lOO

THE  SOCIALISM  OF  TO-DAY.

decisions  shall  have  legal  validity.—Compulsory  creation  of
provident  funds  for  widows,  orphans,  and  disabled  workmen.
The  trade  corporations  shall  defend  the  interests  of  the  workmen ­
  in  their  relations  with  their  employers.  Prohibition  of
all  labour  on  Sundays.—Prevention  of  the  employment  of
children  and  married  women  in  factories.  The  normal  day  of
labour  to  be  fixed  according  to  the  nature  of  the  work.  These
rules  ought  to  be  made  the  object  of  international  conventions.
Until  this  has  been  done  it  is  advisable  to  protect  labour
against  the  competition  of  countries  where  similar  measures
do  not  exist.  Stringent  rules  against  insanitary  condition  of
factories.—State  and  Communal  property  should  be  worked  in
the  interests  of  the  labourers,  and  should  be  extended  so  far
as  can  be  done  with  economy.—A  progressive  income-tax,  to
replace  the  indirect  taxes  which  fall  mainly  upon  the  labouring
classes.—Heavy  taxes  on  luxuries.—A  progressive  succession
duty,  according  to  the  extent  of  the  inheritance  and  the
distance  of  relationship.
The  programme  calls  upon  the  clergy  to  take  an  active  and
earnest  part  in  all  efforts  made  for  improving  the  lot  of  the
labourer  in  its  material,  intellectual,  moral,  and  religious
aspects.  It  adjures  the  well-to-do  classes  to  hold  out  a  helping
hand  to  the  proletarians,  to  support  all  laws  which  are  favourable ­
  to  them,  and  to  aid  in  augmenting  their  welfare  by  giving
them  good  wages  and  reducing  as  far  as  possible  the  hours  of
labour.  Every  one  should  aid  in  the  creation  of  the  new  trade
corporations,  which  are  destined  to  supply  the  place  of  whatever ­
  good  there  was  in  the  ancient  guilds,  and  should  endeavour
to  induce  the  labourers  to  observe  all  honourable  conduct,  to
shun  coarse  pleasures,  and  to  put  Christian  sentiments  into
practice  in  their  family  life.
It  cannot  be  denied  that  the  articles  of  this  programme  are
inspired  by  the  love  of  humanity.  Hut  would  it  be  possible
to  apply  them  to  the  complications  of  modern  industry  without
creating  disorganization  ?  The  principal  proposal  is  the
re-establishment,  under  another  name,  of  the  old  trade-guilds.
But  the  difficulty  already  pointed  out  immediately  arises  :  are
these  to  be  close  corporations,  and  are  they  to  enjoy  a  mono-