第51章 SHALL WE BE RUINED BY CHINESE CHEAP LABOUR?(2)

"Oh,that,"replied Mrs.Wilkins,"'e did not say nothing.'E ain't the sort that's got much to say in an argument.'E belongs to the crowd that 'angs about at the back,and does the shouting.But there was another of 'em,a young fellow as I feels sorry for,with a wife and three small children,who 'asn't 'ad much luck for the last six months;and that through no fault of 'is own,I should say,from the look of 'im.'I was a fool,'says 'e,'when I chucked a good situation and went out to the war.They told me I was going to fight for equal rights for all white men.I thought they meant that all of us were going to 'ave a better chance,and it seemed worth making a bit of sacrifice for,that did.I should be glad if they would give me a job in their mines that would enable me to feed my wife and children.That's all I ask them for!'""It is a difficult problem,Mrs.Wilkins,"I said."According to the mine owners--""Ah,"said Mrs.Wilkins."They don't seem to be exactly what you'd call popular,them mine owners,do they?Daresay they're not as bad as they're painted.""Some people,Mrs.Wilkins,"I said,"paint them very black.There are those who hold that the South African mine-owner is not a man at all,but a kind of pantomime demon.You take Goliath,the whale that swallowed Jonah,a selection from the least respectable citizens of Sodom and Gomorrah at their worst,Bluebeard,Bloody Queen Mary,Guy Fawkes,and the sea-serpent--or,rather,you take the most objectionable attributes of all these various personages,and mix them up together.The result is the South African mine-owner,a monster who would willingly promote a company for the putting on the market of a new meat extract,prepared exclusively from new-born infants,provided the scheme promised a fair and reasonable opportunity of fleecing the widow and orphan.""I've 'eard they're a bad lot,"said Mrs.Wilkins."But we're most of us that,if we listen to what other people say about us.""Quite so,Mrs.Wilkins,"I agreed."One never arrives at the truth by listening to one side only.On the other hand,for example,there are those who stoutly maintain that the South African mine-owner is a kind of spiritual creature,all heart and sentiment,who,against his own will,has been,so to speak,dumped down upon this earth as the result of over-production up above of the higher class of archangel.

The stock of archangels of superior finish exceeds the heavenly demand;the surplus has been dropped down into South Africa and has taken to mine owning.It is not that these celestial visitors of German sounding nomenclature care themselves about the gold.Their only desire is,during this earthly pilgrimage of theirs,to benefit the human race.Nothing can be obtained in this world without money--"

"That's true,"said Mrs.Wilkins,with a sigh.

"For gold,everything can be obtained.The aim of the mine-owning archangel is to provide the world with gold.Why should the world trouble to grow things and make things?'Let us,'say these archangels,temporarily dwelling in South Africa,'dig up and distribute to the world plenty of gold,then the world can buy whatever it wants,and be happy.'

"There may be a flaw in the argument,Mrs.Wilkins,"I allowed."Iam not presenting it to you as the last word upon the subject.I am merely quoting the view of the South African mine-owner,feeling himself a much misunderstood benefactor of mankind.""I expect,"said Mrs.Wilkins,"they are just the ordinary sort of Christian,like the rest of us,anxious to do the best they can for themselves,and not too particular as to doing other people in the process.""I am inclined to think,Mrs.Wilkins,"I said,"that you are not very far from the truth.A friend of mine,a year ago,was very bitter on this subject of Chinese cheap labour.A little later there died a distant relative of his who left him twenty thousand South African mining shares.He thinks now that to object to the Chinese is narrow-minded,illiberal,and against all religious teaching.He has bought an abridged edition of Confucius,and tells me that there is much that is ennobling in Chinese morality.Indeed,I gather from him that the introduction of the Chinese into South Africa will be the saving of that country.The noble Chinese will afford an object lesson to the poor white man,displaying to him the virtues of sobriety,thrift,and humility.I also gather that it will be of inestimable benefit to the noble Chinee himself.The Christian missionary will get hold of him in bulk,so to speak,and imbue him with the higher theology.It appears to be one of those rare cases where everybody is benefited at the expense of nobody.It is always a pity to let these rare opportunities slip by.""Well,"said Mrs.Wilkins,"I've nothin'to say agen the Chinaman,as a Chinaman.As to 'is being a 'eathen,well,throwin'stones at a church,as the sayin'is,don't make a Christian of you.There's Christians I've met as couldn't do themselves much 'arm by changing their religion;and as to cleanliness,well,I've never met but one,and 'e was a washerwoman,and I'd rather 'ave sat next to 'im in a third-class carriage on a Bank 'Oliday than next to some of 'em.

"Seems to me,"continued Mrs.Wilkins,"we've got into the 'abit of talkin'a bit too much about other people's dirt.The London atmosphere ain't nat'rally a dry-cleanin'process in itself,but there's a goodish few as seem to think it is.One comes across Freeborn Britons 'ere and there as I'd be sorry to scrub clean for a shillin'and find my own soap.""It is a universal failing,Mrs.Wilkins,"I explained."If you talk to a travelled Frenchman,he contrasts to his own satisfaction the Paris ouvrier in his blue blouse with the appearance of the London labourer.""I daresay they're all right according to their lights,"said Mrs.