

THE LABOURER'S CHILDREN 175 



There is no doubt that those who bravely remain 

 on the land, content to work for wages ranging 

 between 155. and 18s. per week, are not being 

 given a chance of doing their full share in rearing 

 up a strong, healthy future generation. The excuse 

 often given by an employer is that the man's work 

 is not worth more than 15s. per week. It seems 

 hard, if so, that children and the nation, too, 

 should suffer for this, because if their health and 

 future working powers are impaired, it means 

 that there are fewer strong men and women to 

 build up the Empire. A plant, we know, cannot 

 grow without warmth and food, neither will a 

 child, if it is underfed, develop brain and muscular 

 strength. Another reason that is often given for 

 making no alteration in the home life of a labourer 

 is that wages used to be much less than they 

 are now, and the remark is added, " He was able 

 to manage well enough then." Many changes 

 have taken place in the last few years, and amongst 

 them we notice the rapid increase of motor-cars 

 for farmers, motor engines for electric light and 

 water-pumping that are within their reach, all of 

 which shows advancement, but necessitates a better 

 type of workman, when he can be encouraged to 

 settle near the farm. Food prices have risen, and 

 even the labourer cannot now live in a quiet, old- 

 fashioned way such as the farmer and employer 

 were accustomed to before the use of petrol became 

 general. Both, therefore, and not one alone, need to 

 move up a rung of the ladder in order to place the im- 

 portant industry of agriculture in the true, honoured 

 position which she and her workers should hold. 

 13 



