to him that hath-第22章
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rebuke to the interrupter。
〃I （h）am surprised；〃 he began； with grieved and solemn emphasis。
〃Mr。 Chairman；〃 said the owner of the Cockney voice； rising to his
feet and revealing himself a small man with large head and thin
wizened features； 〃Mr。 Chairman； I rise to protest right 'ere an'
naow against the presence of （h）any representative of the （h）enemy
class at〃
〃Aw； shut up！〃 yelled a soldier； rising from his place。 〃Throw out
the little rat！〃
Immediately there was uproar。 On every side returned soldiers；
many of whom had been in Captain Jack's battalion； sprang up and
began moving toward the little Cockney who； boldly standing his
ground； was wildly appealing to the chair and was supported by the
furious cheering of a group of his friends； Old Country men most of
whom； as it turned out； were of the extreme Socialist type。 By
this time it had fully been borne in upon Captain Jack's mind；
somewhat dazed by the unexpected attack； that he was the occasion
of the uproar。 Rising from his place he tried vainly to catch the
Chairman's attention。
〃Come up to the platform；〃 said a voice in his ear。 He turned and
saw McNish shouldering his way through the excited crowd toward the
front。 After a moment's hesitation he shrugged his shoulders and
followed。 The move caught the eye and apparently the approval of
the audience； for it broke into cheers which gathered in volume
till by the time that McNish and Captain Jack stood on the platform
the great majority were wildly yelling their enthusiastic approval
of their action。 McNish stood with his hand raised for a hearing。
Almost instantly there fell a silence intense and expectant。 The
Scotchman stood looking in the direction of the excited Cockney
with cold steady eye。
〃A'm for freedom！ The right of public assembly！ A'm feart o' nae
enemy； not the deevil himself。 This gentleman is a member of my
Union and he stays r…r…right he…e…r…re。〃 With a rasping roll of
his r's he seemed to be ripping the skin off the little Cockney's
very flesh。 The response was a yell of savage cheers which seemed
to rock the building and which continued while Mr。 Wigglesworth in
overflowing effusiveness first shook Maitland's limp hand in a
violent double…handed pump handle exercise and then proceeded to
introduce him to the distinguished visitor； shouting his name in
Maitland's ear； 〃Mr 'Oward （H）E。 Bigelow；〃 adding with a sudden
inspiration； 〃（H）Introduce 'im to the （h）audience。 Yes！ Yes！
Most （h）assuredly；〃 and continued pushing both men toward the front
of the platform； the demonstration increasing in violence。
〃I say； old chap；〃 shouted Captain Jack in the stranger's ear； 〃I
feel like a fool。〃
〃I feel like a dozen of 'em；〃 shouted Mr。 Bigelow in return。
〃But；〃 he added with a slow wink； 〃this old fool is the daddy of
'em all。 Go on； introduce me； or they'll bust something loose。〃
Captain Jack took one step to the front of the platform and held up
his hand。 The cheering assumed an even greater violence； then
ceased in sudden breathless silence。
〃Ladies and gentlemen；〃 he said in a slightly bored voice； 〃this
gentleman is Mr。 Howard E。 Bigelow； a representative of the
American Federation of Labour； whom as a member of the Woodworkers'
Union； Local 197； I am anxious to hear if you don't mind。〃
He bowed to the visitor； bowed to the audience once more swaying
under a tempest of cheers； and； followed by McNish； made his way to
his seat。
From the first moment of his speech Mr。 Howard E。 Bigelow had to
fight for a hearing。 The little Cockney was the centre of a well…
organised and thoroughly competent body of obstructers who by clever
〃heckling；〃 by points of order； by insistent questioning； by playing
now upon the anti…American string； now upon the anti…Federation
string； by ribald laughter； by cheering a happy criticism；
completely checked every attempt of the speaker to take flight in
his oratory。 The International official was evidently an old hand
in this sort of game； but in the hands of these past masters in the
