THE FARMER SWINGS HIS SCYTHE. 61 



" it is true that when I heard that my tenants had decided 

 to lock-out the Union men I thought it right to support 

 them ; and I did so, as I thought this was the best course, 

 not in the interest of my tenants only, but in that of the 

 labourers also." It is not surprising that the labourers 

 were unconvinced, but felt that even the best of the land- 

 owners had joined in a conspiracy with the farmers and 

 the clergy against their right to combine. 



One interesting feature of the lock-out was that many 

 non-union men and village tradesmen subscribed to the 

 Union lock-out fund. 



The lock-out pay seems to have been is. 6d. a day for 

 the members of the National Union, and for the members 

 of the Lincolnshire Labourers' Union in Suffolk los. a 

 week, with is. extra for a man with a wife and something 

 extra for children. 



Mr. Ball, who had been an agricultural labourer and a 

 local Methodist preacher, made some pointed remarks at 

 the Severals, on the Duke of Rutland's letter. 



" According to the Duke of Rutland's letter," said Mr. Ball, 

 " the labourers were raised to a better position through the 

 kindness and humanity of employers. You might as well expect 

 the labourers to understand Egyptian hieroglyphics as to under- 

 stand this. What was expected from men in the village was a 

 deal of bowing and scraping. If they took off their hats to the 

 village clergyman he would perhaps reward them by saying 

 ' How do you do.' It was funny of one paid servant to expect 

 this homage from another. He did not, however, want to teach 

 respect to others, but respect to themselves." 



Some farmers were heard to express their admiration of 

 the true British stubbornness and pluck shown by the men 

 and their wives, in adhering to, under conditions of semi- 

 starvation, and persistent persecution, their " sacred right " 

 to combine. 



There were one or two instances illustrating the curious 

 personal relationship between master and man, and of good 

 humour prevailing, even when unionists and farmers met 

 together. For instance, at a meeting of the Hoxne Branch 

 of the National Union, which was preceded by a dinner, a 

 farmer presided and helped to carve the joints, and Sir 



