30 
But. what must we say when a County Council acting 
on scientific advice propose, and the most enlightened 
Parliament that ever existed legislates, on these lines, 
says in effect to the superior fisherman, ‘‘We know you 
are more skilled than your neighbour, we know that 
Providence intended you to excel, we know that it is for 
the general good that every man should do his best for him- 
self, and that by this means the nation progresses. We 
also know that you are a trained fisherman by your own 
and hereditary knowledge. You are best fitted to succeed 
in your own line. We know.your business is of vital im- 
portance to the nation, and as population increases will 
become more so, and it is for the good of the common- 
wealth that you should succeed. But this is a fishery 
question ; it is governed neither by the ordinary rules of 
political economy nor yet by common sense, so if you wish 
to play your part in life, wish to rise as you were intended 
to do, you must abandon your base, wasteful to yourself 
and the nation as-such a process is, and recommence your 
life in some other sphere, for if you remain in your present 
calling your ambition must be limited. You can either be 
a 30ft. trawler, a 13ft. shrimper, or a 12in. cockler, but 
beyond these you cannot rise. If you are a cockler and 
want to know how much money a cockler ought tc earn, or 
how many cockles are ‘plenty’* for you to get, you must 
* See page 39. 
