§ 23

Ancestors of the craftsman of to-day erected and adorned the monuments we now prize; it is the business of the modern craftsman to make such as will be reverenced and esteemed by-and-bye. Ancient craftsmen loved their work, that we can see at a glance. Are the modern craftsmen taught or encouraged to do so by their leaders? No! They are taught to grab high wages for bad work as good for trade, a lamentable fallacy which could only have been framed by ignorant men, and unprincipled to boot. As the duty to a neighbour should be instilled, as it were, with mother’s milk, so to do good and only good work should be the mainspring of a boy-craftsman guidance. The habit of doing good work must be acquired in youth! It must be begun early and continued as a habit to the end of it. Duty to our neighbour and duty to our employers are synonymous. Pride in turning out good and shame in turning out bad. Do Labour leaders teach that? No! They advocate the reverse. They would have it that while labour is essential it is derogatory to freedom, to insist on good work for good pay is tyranny, but to demand high wages for bad work is justice. They teach “As little effort as possible to attain the highest level of wages.” Is this wise? No, it is the height of folly.

The true answer to those false leaders is to tell the workmen that all work is honourable when well done, dishonourable when ill done. When primary education is conducted upon the simple lines above indicated we shall be on the road to supply the best possible education to the greater number. It is worse than useless to cram young minds with facts before the first principle of selection has been instilled. Much, indeed most, of England’s foundation of greatness was laid when the majority could neither read nor write. It was character, not education in facts, that made England great. Honesty, not grasping, was the watchword which guided the deeds of our great ancestors. Soil must be prepared before it is ready to receive fruitful seed. We do not plant lilies on dustheaps or corn on the ashes of factories’ furnaces. Honourable dealing with the neighbour, honourable quid pro quo are, as it were, the bricks of which a nation is built, and without them as primaries no nation has been or will bequeath a noble heritage. What are we making for the future? To what end is the intelligence of craftsmanship directed with all the facilities at their hands? To get enormous wages with the least possible effort. These are hard words, but they are true. The welfare of the neighbour is not in the calculation, and honesty of work has taken a back seat. That is what is the matter with England! It is a malady which affects the commercial attitude of to-day from bottom to top. Under so depressing a social atmosphere is it a matter for wonder that we are creating so little that will be a joy or stimulus to aftercomers? Work in which joy has not taken part will never provide pleasure to the doer or receiver. A creator who slaves as a drudge, is unwilling and discontented, is a neuter; he will neither derive nor breed pleasure.