"We've never been taught to think," was the illuminating reply.

"And if we do think we've never been educated to express ourselves, same
as you!" shouted another man, in whom excitement had overcome timidity.

"I'm here to help you educate yourselves," said the lecturer. "But first
let's hear any ideas you may have on the question I asked you."

There turned out to be plenty of ideas, after all. An opinion was
ventured that Mr. Lloyd George served the nation, not for money but from
public spirit; a conservative insisted that ability should be rewarded
and rewarded well; whereupon ensued one of the most enlightening
discussions, not only as a revelation of intelligence, but of complexes
and obsessions pervading many of the minds in whose power lies the
ultimate control of democracies. One, for instance, declared that--"if
every man went to church proper of a Sunday and minded his own business
the country would get along well enough." He was evidently of the
opinion that there was too much thinking and not enough of what he would
have termed "religion." Gradually that audience split up into liberals
and conservatives; and the liberals noticeably were the younger men who
had had the advantages of better board schools, who had formed fewer
complexes and had had less time in which to get them set. Of these,
a Canadian made a plea for the American system of universal education,
whereupon a combative "stand-patter" declared that every man wasn't fit
to be educated, that the American plan made only for discontent.
"Look at them," he exclaimed, "They're never satisfied to stay in their
places." This provoked laughter, but it was too much for the sculptor
--and for me. We both broke our vows and made speeches in favour of
equality and mental opportunity, while the lecturer looked on and smiled.