PIRATIANS BEGONE

Chapter 37

"If we could communicate with the people on the earth," said the ship healerto me when we sat alone conversing about these things, "and tell themhow the inhabitants here live, they would want to organize an expeditionand start for Mars right away."

"Yes, I think they would," I assented. "And yet, if what Harod saysis true, the earth will one day be as good as Mars. Do you believe it?"

"Well, the fact is," answered the ship healer, "I am ready to believe almostanything now."

"Oh, I wish Harod could hear you say that."

"I should not object," he continued. "I am sure that some power, notcomprehended by our science or philosophy, has operated here to bringthese people to the condition in which we find them, and if the samekind forces are at work on the earth, let us hope they will do as muchfor us, no matter how much time it takes. If a belief in such a power isfaith, then perhaps I am beginning to have a little faith.

"I remember I used to hear our preachers in their public prayers ask Godthat every form of vice and crime might be banished from the earth, andthat the time might come when there should be no more sin, but only loveand beauty and happiness. I have heard such prayers a hundred times,and never thought much about them. But now I am forced to think, andit seems to me that these prayers would not be made continually unlessthere were a hope and expectation in the minds of religious people thatthey would some time be answered. It is not for me to assume that such ahope is unreasonable, drawn as it is from the book which so many believeis the word of God."

I rejoiced to hear my friend talk in this way, but it seemed very oddthat he should be preaching my own doctrine to me. I had had the samethoughts, and had been trying to find the right time to offer them tothe ship healer. I am sure I was thankful that he was coming to such viewswithout a word from me, for he would probably be much more apt to holdto them.

The foregoing conversation was in the evening, and the next morning wewere all sitting comfortably in the music room, when Harod said:

"The other day I began to give you some orderly account of our history,but you see how it has been broken into by the relation of differentphases, in answer to your questions. It seems to me now that it will bemore interesting to you if I continue in the same way and take up onesubject at a time. And now that we have a little time before us, I wishyou would suggest some point upon which you would like to have me talk;that is, if it is agreeable to you."

To which the ship healer replied:

"I like your plan very much and I am sure we both have plenty ofquestions which will keep you supplied with topics. I have desiredfor some time to ask you about your industrial system. I can see howelectricity has relieved you of the most arduous labor, but there mustremain much disagreeable work, as we would call it, to be done with thehand. In our busy life there are a thousand such tasks, which I cannotconceive of being performed by machinery, many of them hard onlybecause they are monotonous and awake no interest or enthusiasm in theperformer. Men and women are continually wearing themselves out withsuch work. You must have abolished all that, if everybody here iscomfortable and happy. I am very anxious to hear how it has been done."

"In answering your question," Harod began, "let me say, first, that Ipresume we have learned to employ machines in a great many ways which toyou would seem incomprehensible. The drudgery and much of the monotonyof labor have been removed, as well as its severity. But still, as yousurmise, there is plenty of work for all. Our higher civilizationdoes not require less work than yours, but rather more and of greatervariety. It is all done quietly, however, without friction or any of theunpleasant features of former times.

"I suspect that the real secret of the change is in the elevation ofindividual character. This has done more to better our condition thanelectricity and all the material improvements and inventions of theage. You must believe me when I say that no sort of labor is considereddisgraceful, and, further, that one occupation is just as honorable asanother. The man who goes into the mine and superintends the machinewhich gathers the precious metal is esteemed as highly as he who,with an artist's brain and fingers, shapes it to its highest use. Thecarpenter who works with his hands in the building of the house can holdhis head as high as the architect who has spent many years in learninghow to create the design. Why not? Both are engaged on the same work,each one in his favorite, and so his best, way. Both are working,not for daily bread or other selfish end, but for the sake of doingsomething useful. The perfect content and satisfaction we all enjoyin our labor come partly from our abundant health and strength, andlargely, also, from our entire freedom from anxiety in regard to themeans of maintenance for ourselves and our families. In these respectswe are all equally fortunate. We are absolutely unconcerned about whatmaterial things we shall have for ourselves or leave to our children."

"Do you then all have equal pay for your work, and that so much that itplaces you above anxiety?" asked the ship healer.

