ply to the argument that the workman should evolve his own standard
of life, independent of his employer, Owen said that the mill with its
vast aggregation of hands was an artificial condition. The invention,
ingenuity and enterprise that evolved the mill were exceptional. The
operators for the most part lacked this constructive genius, the proof
of which lay in the very fact that they were operators.

To take advantage of their limitations, disrupt their natural and
accustomed mode of life, and then throw the blame back upon them for not
evolving a new and better environment, was neither reasonable nor right.

The same constructive genius that built the mill and operated it should
be actively interested in the welfare of the people who worked in the
mill.

To this end there should be an ideal village adjacent to every great
mill. This village should afford at least half an acre of ground for
every family. In the way of economy, one building should house a
thousand people. It should be built in the form of a parallelogram and
contain co-operative kitchens, dining-rooms, libraries, art-galleries
and gymnasia. It should be, in fact, a great University, not unlike the
great collection of schools at Oxford or Cambridge. All would be
workers--all would be students.

The villages should be under the general supervision of the government,
in order to secure stability and permanency. If the mill management
failed, the government should continue the business, because even if the
government lost money in the venture, at times, this was better than
always to be building jails, prisons, insane asylums, almshouses and
hospitals.

In sections where there were no mills or factories, the government would
construct both mills and villages, to the intent that idleness and
ignorance might be without excuse. To this end Owen would ask all
landowners, or holders of estates of a thousand acres or more, to set
apart one-tenth of their land for ideal villages and co-operative mills
to be managed by the government.

As proof that his plans were feasible, Owen pointed to New Lanark and
invited investigation.

Among others who answered the invitation was Henry Hase, cashier of the
Bank of England. Hase reported that New Lanark had the look of a place
that had taken a century to evolve, and in his mind the nation could not
do better than to follow the example of Owen. He then added, "If the
clergy, nobility and mill-owners will adopt the g