PROBLEMS OF DISTRIBUTION 245 
or requires merely a dexterity which can 
easily be acquired by anybody, so that it is 
the common resort of persons brought up 
to nothing who suddenly find it necessary to 
do something at home to make or add to an 
income. Consequently there is apt to be an 
over-supply of out-workers. Moreover much 
that they do competes with production by 
machinery or semi-domestic work. In so far 
as there is competition with machinery, the 
rate of remuneration of out-workers must be 
comparatively paltry if they are to secure 
employment at all. And so must their rate 
of pay be also when, in the case of simple 
sewing work for domestic needs, they come 
sharply into competition with consumers 
who ordinarily sew for themselves and 
reckon the cost very low because the work 
is to a large extent occupation for idle 
moments. 
Furthermore, there are good reasons for 
believing that the pay of out-workers is 
disposed to settle below rather than at their 
marginal worth. Their strategic position is 
weak. They are mostly poor and ignorant and 
they are always unorganised, so that they 
cannot effectively resist what seems to them 
unreasonable in the individual bargains by 
which they are bound ; and they may not