Bytheworkersthemselvesandevenbysocialreformers，theinjuryinflicteduponwagesandthestandardoflivingbyirregularityofemploymentisappreciatedfarmoreadequatelythantherelatedinjuryinflictedonthephysiqueandmoraleoftheworkerbysandwichingperiodsofover-exertionbetweenintervalsofidleness。
Thisbriefsurvey，however，isnoplaceforadiscussionofthecausesandremediesofirregularemployment。Itmustsufficetonotethatoveralargenumberofthefieldsofindustrytheexcessesanddefectsofsuchirregularityprevailtoanextentwhichaddsgreatlytothetotalhumancostoftheproducts。Sofarasournationisconcerned，thereisnoreasontoholdthatthiswasteisincreasing。Evidenceofhoursoflabourandofunemployment，indeed，appeartoindicatethatitissomewhatdiminishing。
Buttheunequaltime-distributionofhumancostsmustcontinuetorankasagreatenhancementoftheaggregateofsuchcosts。
§；2。Butnotlessinjuriousthantheunequaltreatmentofequals，istheequaltreatmentofunequals。Thebadhumaneconomyofworkingimmaturechildrenisalessonwhicheventhemost\'civilised\'nationshavebeenexceedinglyslowtolearn。Thebadhumaneconomyofworkingoldpersonsofdecliningvigour，whenable-bodiedadultlabourisavailable，issofarfrombeinggenerallyrecognisedthatemployersareactuallycommendedonthegroundofhumanityforkeepingatlabourtheiragedemployees，whenyoungerandstrongerworkersareavailable。
Fortunately，thelargerprovisionforretiringpensionsatteststhegrowingrecognitionofthisaggravationofthehumancostsofindustry。Inbothcasesalike，theemploymentoftheyoungandoftheold，theerrorarisesfromashort-sightedviewoftheinterestsofthesinglepersonorhissinglefamily，insteadofafar-sightedviewofthewelfareofthecommunity。Itisoftenasourceofimmediategaintoaworking-classfamilytoputthechildrenouttowage-earningasearlyaspossible，andtokeepoldpeopleworkingaslongastheycangetworktodo。Itdoesnotpaythenation，evenintheeconomicsense，thateitherofthesethingsshouldbedone。Thecaseofchild-labouris，ofcourse，themoreserious，inthatitevidentlyentailsnotmerelyawastefulstrainuponfeebleorganisms，butanevenheavierfuturecostinstuntedgrowthandimpairedefficiencythroughoutanentirelife。