the people of the abyss(深渊居民)-第51章
按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
2。5 oz。 8 oz。 Cheese 2 oz。 7 lb。 Potatoes 1。5
lb。 6 lb。 Vegetables none。 1 lb。 Flour none。 2
oz。 Lard none。 12 oz。 Butter 7 oz。 none。
Rice Pudding 1 lb。
And as the same writer remarks： 〃The officer's diet is still more
liberal than the pauper's； but evidently it is not considered liberal enough；
for a footnote is added to the officer's table saying that 'a cash payment of
two shillings and sixpence a week is also made to each resident officer and
servant。' If the pauper has ample food； why does the officer have more？
And if the officer has not too much； can the pauper be properly fed on less
than half the amount？〃
But it is not alone the Ghetto…dweller； the prisoner； and the pauper that
starve。 Hodge； of the country； does not know what it is always to have a
full belly。 In truth； it is his empty belly which has driven him to the city
in such great numbers。 Let us investigate the way of living of a labourer
from a parish in the Bradfield Poor Law Union； Berks。 Supposing him to
have two children； steady work； a rent…free cottage； and an average weekly
wage of thirteen shillings； which is equivalent to 3。25； then here is his
weekly budget：…
s。 d。 Bread （5
quarterns） 1 10 Flour （0。5 gallon）
0 4 Tea （0。25 lb。） 0 6 Butter （1 lb。）
1 3 Lard （1 lb。） 0 6 Sugar （6 lb。）
1 0 Bacon or other meat （about 0。25 lb。） 2 8 Cheese （1 lb。）
0 8 Milk （half…tin condensed） 0 3。25 Coal
1 6 Beer none Tobacco
none Insurance （〃Prudential〃） 0 3 Labourers' Union
0 1 Wood； tools； dispensary； &c。 0 6 Insurance
（〃Foresters〃） and margin 1 1。75 for clothes Total
13 0
The guardians of the workhouse in the above Union pride themselves
161
… Page 162…
THE PEOPLE OF THE ABYSS
on their rigid economy。 It costs per pauper per week：…
s。 d。 Men 6 1。5 Women
5 6。5 Children 5 1。25
If the labourer whose budget has been described should quit his toil
and go into the workhouse； he would cost the guardians for
s。 d。 Himself 6 1。5 Wife
5 6。5 Two children 10 2。5 Total 21 10。5 Or
roughly； 5。46
It would require more than a guinea for the workhouse to care for
him and his family； which he； somehow； manages to do on thirteen
shillings。 And in addition； it is an understood fact that it is cheaper to
cater for a large number of peoplebuying； cooking； and serving
wholesalethan it is to cater for a small number of people； say a family。
Nevertheless； at the time this budget was compiled； there was in that
parish another family； not of four； but eleven persons； who had to live on
an income； not of thirteen shillings； but of twelve shillings per week
（eleven shillings in winter）； and which had； not a rent…free cottage； but a
cottage for which it paid three shillings per week。
This must be understood； and understood clearly： WHATEVER IS
TRUE OF LONDON IN THE WAY OF POVERTY AND
DEGRADATION； IS TRUE OF ALL ENGLAND。 While Paris is not by
any means France； the city of London is England。 The frightful
conditions which mark London an inferno likewise mark the United
Kingdom an inferno。 The argument that the decentralisation of London
would ameliorate conditions is a vain thing and false。 If the 6；000；000
people of London were separated into one hundred cities each with a
population of 60；000； misery would be decentralised but not diminished。
The sum of it would remain as large。
In this instance； Mr。 B。 S。 Rowntree； by an exhaustive analysis； has
proved for the country town what Mr。 Charles Booth has proved for the
metropolis； that fully one…fourth of the dwellers are condemned to a
poverty which destroys them physically and spiritually； that fully one…
fourth of the dwellers do not have enough to eat； are inadequately clothed；
sheltered； and warmed in a rigorous climate； and are doomed to a moral
162
… Page 163…
THE PEOPLE OF THE ABYSS
degeneracy which puts them lower than the savage in cleanliness and
decency。
After listening to the wail of an old Irish peasant in Kerry； Robert
Blatchford asked him what he wanted。 〃The old man leaned upon his
spade and looked out across the black peat fields at the lowering skies。
'What is it that I'm wantun？' he said； then in a deep plaintive tone he
continued； more to himself than to me； 'All our brave bhoys and dear
gurrls is away an' over the says； an' the agent has taken the pig off me； an'
the wet has spiled the praties； an' I'm an owld man； AN' I WANT THE
DAY AV JUDGMENT。'〃
The Day of Judgment！ More than he want it。 From all the land
rises the hunger wail； from Ghetto and countryside； from prison and casual
ward； from asylum and workhousethe cry of the people who have not
enough to eat。 Millions of people； men； women； children； little babes；
the blind； the deaf； the halt； the sick； vagabonds and toilers； prisoners and
paupers； the people of Ireland； England； Scotland； Wales； who have not
enough to eat。 And this； in face of the fact that five men can produce
bread for a thousand； that one workman can produce cotton cloth for 250
people； woollens for 300； and boots and shoes for 1000。 It would seem
that 40；000；000 people are keeping a big house； and that they are keeping
it badly。 The income is all right； but there is something criminally wrong
with the management。 And who dares to say that it is not criminally
mismanaged； this big house； when five men can produce bread for a
thousand； and yet millions have not enough to eat？
163
… Page 164…
THE PEOPLE OF THE ABYSS
CHAPTER XXVIDRINK；
TEMPERANCE； AND THRIFT
The English working classes may be said to be soaked in beer。 They
are made dull and sodden by it。 Their efficiency is sadly impaired； and
they lose whatever imagination； invention； and quickness may be theirs by
right of race。 It may hardly be called an acquired habit； for they are
accustomed to it from their earliest infancy。 Children are begotten in
drunkenne
