e energy. But only God can create tirelessly and
Chesterton was at this time beginning to be tired. You can see it in
_The Flying Inn_. The book is still full of vitality and the lyrics
in it, later published separately under the title _Wine, Water and
Song_, are as good in that kind as any that he ever wrote. But
with all its vigour the book is a less joyful one than _Manalive_
and it is a much more angry one. _Manalive_ was a paean of joy to
life. _The Flying Inn_ is fighting for something necessary to its
fulness--freedom.

It must have been just while he was writing it that there were
threatenings of a case against him by Lever Brothers on account of a
lecture given at the City Temple on "The Snob as Socialist." In
answering a question he spoke of Port Sunlight as "corresponding to a
Slave Compound." Others besides Lever Brothers were shocked and some
clarification was certainly called for. Belloc and Chesterton meant
by Slavery not that the poor were being bullied or ill treated but
that they had lost their liberty. Gilbert went so far as to point out
how much there was to be said in defence of a Slave state. Under
Slavery the poor were usually fed, clothed and housed adequately.
Slaves had often been much more comfortable in the past than were
free men in the world of today. A model employer might by his
regulations greatly increase the comfort of his workers and yet
enslave them.

A letter from Bernard Shaw advising him to get up certain details
asks the question of whether the workman at Port Sunlight would
forfeit his benefits and savings should he leave. "If this is so,"
wrote Shaw, "then, though Lever may treat him as well as Pickwick
would no doubt have treated old Weller, if he had consented to take
charge of his savings, Lever is master of his employee's fate, and
captain of his employee's soul, which is slavery." He went on to
offer financial help in fighting the case. The "Christian Commonweal"
had reported Chesterton's speech and was also threatened with the
law. To the editor G. K. wrote:

Only a hasty line to elongate the telephone. I am sorry about this
business for one reason only; and that is that you should be even
indirectly mixed up in it. Lever can sue me till he bursts: I'm not
afraid of him. But it does seem a shame when I've often attacked you
(always in good faith and what was meant for good humour), and when
you've heaped coals of fire by printing my most provocative