DR. JONATHAN. Well, he stated the issue, Asher.

ASHER. The issue of what?

DR. JONATHAN. Of the new century.

GEORGE. The issue of the new century

ASHER. You're right, we've got to put these people down. After the war
they'll come to heel,--we'll have a cheap labour market then.

DR. JONATHAN. Humanity has always been cheap, but we're spending it
rather lavishly just now.

ASHER, You mean that there will be a scarcity of labour? And that they
can continue to blackmail us into paying these outrageous wages?

DR. JONATHAN. When you pay a man wages, Asher, you own him,--until he
is turned over to somebody else.

ASHER (puzzled, a little suspicious for the first time). I own his
labour, of course.

DR. JONATHAN. Then you own his body, and his soul. Perhaps he resents
being regarded as a commodity.

ASHER. What else is labour?

DR. JONATHAN. How would you like to be a commodity?