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 shed and make a cheque so’s to be able to send a few quid home, as soon as we can, to the missus, or the old folks, and the next water is twenty miles ahead. If we sat down and argued over a social problem till doomsday, we wouldn’t get to the tank; we’d die of thirst, and the missus and kids, or the old folks, would be sold up and turned out into the streets, and have to fall back on a ‘home of hope’, or wait their turn at the Benevolent Asylum with bags for broken victuals. I’ve seen that, and I don’t want anybody belonging to me to have to do it.

“Reminds me that when a poor, deserted girl goes to a ‘home’ they don’t make a problem of her—they do their best for her and try to get her righted. And the priests, too: if there’s anything in the sex or any other problem—anything that hasn’t been threshed out—they’re the men that’ll know it. I’m not a Catholic, but I know this: that if a girl that’s been left by one—no matter what Church she belongs to—goes to the priest, they’ll work all the points they know (and they know ‘em all) to get her righted, and, if the chap, or his people, won’t come up to the scratch, Father Ryan’ll frighten hell out of ‘em. I can’t say as much for our own Churches.”

“But you’re in favour of socialism and democracy?” asked Joe.

“Of course I am. But the world won’t do any good arguing over it. The people will have to get up and walk, and, what’s more, stick together—and I don’t think they’ll ever do that—it ain’t in human nature. Socialism, or democracy, was all right in this country till it got fashionable and was made a fad