“All this means,” continued Geisner, “that more and more go round asking for work as what we call civilisation progresses, that is as population increases and the industrial life becomes more complicated.  I don’t mean in Australia only.  I’m speaking generally.  They can only work when another man thinks he can make a profit out of them, and there are so many eager to be made a profit on that the owner of the machine has it pretty well his own way.  This system operates for the extension of its own worst feature, the degradation of the working masses.  You see, such a vast amount of industrial work can be held over that employers, sometimes unconsciously, sometimes deliberately, hold work over until times are what they call ‘more suitable,’ that is when they can make bigger profits by paying less in wages.  This has a tendency to constantly keep wages down, besides affording a stock argument against unionist agitations for high wages.  But, in any case, the fits of industrial briskness and idleness which occur in all countries are enough to account for the continual tendency of wages to a bare living amount for those working, as many of those not working stand hungrily by to jump into their places if they get rebellious or attempt to prevent wages going down.”

“That’s just how it is,” said Ned.  “But we’re going to get all men into unions, and then we’ll keep wages up.”

“Yes; there is no doubt that unions help to keep wages up.  But, you see, so long as industrial operations can be contracted, and men thrown out of work, practically at the pleasure of those who employ, complete unionism is almost impracticable if employers once begin to act in concert.  Besides, the unemployed are a menace to unionism always.  Workmen can never realise that too strongly.”

“What are we to do then if we can’t get what we want by unionism?”

“How can you get what you want by unionism?  The evil is in having to ask another man for work at all—­in not being able to work for yourself.  Unionism, so far, only says that if this other man does employ you he shall not take advantage of your necessity by paying you less than the wage which you and your fellow workmen have agreed to hold out for.  You must destroy the system which makes it necessary for you to work for the profit of another man, and keeps you idle when he can’t get a profit out of you.  The whole wage system must be utterly done away with.”  And Geisner rolled another cigarette as though it was the simplest idea in the world.

“How?  What will you do instead?”

“How!  By having men understand what it is, and how there can be no true happiness and no true manliness until they overthrow it!  By preaching socialistic ideas wherever men will listen, and forcing them upon them where they do not want to listen!  By appealing to all that is highest in men and to all that is lowest—­to their humanity and to their selfishness!  By the help of the education which is becoming general, by the help of art and of science, and even of this vile press that is the incarnation of all the villainies of the present system!  By living for the Cause, and by being ready to die for it!  By having only one idea:  to destroy the Old Order and to bring in the New!” Geisner spoke quietly, but in his voice was a ring that made Ned’s blood tingle in his veins.