下载辰思小说免费APP
“Yemissedone，“saidMcNishgrimly。“Theconservingoftheprofitsoflabourforthebenefitofthecapitalist。“
“Imighthaveputthatin，too，“saidtheminister，“butitisincludedinmyfirst。ButIshouldhaveaddedanotherwhich，tomymind，isoftheveryfirstimportance，thepreservationofthespiritofbrotherlyfeelingandChristiandecencyasbetweenmanandmaninthiscommunity。“
“Aye，yemight，“repliedMalcolminbitterirony，“andyemightbeginwiththeministersandthechurches。“
“Whisht，laddie，“saidhismothersharply，“Mindyermanners。“
“Hedoesn’tmeanmespecially，Mrs。McNish，butIwillnotsaybutwhatheisright。“
“No，“repliedMcNish，“Idon’tmeanyouexactly，Mr。Matheson。“
“Don’ttakeitback，McNish，“saidtheminister。“Ineedit。Weallneeditinthechurches，andwewilltakeit，too。Butcomenow，letuslookattheseclauses。Youaresurelynotstandingforthemall，orforthemallalike？“
“Whynot，then？“saidMcNish，angrily。
“I’lltellyou，“repliedtheminister，“andwon’ttakelong，either。“Heproceededtoreadovercarefullythevariousclausesinthedemandsofthealliedunions，emphasizingandexplainingthemeaningofeachclause。“First，astowages。Thisispurelyamatterforadjustmenttothecostoflivingandgeneralindustrialconditions。Itisamatterofarithmeticandcommonsense。Thereisnoprincipleinvolved。“
“Idon’tagreewithyou，“saidMcNish。“Thereismorethanthecostoflivingtobeconsidered。Thereisthequestionofthestandardofliving。Whyshoulditbeconsideredrightthatthestandardoflivingfortheworkingmanshouldbelowerthanthatfortheprofessionalmanorthecapitalist？“
“Thereyouareagain，McNish，“saidtheminister。“Youarenotuptoyourusualto-night。YouknowquitewellthateveryworkingmaninmyparishlivesbetterthanIdo，andspendsmoremoneyonhisliving。Thestandardoflivinghasnospecialsignificancewiththeworkingmanto-dayasdistinguishedfromtheprofessionalman。
Wearenotspeakingofthewastefulandidlerich。SoIrepeatthathereitisamatterofadjustmentandthatthereisnoprincipleinvolved。Now，asregardtohours。Youaskaneight-
hourdayandaSaturdayhalf-holiday。That，too，isamatterofadjustment。“
“Whataboutproduction，Mr。Matheson？“saidMaitland。“Andoverhead？Productioncostsareabnormallyhighto-dayandsoarecarryingcharges。Iamnotsayingthataten-hourdayisnottoolong。Personally，Ibelievethatamancannotkeepathisbestfortenhoursincertainindustries——notinall。“
“Longhoursdonotmeanbigproduction，Maitland。Notlonghoursbutintensiveandco-ordinatedworkbringupproductionandlowerproductioncosts。“
“Whataboutidlemachinesandoverhead？“inquiredMaitland。
“Averyimportantconsideration，“saidtheminister。“Theonlysoundrulegoverningfactoryindustryespeciallyisthis:thelongestpossiblemachinetime，theshortestpossiblemantime。Buthereagainitisaquestionoforganisation，adjustmentandco-
ordinationofworkandworkers。Weallwanteducationhere。“
“IfIrememberright，“saidMcNish，andhecouldnotkeepthebitternessoutofhisvoice，“Ihaveheardyousaysomethinginthepulpitattimesinregardtothevalueofmen’simmortalsouls。
Whatcarecanmentakeoftheirbodiesandminds，letalonetheirsouls，ifyouworkthemtenhoursaday？“
“Thereisapreviousquestion，McNish，“saidtheminister。“Whygivemoreleisuretimetomenwhospendtheirleisurehoursnowinpoolroomsandthatsortofnonsense？“
“Andwhosefaultisthat，“repliedMcNishsharply。“Whoisresponsiblethattheyhavenotlearnedtousetheirleisuremorewisely？Andfurther，whataboutyouryoungbloodsandtheirleisurehours？“
“Ay，Adoothehasyethere，minister，“saidMrs。McNishwithaquietchuck