art of obstruction he met more than his match。 Maitland was amazed
at his patience； his self…control； his adroitness； but they were all
in vain。 At last he was forced to appeal to the Chairman for
British fair play。 But the Chairman was helplessly futile and his
futility was only emphasised by Mr。 Wigglesworth's attempts now at
browbeating which were met with derision and again at entreaty which
brought only demands for ruling on points of order； till the meeting
was on the point of breaking up in confused disorder。
〃McNish； I think I'll take a hand in this；〃 said Captain Jack in
the Scotchman's ear。 〃Are you game？〃
〃Wait a wee；〃 said McNish； getting to his feet。 Slowly he once
more made his way to the platform。 As the crowd caught on to his
purpose they broke into cheering。 When he reached the side of the
speaker he spoke a word in his ear； then came to the front with his
hand held up。 There was instant quiet。 He looked coolly over the
excited； disintegrating audience for a moment or two。
〃A belonged tae the Feefty…fir…rst Diveesion；〃 he said in his
richest Doric。 〃We had a rare time wi' bullies over there。 A'm
for free speech！ Noo； listen tae me； you Cockney wheedle doodle。
Let another cheep out o' yere trap an' the Captain there will fling
ye oot o' this room as we did the Kayser oot o' France。〃
〃You said it； McNish；〃 said Maitland； leaping to the aisle。 With a
roar a dozen returned men were on their feet。
〃Steady； squad！〃 rang out Captain Jack's order。 〃Fall into this
aisle！ Shun！〃 As if on parade the soldiers fell into line behind
their captain。
〃Macnamara！〃 he said； pointing to a huge Irishman。
〃Sir！〃 said Macnamara。
〃You see that little rat…faced chap？〃
〃Yes； sir。〃
〃Take your place beside him。〃
With two steps Macnamara was beside his man。
〃Mr。 Chairman； I protest；〃 began the little Cockney fiercely。
〃Pass him up；〃 said the Captain sharply。
With one single motion Macnamara's hand swept the little man out of
his place into the aisle。
〃Chuck him out！〃 said Captain Jack quietly。
From hand to hand； with never a pause； amid the jeers and laughter
of the crowd the little man was passed along like a bundle of old
rags till he disappeared through the open door。
〃Who's next？〃 shouted Macnamara joyfully。
〃As you were！〃 came the sharp command。
At once Macnamara stood at attention。
Captain Jack nodded to the platform。
〃All right；〃 he said quietly。
Mr。 Howard E。 Bigelow finished his speech in peace。 He made appeal
for the closing up of the ranks of Labour in preparation for the
big fight which was rapidly coming。 They had just finished with
Kaiserism in Europe but they were faced with only another form of
the same spirit in their own land。 They wanted no more fighting；
God knew they had had enough of that； but there were some things
dearer than peace； and Labour was resolved to get and to hold those
things which they had fought for； 〃which you British and especially
you Canadians shed so much blood to win。 We are making no threats；
but we are not going to stand for tyranny at the hands of any man
or any class of men in this country。 Only one thing will defeat
us； not the traditional enemies of our class but disunion in our
own ranks due to the fool tactics of a lot of disgruntled and
discredited traitors like the man who has just been fired from this
meeting。〃 He asked for a committee which would take the whole
situation in hand。 He closed with a promise that in any struggle
which they undertook under the guidance of their International
Officers the American Federation of Labour to their last dollar
would be behind them。
Before the formal closing of the meeting Maitland slipped quietly
out。 As he reached the sidewalk a light hand touched his arm。
Turning he saw at his elbow Annette； her face aglow and her black
eyes ablaze with passionate admiration。
〃Oh； Captain Jack；〃 she panted； her hands outstretched； 〃you were
just wonderful！ Splendid！ Oh！ I don't know what to say！ I〃
She paused in sudden confusion。 A hot colour flamed in her face。
Maitland took her hands in
