eal with; they know that although their bodies are the bodies
of grown men, their minds are the minds of little children. That is
why it has been possible to deceive and bluff and rob them for so long.
But your party persists in regarding them as rational beings, and
that's where you make a mistake--you're simply wasting your time.

'The only way in which it is possible to teach these people is by means
of object lessons, and those are being placed before them in increasing
numbers every day. The trustification of industry--the object lesson
which demonstrates the possibility of collective ownership--will in
time compel even these to understand, and by the time they have learnt
that, they will also have learned by bitter experience and not from
theoretical teaching, that they must either own the trusts or perish,
and then, and not, till then, they will achieve Socialism. But
meanwhile we have this election. Do you think it will make any real
difference--for good or evil--which of these two men is elected?'

'No.'

'Well, you can't keep them both out--you have no candidate of your
own--why should you object to earning a few pounds by helping one of
them to get in? There are plenty of voters who are doubtful whet to
do; as you and I know there is every excuse for them being unable to
make up their minds which of these two candidates is the worse, a word
from your party would decide them. Since you have no candidate of your
own you will be doing no harm to Socialism and you will be doing
yourself a bit of good. If you like to come along with me now, I'll
introduce you to Sweater's agent--no one need know anything about it.'

He slipped his arm through Barrington's, but the latter released
himself.

'Please yourself,' said the other with an affectation of indifference.
'You know your own business best. You may choose to be a Jesus Christ
if you like, but for my part I'm finished. For the future I intend to
look after myself. As for these people--they vote for what they want;
they get--what they vote for; and by God, they deserve nothing better!
They are being beaten with whips of their own choosing and if I had my
way they should be chastised with scorpions! For them, the present
system means joyless drudgery, semi-starvation, rags and premature
death. They vote for it all and uphold it. Well, let them have what
they vote for--let them drudge--let them starve!'

The man with the scarred face ceased speaki