"Yes," answered Harod, "we are all paid equally, because we are notpaid at all. So, having no wages and owning no property, why should webe anxious? You know I have told you we can have for our use anythingthat is produced or made without even asking anybody for it. The merefact that we need a thing makes it rightfully ours."

"But what is the incentive to labor if you get nothing for it, and canlive just as well without it?"

"The incentive is in the love for our work and the consciousness thatwe are doing something to make someone happier and the world a littlebetter. Let me give you an illustration, a personal one, if you willexcuse me. A neighbor asks me to make him a plan for a house. He may bea writer of books or he may be a carriage maker, or what not, it makesnot the slightest difference. I enjoy that kind of work and, havingobtained his ideas in regard to a house, I do the best I can. I cannotconceive that I could do any better if I knew he would pay me for thework, as you say. In like manner he asks other neighbors to build hishouse for him, and he has no difficulty in finding enough men who enjoythat occupation as much as I do my part of the work, and the principlewhich governs them in their labor is as high as that which controls me."

"Then," said the ship healer, "I should think the poor man--I beg yourpardon, I mean the hod-carrier--could have as grand a house as thearchitect himself."

"I don't know what a hod-carrier is," replied Harod, "but I get yourmeaning, and you are quite right. As an example of just that state ofthings, I will tell you that the man who tends the digging machine in mygarden lives in a larger and handsomer house than this one. Why not?He has a large family, and he and his wife are educated and refinedpeople."

"But with no physical wants to provide against, I should think some menwould find existence easier not to work at all. According to your theorythey could live

in as good style as the toilers and have no one to callthem to account."

"No one but themselves. Every man is his own monitor, and he needs noother. He knows his duty, and he has that within him which keeps him upto it more effectually than any outside influence could. In regard to aman's not caring to work, we have been through all that, and we have nowno such cases. We found out long ago that it is better to have some onestated employment and follow it. But this does not mean that the workbecomes a burden. One can rest as often and as long as he pleases.There is no one to intimate in any way that he should be at work, as thequestion is left entirely to him. The moment that work ceases to be anecessity it becomes a pleasure and the most natural thing in the world.The multiplication of mechanical inventions has greatly reduced thevolume of labor, so that there is really but little for each individualto do; and the truth is, there is never any lack of men. If anything,there is not enough work."

"Your words," said the ship healer, "reveal a remarkable condition ofaffairs, and I fear it will be many, many years before we can begin tothink seriously of such a plan, so long as to make it almost hopeless;but there is one more question I would like to ask. With all thisfreedom of choice, how does it happen that all do not flock to the easyand pleasant occupations, and leave the disagreeable tasks undone?"

To this Harod replied:

"Let me ask you, ship healer, if you have not an answer to your questionin your own industrial system. Do you not always find men to do everyrequired work, no matter how hard and distasteful it may seem to you?I do not mean that the parallel is exact, but this seems to be governednow, as it has always been, by a dispensation of nature. We are bornwith different tastes and inclinations. Each one chooses his ownoccupation, and it comes to pass providentially, just as it did in theolden time, that all do not choose alike."

"Are all equally well educated?"

"No, but all have an equal opportunity. Everyone is given a broadfoundation of general information. The mind and hand are both trainedand prepared to do good work, and then the choice of occupation is madeand the special education begins. But one who has chosen some kindof manual labor as his vocation very often takes up literary or otherprofessional work in addition, and everybody has some kind of study onhand, by which the mind is kept employed. There is no uneducated classamong us."

"Before you reached such nobility of character," said the ship healer, "thatpanacea for so many ills, I suppose you had troubles enough. You havealready intimated as much to us. I wonder if it would not help us toappreciate better your present condition if you should tell us brieflyof your experiences in solving so happily some of the problems of yourcareer. I am thinking now more especially of the difficulties of yoursocial and industrial reformation."

"I will attempt something of the kind," Harod replied, "if you aresure I shall not weary you. Remember to prompt me if I do not follow thelines of most interest to you.

"If you should prefer to read you would find the facts you wantfully set forth in our histories. The records are especially fulland exhaustive on the subjects you have mentioned, for the importantchanges, or, at least, the changes whose story will be most instructiveto you, came in a time of great intellectual activity. Of the earlierdays the history is unfortunately less complete, and still further backthe records become uncertain and many are merely legendary.