silk and why not since they can? It is
pretty stuff and clean and wears Well. Didn’t you notice that lady at the
back of the platform, the young and pretty one, who went to sleep during
the lecture, and how, nice she looked in her new silk gown. Well, I wove
her gown.
E.E. Well, your work is useful and requires skill; let’s see on what
terms you carry it on. How many hours a day do you work?
W. As many as I can. That’s none too many as things go I assure you!
E.E. You mean to say that you are sometimes out of work?
W. Sometimes!!
E.E. And you take all the work you can get? You're not one of those lazy
ones of which I have heard a good deal?
W. Now I want to keep my temper, and I really think you don’t believe
that ‘good deal’ you have heard.
E.E. Well, no I don’t. But tell me, would you work eight hours a day if
you could?
W. Eight hours! I shouldn’t get a job if I didn’t put it through as
quick as I could; ten at the very least.
E.E. Well, now as to payment. Suppose you worked ten hours a day all the
year round except Sundays, how much would you earn?
W. From 35s. to 40s. a-week.
E.E. Say £90 a-year?
W. No, I won’t say £90. Haven’t I just told you that I've got to sit
and look at my loom many and many a-day? I should think it a good years’
work in which I got nine months full employment. I'll say £60 if you like
— and don’t I wish I may get it, year in and year out!
E.E. Have you got a family?
W. Wife and five children
E.E. Do they make anything?
W. My wife gets a job now and then weaving plain silk or winding, and one
of the lads is a half-timer in a shoe-shop; it don’t come to much
altogether; £75 a year, since we must put it in the grand style, will
cover it all.
E.E. H'm, well (aside: Poor devil) Rent’s cheap, I suppose in the
East-end since you are all working-men there?
W. (in sudden wrath) No it’s not, I pay £26 a-year for my house; how
much do you pay for yours? 
E.E. Well, never mind.
W. Yes, I know; and then the whole of my house together isn’t as big as
your drawing-room.
E.E. Well what sort of a house is your house?
W. Good enough for me, I suppose; it’s a weaver’s house.
L. (with sudden interest) Dear me, I should like to see it; it must be
quite curious.
W. Should you? Well I shouldn’t like you to see it; it isn’t fit for a
gentleman.
E.E. (to L.) Excuse me, sir, let me have our friend to myself; think about
the sort of questions I am likely to be asking you presently. (To W.) Well,
certainly I haven’t come to the compensation which we all think you have
a right to claim as a representative of that noble army of labor we all
praise so highly — especially at election time.


     From : Marxists.org

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     The Reward of Labour -- Added : February 22, 2021

     The Reward of Labour -- Updated : January 07, 2022

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