The Columbus journal., 1909-04-07
The Spirit Of Cain and Of Service.
From "Nev Worlds for Old" BY H. G.. Wells.

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From ''New Worlds fol
This fact must be insisted upon that
most of the work of the world and all
the good work il done today for some
other motive than gain; that profit
seeking is not only the moving power
of the world, but that it cannot be,
that it runs counter to the doing of
efectual work in every department of
life.
It is hard to know how to set about
proving . fact that is to the writer's
perception 80 universally. obvious.
One can only appeal to the intelligent
reader to use his own personal obser.
walton upon the people about him.
Everywhere he will see the property
owner doing nothing, the pro6trseeker
busy with unproductive efforts, with
the writing of advertisements, the
misrepresentation of goods, the con-
coction of a plausible prospectus, and
the extraction of profits from the toll
of others, while the real necessary
work of the world don't mean the
labor and toll only, but the intelligent
direction, the real planning and de-
signing and inquiry, the management
and evolution of ideas and methods
is in the enormous majority Of cases
done by salaried individuals working
either for q fixed wage and the hope Of
increments having no proportional
relation to the work done, or for a
wage varying within definite limits.
All the engineering design, all archi'
lecture, all our public services, the ex-
quisite work of our museum control,
for example, all the big wholesale and
retail businesses, almost all big indus.
trial concerns, mines, estates these
things are really in the hands of sala'
ried or quasi-salaried persons now, just
as they would be under Socialism.
They are only possible now because
all these managers, officials; employees
are, as q class, unreasonably honest
and loyal, are interested in their work
and anxious to do it well, and to moi
seek profits in every transaction they
handle. Give them even q small
measure of security and they are con
tent with interesting work; they are
glad to set aside the urgent perpetual
search for personal gain that individ'
ualists have persuaded themselves Ii
the ruling motive of mankind; they
are glad to set these aside altogether
and, as the phase goes, "get something
DONE" And this is true all up and
down the social scale. A bricklayel
is no good unless he can be interested
| in laying bricks. One knows when
ever q domestic servant becomes mer
cenary, when she ceases to take, a
people say, "a pride in her work" ane
thinks only of "tips" and getting, sh'
becomes impossible. Does a signal
man every time he pulls over a lever
or a groom galloping horse, think o
his wages want to?
Twill confess I find it hard to writ
with any patience and civility Of thi
argument that humanity will not worl
except for greed or need Of money ant
only in proportion to the getting. 1
is so patiently absurd. l suppose tn
reasonable nti.Socialist will hardl!
maintain it seriously with that crudity
He will qualify. He will say that
although it may be true that goot
work is always done for the interest o
the doing or in the spirit Of service
yet in order to get and keep people a
work and to keep the standard higl
through periods of Incidence and dis
4.oo4;on fho.o mnsf he the dread O