232 National Duties 



when it comes in the shape of law that is, of action ' 

 by the community as a whole through the law-mak 

 ing body. 



But it is not possible ever to ensure prosperity 

 merely by law. Something for good can be done by 

 law, and a bad law can do an infinity of mischief; 

 but, after all, the best law can only prevent wrong and 

 injustice, and give to the thrifty, the far-seeing, and 

 the hard-working a chance to exercise to best ad 

 vantage their special and peculiar abilities. No hard- 

 and-fast rule can be laid down as to where our legis 

 lation shall stop in interfering between man and man, 

 between interest and interest. All that can be said 

 is that it is highly undesirable, on the one hand, to 

 weaken individual initiative, and, on the other hand, 

 that in a constantly increasing number of cases we 

 shall find it necessary in the future to shackle cun 

 ning as in the past we have shackled force. It is not 

 only highly desirable but necessary that there should 

 be legislation which shall carefully shield the inter 

 ests of wage-workers, and which shall discriminate 

 in favor of the honest and humane employer by re 

 moving the disadvantage under which he stands 

 when compared with unscrupulous competitors who 

 have no conscience and will do right only under fear 

 of punishment. 



Nor can legislation stop only with what are 

 termed labor questions. The vast individual and 



