SOME INTERROGATION POINTS
The establishment of a police and detective service completed the
efficient organization of the colony. Its life now began to move with
clock-like regularity.
But these changes were not made without provoking fierce debates and
bitter prophecies in the general assembly over which Norman presided
every Friday night.
He began to listen to these endless wrangles, however, with a sense of
growing anger. It became clearer each week that they were the source
of cliques and factions, of plots and counter-plots, within the
colony. His patience reached the limit on the night he announced the
completion of the jail.
"This is a sad present I am forced to make you to-night, comrades," he
said, with a note of weariness in his voice. "But I have no choice in
the matter. It was forced on the executive council. Crimes were
committed which threatened the existence of our society. We had to
meet the issue squarely. We could have begged the question by calling
in the authorities of the State of California, acknowledged our
defeat, and surrendered. We are not ready to surrender. We haven't
begun to fight yet."
He had scarcely taken his seat when Diggs, the human
interrogation-point, slowly unwound his lank figure, adjusted his
eye-glasses, and gazed smilingly at the chairman.
Norman squirmed with rage as the glint of light from Diggs's big
lenses began to irritate his spirit.
Barbara slipped her little hand under the table and found his. He
clasped it gratefully and refused to let go. She allowed him to hold
it a minute and drew it away laughing.
"Comrades," the man of questions slowly began, "we are making rapid
progress. Our new building will soon be finished and another colony of
two thousand enthusiastic souls will be added to our commonwealth. If
we are going to successfully carry on this work we must begin to
develop with infinite patience the details of this larger life.
"I submit to you some questions that are profoundly interesting to me.
"How are we to prevent speculation, wages being unequal? How is one
community to exchange products with another? How determine which line
of goods each community shall make?
"What is to be done with a strong minority who are bitterly opposed to
the action of the majority when we assume our permanent democratic
form?
"How are the thousand and one matters pertaining to private life and
habits to be settled without continually augmenting the power of
government? The authority of the most absolute despot who ever lived
never dared to sit on questions we must decide. Can we do it?
"If we are ever to attain a condition of equality must we not forbid
gifts and exchanges? For, if men are not to be allowed to grow rich by
trading, must not the State forbid private exchanges of every nature?
"On the other hand, if the State alone can make exchanges, how can we
prevent a shrewd man from getting rich by dealing with the State
itself?
"If the State will not make exchanges, what is one to do who has taken
a piece of property and finds later he has no use for it? For example:
if Miss Blanche grows tired of looking at her piano, which she cannot
play, and desires to exchange it for a carriage and pair of horses,
must she continue to walk because she cannot effect the exchange?
[Illustration: BARBARA.]
"If we solve these troubles by declaring all property in common, who
shall decide the privilege of use which the various tastes of
individuals may demand?
"If each member be allowed a fixed number of units of value for each
day of the year, must he spend them at once, or will the State keep an
account for each individual? If he doesn't spend all his allowance by
the end of the year can he save it and thus accumulate a private
fortune?
"Or will the State force him to spend all, thus encouraging reckless
habits?
"Suppose that a spendthrift squanders his allowance at once and later
breaks his leg, has it amputated, and needs a hundred dollars to buy a
wooden leg, how will he get it? Will the State make good his
recklessness, force him to buy his own leg, or make him hop through
the year on one leg?"
"I move we adjourn!" Joe yelled, from the rear.
"Second the motion!" Tom echoed, from the front.
The Bard, who had recovered sufficiently to attend on crutches, rose
painfully, adjusted the bandage on his eye, and once more raised his
voice in protest.
"I demand freedom of speech on behalf of my friend whom those rowdies
are insulting!" he thundered.
With reluctance the chairman rapped for order, and Diggs wiped his
glasses and smilingly proceeded:
"We have established a general nursery for the children. As they grow
up, who shall decide at what age each child shall begin to work? Some
children are slow, some quick in growth. Will the new State of Ventura
take direct charge of all children?
"Or, supposing that separate families are allowed to live apart and
parents to govern their own children, how is each child to be
protected so that it gets its exact due? How is it to be known whether
the parents misappropriate the fund of a child, or favour one more
than another?
"As our numbers increase we cannot avoid the religious question."
"Amen, O Lord!" shouted Methodist John.
"A number of good people are clamouring for the use of this hall for
religious services every night. We may deny their demands now. But we
cannot as they increase. How are we to meet them? Shall we tax the
unbeliever to support a church? Or shall we tax the believer to pay
for lighting this hall for a weekly ball?
"If religion is allowed, who shall determine how many preachers each
denomination can have? How many sisters shall be allowed the Catholics
and how many monks, and how shall they be distributed? To whom shall
they answer, the State, or their superior church dignitary?
"Shall Protestants be allowed a sum equal to the amount used in
support of religious orders? If so, who shall determine how it shall
be expended?
"If churches are built, who shall determine their cost and their style
of architecture if the State erects them?
"When our theatre is opened, shall admission be free? If not, what
shall be done when the receipts fall below expenses?
"What compensation can we give to those who hate theatres? If a small
majority want a dance-hall and musical extravaganza, and a minority
want only the serious drama, which shall it be? Suppose a majority
demand a race-course? Shall the resources of the colony be used thus
against the bitter protest of those who do not believe in racing?
Suppose, just before the race-course is finished, the majority become
a minority and the work is stopped--has the new majority the right to
destroy the property and accumulate a new fund for a different
purpose?
"Must a doctor always come when he's called--even for imaginary,
hysterical, and foolish causes? Will the people vote for and elect
their own doctor, or will he be assigned? If the doctor proves a
failure, how will they get rid of him? If they get rid of him, how
can he be saddled on another community? Shall one community suffer at
the hands of an incompetent man, while a physician of genius ministers
to the one next door? If a great surgeon is needed by ten persons at
the same hour, who shall decide which operation he shall perform, and
who shall live or die in consequence?
