of any real use whatever, for the simple reason that they do not deal
with the real causes of Poverty.'

`The greatest cause of poverty is hover-population,' remarked Harlow.

`Yes,' said old Joe Philpot. `If a boss wants two men, twenty goes
after the job: ther's too many people and not enough work.'

`Over-population!' cried Owen, `when there's thousands of acres of
uncultivated land in England without a house or human being to be
seen. Is over-population the cause of poverty in France? Is
over-population the cause of poverty in Ireland? Within the last
fifty years the population of Ireland has been reduced by more than
half. Four millions of people have been exterminated by famine or got
rid of by emigration, but they haven't got rid of poverty. P'raps you
think that half the people in this country ought to be exterminated as
well.'

Here Owen was seized with a violent fit of coughing, and resumed his
seat. When the cough had ceased he say wiping his mouth with his
handkerchief and listening to the talk that ensued.

`Drink is the cause of most of the poverty,' said Slyme.

This young man had been through some strange process that he called
`conversion'. He had had a `change of 'art' and looked down with
pious pity upon those he called `worldly' people. He was not
`worldly', he did not smoke or drink and never went to the theatre.
He had an extraordinary notion that total abstinence was one of the
fundamental principles of the Christian religion. It never occurred