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Permanent Situations 。。 。。 。。 。。 。。 146
Temporary Employment； viz： Boardmen； Cleaners； &c。； &c 。。 。。 223
Sent to Workshop in Hanbury Street 。。 。。 165
SECTION 4。THE HOUSEHOLD SALVAGE BRIGADE。
It is obvious that the moment you begin to find work for the unemployed labour of the community； no matter what you do by way of the registration and bringing together of those who want work and those who want workers； there will still remain a vast residuum of unemployed； and it will be the duty of those who undertake to deal with the question to devise means for securing them employment。 Many things are possible when there is a directing intelligence at headquarters and discipline in the rank and file； which would be utterly impossible when everyone is left to go where he pleases； when ten men are running for one man's job； and when no one can be depended upon to be in the way at the time he is wanted。 When my Scheme is carried out； there will be in every populous centre a Captain of Industry； an Officer specially charged with the regimentation of unorganised labour； who would be continually on the alert； thinking how best to utilise the waste human material in his district。 It is contrary to all previous experience to suppose that the addition of so much trained intelligence will not operate beneficially in securing the disposal of a commodity which is at present a drug in the market。
Robertson； of Brighton； used frequently to remark that every truth was built up of two apparent contradictory propositions。 In the same way I may say that the solution of every social difficulty is to be found in the discovery of two corresponding difficulties。 It is like the puzzle maps of children。 When you are putting one together； you suddenly come upon some awkward piece that will not fit in anywhere； but you do not in disgust and despair break your piece into fragments or throw it away。 On the contrary； you keep it by you； knowing that before long you will discover a number of other pieces which it will be impossible to fit in until you fix your unmanageable； unshapely piece in the centre。 Now； in the work of piecing together the fragments which lie scattered around the base of our social system we must not despair because we have in the unorganised； untrained labourers that which seems hopelessly out of fit with everything around。 There must be something corresponding to it which is equally useless until he can be brought to bear upon it。 In other words； having got one difficulty in the case of the Out…of…Works； we must cast about to find another difficulty to pair off against it； and then out of two difficulties will arise the solution of the problem。
We shall not have far to seek before we discover in every town and in every country the corresponding element to our unemployed labourer。 We have waste labour on the one hand； we have waste commodities on the other。 About waste land I shall speak in the next chapter； I am concerned now solely with waste commodities。 Herein we have a means of immediately employing a large number of men under conditions which will enable us to permanently provide for many of those whose hard lot we are now considering。
I propose to establish in every large town what I may call 〃A Household Salvage Brigade；〃 a civil force of organised collectors； who will patrol the whole town as regularly as the policeman； who will have their appointed beats； and each of whom will been trusted with the task of collecting the waste of the houses in their circuit。 In small towns and villages this is already done； and it will be noticed that most of the suggestions which I have put forth in this book are based upon the central principle； which is that of restoring； to the over…grown； and； therefore； uninformed masses of population in our towns the same intelligence and co…operation as to the mutual wants of each and all； that prevails in your small town or village。 The latter is the manageable unit； because its dimensions and its needs have not out…grown the range of the individual intelligence and ability of those who dwell therein。 Our troubles in large towns arise chiefly from the fact that the massing of population has caused the physical bulk of Society to outgrow its intelligence。 It is as if a human being had suddenly developed fresh limbs which were not connected by any nervous system with the gray matter of his brain。 Such a thing is impossible in the human being； but； unfortunately； it is only too possible in human society。 In the human body no member can suffer without an instantaneous telegram being despatched； as it were； to the seat of intelligence； the foot or the finger cries out when it suffers； and the whole body suffers with it。 So； in a small community； every one； rich and poor； is more or less cognizant of the sufferings of the community。 In a large town； where people have ceased to be neighbourly； there is only a congested mass of population settled down on a certain small area without any human ties connecting them together。 Here； it is perfectly possible； and it frequently happens； that men actually die of starvation within a few doors of those who； if they had been informed of the actual condition of the sufferer that lay within earshot of their comfortable drawing…rooms； would have been eager to minister the needed relief。 What we have to do； therefore； is to grow a new nervous system for the body politic； to create a swift； almost automatic； means of communication between the community as a whole and the meanest of its members； so as to restore to the city what the village possesses。
I do not say that the plan which I have suggested is the only plan or the best plan conceivable。 All that I claim for it is that it is the only plan which I can conceive as practicable at the present moment； and that； as a matter of fact； it holds the field alone； for no one； so far as I have been able to discover； even proposes to reconstitute the connection between what I have called the gray matter of the brain of the municipal community and all the individual units which make up the body politic。
Carrying out the same idea I come to the problem of the waste commodities of the towns； and we will take this as an earnest of the working out of the general principle。 In the villages there is very little waste。 The sewage is applied directly to the land； and so becomes a source of wealth instead of being emptied into great subterranean reservoirs； to generate poisonous gases； which by a most ingenious arrangement； are then poured forth into the very heart of our dwellings； as is the case in the great cities。 Neither is there any waste of broken victuals。 The villager has his pig or his poultry； or if he has not a pig his neighbour has one； and the collection of broken victuals is conducted as regularly as the delivery of the post。 And as it is with broken victuals； so it is with rags and bones； and old iron； and all the debris of a household。 When I was a boy one of the most familiar figures in the streets of a country town was the man； who； with his small hand…barrow or donkey…cart； made a regular