"Who shall say when a doctor is not fit to practise?
"We have just established a weekly paper. Within a year the population
will need a daily. Who shall say when an editor is competent?
"Some men fail in early life and make their great success later. At
what period, or after how long a trial, shall it be decided that a man
is a failure and must quit his chosen or assigned work?
"Many young men promise well at first and make later miserable
failures. Many are failures at first and make great successes. Who
shall decide which to continue and which to stop? If a youth is forced
to abandon a work on which he has set his heart, how can he be made of
service to the community in a work he loathes?
"We must continue to make inventions, or progress ceases. When the
cost of experiments is greater than the total income of a citizen, how
can the inventor bear the expense? Will any man sacrifice his own
funds and his own time on an uncertain experiment when he can receive
no benefit from the work?
"Many men are working now over problems all other men believe cannot
be solved. If the State must furnish the capital to make the
experiments of inventors, who will be responsible for the enormous
waste of treasure on senseless and useless and impossible inventions?
"Who can decide whether ideas proposed are useless or impossible? All
great inventions which have revolutionized the history of ages have
been laughed at by the world.
"How can we punish the jobbery and waste and corruption which may
enter from experiments which are not made in good faith? Cannot any
group of shrewd men pretend to have invented a machine which will save
over half the labour of the colony, and spend millions on this
imaginary invention which proves useless? If such an abuse of power
should be made, would not the effect be to end forever all experiments
and stop the progress of the world?
"When many cities have been built and one is more healthful,
beautiful, and cultured than the others, shall those who live in the
poorer cities be allowed to move or be forced to remain where they
are? How are sculptors, artists, musicians, or architects to be
apportioned among different communities? Suppose they all demand the
right to live in one place?
"Will the State publish all books by all authors, or will selections
be made? If all books are published will not vast sums be wasted in
printing worthless trash? If selections are made, what unprejudiced,
infallible board can be found competent to decide?
"If a man chooses to be a writer, how many years shall he be allowed
to work at his occupation if in the opinion of the judges he shows no
talent?
"Will the State permit freedom of opinion in the columns of its papers
and the books printed? If so, what shall hinder a treasonable
conspiracy from destroying respect for its authority? If opinions are
to be edited by the State, how can the freedom of the press be
maintained?
"What shall be done with the Negro, the Chinaman, and the Indian when
their numbers largely increase? Will these inferior races be placed on
an absolute equality with the Aryan and will they be allowed to freely
intermarry? If so, can the new mongrel race maintain itself against
the progress and power of the great high-bred races of men?
"Are women to receive the same allowance as men, and married women the
same as spinsters?
"Shall men and women be required to marry or be allowed to remain
single? Shall all women be made to work? If it continues to cost more
to support a single woman than a married one, how can equality of
rights be maintained?
"As food is the basis of all supply, many must be farmers. How shall
this great industry be conducted ultimately? Can we allow individuals
to work small farms? If so, who determines the kind of crop each farm
shall raise? How much land will a man be required to work?
"An Italian from the north of Italy can raise more on one acre than an
Irishman can on ten--whose method shall be used, and whose capacity be
taken for the standard?
"How many hours shall constitute a day on the farm? Shall a farmhand
get only a dollar a day and a bricklayer two? If so, where is the
justice and equality of such an arrangement?
"Can a farmer be allowed vacations? If so, must he ask permission
where to go? If not, suppose he goes at seedtime or harvest, gets
drunk, stays two weeks or two months, and destroys a year's crop? Who
shall pay for this enormous damage, and how shall the penalty be
enforced?
"Suppose a poor manager spoils the crop on an immense tract of land,
how can any adequate penalty be enforced?
"Shall one general manager decide what kind of crops to raise on each
piece of land or each manager decide for himself? Suppose they all
raise hay----"
"Then you'll have plenty to eat the balance of your life--you and all
the other jackasses in the colony!" old Tom growled.
A laugh rippled the crowd and the speaker paused in angry confusion.
For the first time he lost his temper and stood glaring at his
tormentors in silent rage.
Norman whispered to Barbara:
"Wolf has urged me for some time to suppress this meeting. Shall I do
it?"
"Yes. It's a nuisance. I agree with him. Do it."
Norman rose just as Diggs sat down choking with anger.
"Comrades," the young leader said, in commanding tones. "I think this
assembly has completed its work of discussion. The questions
propounded here to-night are important. We will meet and solve them in
due time, as we come to them. What this community needs now is the
spirit of cooperation, of loyalty, and industry. We have been assigned
our tasks for the year. Now every man to his work! We have had enough
of wrangling and questioning. Let's live and breathe awhile. The
executive council has decided to close the weekly sessions of the
assembly until the annual election of officers next spring. Hereafter
a musicale and dance will be held both Monday and Friday evenings."
The young folks broke into hearty applause led by old Tom and his
partner Joe.
The Bard sprang to his feet, his one good eye blazing with inspired
wrath.
"And I denounce this act of tyranny as the climax of a series of
infamies! You have now forged the chains of slavery on every limb.
Free speech has been suppressed--in God's name, what next?"
But the crowd only laughed. The Bard had protested so often his words
ceased to have weight. The halo of romance that once wreathed his
classic brow had faded with the painful disillusioning which followed
a thrashing his wife had given him. He was a prophet without honour
and his warnings fell on deaf ears.
Wolf and Catherine stood at the door with a word of cheer, a friendly
nod, or a silent pressure of the hand for every one who emerged from
the hall. These two alone at every turn grew in prestige among all
jarring factions of the struggling colony.