Page:The cry for justice - an anthology of the literature of social protest. - (IA cryforjusticea00sinc).pdf/882

 Incentives

(See page 202)

Up to the present time politicians and philosophers have not dreamed of rendering industry attractive; to enchain the mass to labor, they have discovered no other means, after slavery, than the fear of want and starvation; if, however, industry is the destiny which is assigned to us by the creator, how can we think that he would wish to force us to it by violence, and that he has no notion how to put in play some more noble lever, some incentive capable of transforming its occupations into pleasures?

For Lyric Labor

(Apropos of a remark, attributed to an Italian girl of the Garment Workers' Union, "It wouldn't be so bad if they would only let us sing at our work")

Child of the Renaissance, and little sister Of Ariosto and of Raphael, If any hush the song within your bosom, By all your lyric land, he does not well!

One day a traveller from our songless country, Passing at morning through Saint Mark's great Square, Marvelled, from workmen on the campanile, To hear a song arising on the air.