and one which amply satisfies the ambition of most men, but above his
rank, which may be compared - to follow the military analogies familiar to you -
to that of a general of division or major-general, is that of the chiefs of the
ten great department, or groups of allied traces. The chiefs of these ten grand
divisions of the industrial army may be compared to your commanders of army
corps, or lieutenant-generals, each having from a dozen to a score of generals
of separate guilds reporting to him. Above these ten great officers, who form
his council, is the general-in-chief, who is the President of the United States.
    The general-in-chief of the industrial army must have passed through all the
grades below him, from the common laborers up. Let us see how he rises. As I
have told you, it is simply by the excellence of his record as a worker that one
rises through the grades of the privates and becomes a candidate for a
lieutenancy. Through the lieutenancies he rises to the colonelcy, or
superintendent's position, by appointment from above, strictly limited to the
candidates of the best records. The general of the guild appoints to the ranks
under him, but he himself is not appointed, but chosen by suffrage.«
    »By suffrage!« I exclaimed. »Is not that ruinous to the discipline of the
guild, by tempting the candidates to intrigue for the support of the workers
under them?«
    »So it would be, no doubt,« replied Dr. Leete, »if the workers had any
suffrage to exercise, or anything to say about the choice. But they have
nothing. Just here comes in a peculiarity of our system. The general of the
guild is chosen from among the superintendents by vote of the honorary members
of the guild, that is, of those who have served their time in the guild and
received their discharge. As you know, at the age of forty-five we are mustered
out of the army of industry, and have the residue of life for the pursuit of our
own improvement or recreation. Of course, however, the associations of our
active life-time retain a powerful hold on us. The companionships we formed then
remain our companionships till the end of life. We always continue honorary
members of our former guilds, and retain the keenest and most jealous interest
in their welfare and repute in the hands of the following generation. In the
clubs maintained by the honorary members of the several guilds, in which we meet
socially, there are no