THE TIME-LABOUR SYSTEM 135 



labour of one individual for an indefinite time as is really the 

 case now, for although wages are paid weekly it is well under- 

 stood that they are not to change weekly. 



Let us now consider what disadvantages might be alleged as 

 inherent to the novel system of purchasing labour. The first 

 objection would probably be that men are not units and that an 

 engagement must necessarily be personal. This objection will 

 probably be made by those who are not familiar with large 

 factories. A personal servant could not be engaged on the plan 

 suggested, but hands at a spinning frame or fitters at a vice are 

 really very nearly of equal merit and for practical purposes are 

 already treated as of exactly equal merit. A substitute coming 

 forward to replace a man wishing to leave would be bound as at 

 present to satisfy the foreman that he was of the same class as 

 the workman leaving. Disputes would of course arise under 

 this as under every other kind of contract, but large employers 

 of labour will be the first to admit that, even now, they engage 

 labour units rather than men whose personal peculiarities are 

 important. 



In some trades the number of men required fluctuates so 

 greatly that it may really be necessary to limit the terra of 

 engagement to a very short period such as a week, but these 

 hands are few in number. Most employers would only be too 

 glad if they could feel certain that the labour they required was 

 secured for the next six months or year. Even if they did not 

 care to enter into so long an agreement with the whole of their 

 workmen they might safely do so with the majority. Long 

 engagements are shunned by employers only because they pre- 

 vent dismissal in case of incompetence or negligence, and by the 

 workman because they limit his freedom of leaving a shop when 

 for any reason he may desire to do so. When the engagement 

 is no longer personal as regards the workman, but is merely a 

 contract to employ a labour unit, both these objections fall away. 

 The employer, if dissatisfied with A, may dismiss him with no 

 cause assigned ; he is simply bound to take another workman, B, 

 C, D or Z at the same pay for the unexpired period of the con- 

 tract, even should wages meanwhile have fallen. If they have 

 risen, he will have to pay the extra rate for a new hand. On 

 the other hand a workman would be at liberty to quit a shop 



