Imperial Bankquet Hall
“The Refuge”
on Thursday at 12.30 prompt
Professor Barrington
WILL DELIVER A
ORATION
ENTITLED
THE GREAT SECRET, OR
HOW TO LIVE WITHOUT WORK
The Rev. Joe Philpot PLO
(Late absconding secretary of the light refreshment fund)
Will take the chair and anything else
he can lay his hands on.
At The End Of The Lecture
A MEETING WILL BE
ARRANGED
And carried out according to the
Marquis of Queensbury’s Rules.
A Collection will be took up
in aid of the cost of printing
“Only once, at the Beano,” replied that individual; “an’ that was once too often!”
“Finest speaker I ever ’eard,” said the man on the pail with enthusiasm. “I wouldn’t miss this lecture for anything: this is one of ’is best subjects. I got ’ere about two hours before the doors was opened, so as to be sure to get a seat.”
“Yes, it’s a very good subject,” said Crass, with a sneer. “I believe most of the Labour Members in Parliament is well up in it.”
“And wot about the other members?” demanded Philpot. “Seems to me as if most of them knows something about it too.”
“The difference is,” said Owen, “the working classes voluntarily pay to keep the Labour Members, but whether they like it or not, they have to keep the others.”
“The Labour members is sent to the ’Ouse of Commons,” said Harlow, “and paid their wages to do certain work for the benefit of the working classes, just the same as we’re sent ’ere and paid our wages by the Bloke to paint this ’ouse.”
“Yes,” said Crass; “but if we didn’t do the work we’re paid to do, we should bloody soon get the sack.”
“I can’t see how we’ve got to keep the other members,” said Slyme; “they’re mostly rich men, and they live on their own money.”
“Of course,” said Crass. “And I should like to know where we should be without ’em! Talk about us keepin’ them! It seems to me more like it that they keeps us! The likes of us lives on rich people. Where should we be if it wasn’t for all the money they spend and the work they ’as done? If the owner of this ’ouse ’adn’t ’ad the money to spend to ’ave it done up, most of us would ’ave bin out of work this last six weeks, and starvin’, the same as lots of others ’as been.”