Tsien Ke Jen
【编者按】家父钱克仁先生1928年 － 1934年在嘉兴秀州中学读书。以下是刊登在该校校刊《秀州钟》1934年第13期第29－ 30页）他的另一篇英文作文，中文仍是他的同学骆坚卿先生在2002年2月翻译的。
这是家父在嘉兴秀州中学演讲时的照片
China is made up of a great number of country people or farmers. Many enterprises in China, both national and individual, are supported by their productivities. The country people are the most important people in China. We must first pay great attention to their life and needs, and then we may improve their productivities, because this is the true way to prevent China from poverty and weakness.
The life of the Chinese country people is simpler than that of the country people in other countries. They have no excessive hopes, such as to have much money, to live in better houses, and to attend social affairs in the local towns. But they do seek enough food to eat even though bad houses to live in, even though they poor; and very simple clothes to war, which are the lowest conditions for existence of human beings. They work faithfully at their time in tending their farms and raising silkworms, but they do not get more wealthy and comfortable after they have given rise to their creditors, paid taxes to the government and sold their silk. They have not enough knowledge to solve their problems either in farming or in human affairs, but they solve them depending on their faith in their gods which are placed in the temples in the bigger towns near their homes. They cannot and will not improve their methods in plotting farms and keeping silkworms, although they are failing in these things still more in recent years. They suffer from all kinds of difficulties at this critical moment, work hard and ceaselessly, and believe that the real emperor will rule in our country some day after many years of perplexity. How foolish they are!
With regard to the needs of the country people, I think that their first necessity is education. They must learn something about the new methods in working, must know that is going on all over the world, and not be blind to right and wrong, true and false, so that they may solve their problems reasonably. Their second necessity is that "they should be given the opportunity to lead a peaceful life and fully to enjoy the fruits of their labors. Their life and property must be fully protected." Therefore our duty is to make the leaders in China pay great attention to the country people and help to reform their life. We ourselves must not only talk in their interest but we must teach them and do practical work in the country so that the life of the country people will be improved, and their productivities will be increased, and China will grow strong.
农民的生活和困窘
钱克仁
中国人口以农民占大多数。国内许多公私企业是由农业生产支持着的。农民处于最重要的地位。我们对于他们的生活状况和需要什么，必须首先给予十分关心，从而增进他们的生产能力。这是防免民穷国弱的可靠道路。
与其他国家的农民相比，我国农民生活较为简单。他们不奢望发大财、住洋房、参与当地社会事务，但求粗粮充饥，陋室可居，布衣蔽体，以维持人类最低生活水准而已。他们老老实实，终日辛勤，从事田间劳作和养蚕；但在把米粮偿付债主、向政府缴税以及卖掉蚕丝移东补西之后，他们并未富裕起来和感到宽舒一些。他们不懂得谋事在人，只是靠天吃饭，依靠笃信庙内菩萨保佑；他们缺乏解决生产方面和人际关系方面各种问题的知识，不能够也不想要改进种田和养蚕的方法，虽然这些营生，近几年来衰退得日甚一日了。他们苦度时艰，遭遇各种挫折，只是不停地卖力工作，并且相信有朝一日“真命天子坐了龙庭”，就能改变多年来乱糟糟的日子。他们是多么愚昧呀！
关于农民需要什么，我想当务之急首先是教育。他们必须学习一些新的工作方法，必须知道全世界正在进行着什么，而不致是非不分，真伪莫辨，这样才可理性地解决他们面对的问题。次之，“应给他们以安居乐业，充分享受自己劳动果实的机会。他们的生命、财产必须获得充分的保障。”因此，我们的责任就是要请当局着力关心农民，帮扶农民改善生活。我们切莫仅仅以为高人一筹，显出一副瞧不起农民的样子；而是必须教导他们，并且在农村干些实事。这样才能改善农民的生活，增加农业生产率和产品，使我国臻于富强。
骆坚卿
2002年2月14日译于上海
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