"Are the wages equal to all?"
"No; and for the very good reason that the needs of all are not alike. According to the old order, the superintendent of these works, for instance, would draw a salary of perhaps $5000.00 a year, while the men who do the manual labor would get less than a tenth of that sum."
"True," remarked Remand, "supply and demand regulates these things. Superintendents are scarce, but common workmen are plentiful."
"But, my dear friend, we have no common workmen. It is just as important that a table should be put together properly, and that it be well finished as that there should be a superintendent of the works. No man in our industrial system can say to another, 'I have no need of thee.' Each is important, each has his place, each supports the other. The polisher or the sawyer, therefore, should have his needs supplied, and so should the overseer—but no more. What would he do with more, anyway? Tell me."
"Why, why," replied Remand, "He could save it, put it in the bank, invest it."
Paulus smiled. "What good would hoarded wealth be to a man whose needs are all provided for as long as he lives, as also his children after him. We have but one bank here—the Lord's storehouse, and all profits derived from investments are there deposited. But speaking again of wages, I happen to know that the superintendent of this factory is a man with a wife only to support, and they are very simple in their tastes. The wood-carver whom we spoke of has a large family of children. His needs are greater than the superintendent's, therefore he receives more for his portion. That is just, is it not?"
"Yes," replied Remand, "the theory seems to be all right but its application, among us at least, would bring endless complications to be adjusted."
"Perhaps so," replied Paulus. "We are not perfect, even here. While we are in mortality, we have weaknesses to contend with; but you must remember that we look on every man as a brother and a friend, and as I have stated, we have the spirit of the Master to help us. When this help proves insufficient by reason of our own failure to do the right, and in our weakness we are unjust or overbearing, or oppressive, then there is the Lord Himself whose throne is with us. He balances again the scales of justice, and metes out to every man his just deserts."
Paulus arose, and the others followed him reverently out into the park-like space surrounding the factory. They walked slowly along the paths as they talked.
"The argument usually urged against all orders of equality," remarked Remand, "is that it takes away man's incentive to work."