The house of Industry : a new estate of the realm

78 THE HOUSE OF INDUSTRY

MES B

“ Personal liberty.’’

“Don’t try to fob off that argument on me,” I said sharply.

“It’s our most precious possession. Our fathers fought and died for it.’’

“ Did they really? They left precious little of it behind them.”’

““Oh come,”’ said he. “‘ We have complete personal liberty. We can say what we like 2

“There are the Blasphemy Laws,”’ I interposed.

““ We can write what we like . zi

““ There’s the Law of Libel, and magistrates know how to interpret obscenity.’’

““ We can worship where we like :

‘“There’s no particular danger in piety,’ I said.

“We can vote how we like :

“Four whiskered platitudes on harmless personal liberty,’ I said. ‘‘ Now tell me this. We can leave work when we’re sacked or sick; but have we liberty to return to work? ”’

‘“T wasn’t speaking of economic laws. Of course, they dominate life and liberty.”

‘* So that our personal liberty is determined by our industrial system ? ”

“Well, yes, he said. “But I’m _ not responsible for that.’

‘“ Which do you mean? Economic law or the industrial system? ”’

‘““ They’re very much the same thing,”’ said he.

‘“ Do you know that every change for the better