the days of my life-第76章
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en。 The parents of these Fort Amity children were taken from a great city； the city of Chicago； where mostly they were working as day labourers。 They came with nothing； in fact； it was necessary to pay the fares of most of them。 They had no prospects； nothing earned； nothing to hope for。 If we could get at the facts； no doubt we should find they lived in one or two rooms； and not too well。 I went and looked at these children。 My daughter photographed them in the schools at Fort Amity。 Never did you see a healthier； happier； more robust； more promising set of children in your life。 And I wondered how these children would have looked had not the Salvation Army had the idea of starting this Colony and had they been left to wander about in the streets of Chicago。 And I wondered also； gentlemen； how many of these faces — these happy； contented faces — would have been wanting； but for the change made in the condition of these children。
But you may be political economists； some of you； and we all know that political economy is a hard doctrine。 And you may say： Well； these people went to the cities of their own accord； let them expiate their fault in the city； let them welter and let them perish there； dead beats； and the world is well rid of them。 Well； I am going to submit； if you will allow me； another side of the argument for your consideration。 If you do not want to do anything on the ground of humanitarianism to help the people； I submit to you； gentlemen； and I submit to everyone； that there is another ground on which the thing should be done； and that is the ground of the welfare of the nation。
I will start out with an axiom。 If the Western nations allow this sort of thing to go on； allow their population to crowd into the cities； then； I say； the career of the Western nations is going to be short。 The city folk； those who remain； will never hold their own in the world — not only because of the weakened physique and changed character； but because of another and more final reason。 Gentlemen； children are not bred in the cities。 There will e a time when the children bred there are too few — it is ing now。 And if the children are not bred； if there is not the supply of healthy children to carry on the nation； how can the nation stand？ With the people on the land it is different。 Self…interest es into play。
A large family is a valuable asset to the small…holder； in the city it is nothing but a drawback。 Let any one of you gentlemen think of himself with a home consisting of a single room in a tenement in New York or a back slum in London； and with six or eight children； and then think of the contrast with those six children upon the land and able to assist in your business of caring for the cattle or carrying on many of the other operations of the farm。 We must look at facts。 With dwellers on the land self…interest es in； on the land alone will the supply of children be available that is necessary to carrying on our white races。 And if they are not carried on in sufficient numbers what of it？ Of course； you have all heard of what they call the yellow peril； and many people have laughed at it as a bogey。 Is it a bogey？ Does Russia； for instance； consider that Japan is a mere nightmare？ I think not； I think Russia has very definite and distinct ideas as to the prowess of Japan today。 Japan is a small nation。 Forty years ago the Japanese dressed themselves up in scale armour； like lobsters； and fought with bows and arrows。 And look at them today； knocking Russia around the ring。
Imagine the state of affairs when； not little Japan； but； let us say； great China； with her 400；000；000 people； has also made some strides towards civilisation； has carried out； for instance； that programme which I saw announced in the papers yesterday； in the way of building warships； and imagine those 400；000；000 of stolid； strong； patient； untiring land…bred men having nowhere to live； having not earth upon which to stand； and seeking a home。 And imagine them casting their eyes around for worlds to conquer； and seeing an island continent half vacant and other places with a few families scattered over the land； and a few millions heaped together in the things these white people call cities。
Imagine them saying； God — whatever gods there be； whatever gods we worship — give us the right to live； we have the right to our share of the earth； here we have not enough of the earth； we will seek the earth； we will take the earth； we will keep the earth。 Then imagine the scanty peoples spread thinly over these territories saying： “But we will pass a law to keep you out。” They answer： “We will e in nevertheless； we will walk through your paper law。” And those who hold the ground say： “You shall not e in； we will shoot you； we will keep you out with force of arms。” And their answer is： “Keep us out if you can； we have arms as well as you； we are better men than you； we will e； we will occupy； we will take； we will keep。” Is that a bogey — a mere dream of the night？
I tell you it is nothing of the sort。 It is the thing which will happen within one hundred years unless there are very different arrangements made amongst the Western nations from those which exist today； unless the people are moved from the cities back to the land。 Population； gentlemen； is like water： where there is a hollow； thither it will flow to fill it。 Therefore； it is vital to the nations that they should look into this matter and try to deal with it。 I am as sure as that I stand before you that these words are true； that I get at the truth； the essence； the fibre； the marrow of the thing； and that truth； that essence； that fibre； that marrow； is that you must get your people on to the land out of the cities； and keep them on the land there to multiply as God manded them of old。
Now； gentlemen； how does this apply to the great country in which I am today？ I say that it applies very closely。 I say that very soon there is going to be an enormous petition for immigration； for population； and especially for Anglo…Saxon population； that the time is ing when these people will be bid for； when they will be sought for； when they will be paid for — paid any price to get them。 And I venture to say to you： Get them while you can； get them from home； get them from England。
Now； gentlemen； if I live； within a month or two I hope to be able to show you a plan I have devised and which I hope； which I even dare to think； may show you how you can get a good many of these people。 I will say no more of that now； except that I trust you will agree with me when you read it； and that you will let no obstacle stand in your way； but will all put your shoulders to the wheel and for the sake of your country； and for the sake of all concerned； will try to help to bring into your splendid land Englishmen who will be made available to you； I hope； in many thousands。
I am beginning to be like one of your members of parliament； I fear I am catching the disease。 I will only add this： That all the world is mad on trade； all the civilised world； at least； has got the idea that wealth is everything。 I controvert that statement； I say that wealth is nothing。 What is wealth without men and women to use it and spend it？ I remember once writing a story in which I represented certain men shut up in a cave and surrounded by all the diamonds and all the gold of a continent。 And they were starving。 I would like to ask you of what use were those diamonds and that gold to them？
In the same way； of what use is wealth unless you have men and women — healthy men and women — these are the real wealth of the nation。 You remember the old Greek fable of Antaeus； how； whenever he fell to earth he arose fresh and strong。 So it is with us。 Do not believe； gentlemen； that wealth is everything。 Wealth； I maintain； is nothing pared to flesh and blood； nothing as pared to healthy children； nor is pomp nor any other thing — these are nothing。 The strength of a people； gentlemen； is not to be found in their Wall Streets； it is to be found in the farms and fields and villages。 I will only add just this one word — that I do hope that what I have so humbly； so inadequately tried to say before you may perhaps go deep into the minds of some of you and set you thinking。 For myself； I can only say that I have tried to carry out this task — not the task of speaking； but the bigger one — with a single heart； because I believe in its necessity； because I believe that no man can serve his generation better than by trying to point out these things and try to make the people think。 If I have done that； gentlemen； I have not lived in vain。 All that I should ask to be said of me when I am gone is this： “He did his best。”
The End
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