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第40章

to him that hath-第40章

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left the room; to return almost immediately with Mr。 McGinnis;
evidently quite incoherent with rage。

In the outer office Jack paused beside the desk of the old
bookkeeper。  From behind the closed door came the sound of high
explosives。

〃Rough stuff in there; eh; Wickes;〃 said Jack; with a humorous
smile。  For some moments he stood listening。  〃War is a terrible
thing;〃 he added with a grin。

〃What seems to be the matter; Mr。 Jack?〃

Jack laid before him the document sent out by the Allied Unions。

〃Oh; this is terrible; Mr。 Jack!  And just at this time。  I am very
much afraid it will ruin us。〃

〃Ruin us?  Rot。  Don't ever say that word again。  We will possibly
have a jolly good row。  Someone will be hurt and perhaps all of us;
more or less; but I don't mean to be beaten; if I know myself;〃 he
added; with the smile on his face that his hockey team loved to see
before a match。  〃Now; Wickes;〃 continued Jack; 〃get that idea of
failure out of your mind。  We are going to win。  And meantime; let
us prepare for our campaign。  Here's a bit of work I want you to do
for me。  Get four things for me: the wages for the last three
yearsyou have the sheets?〃

〃Yes; sir。〃

〃The cost of living from the Labour Gazette for the last three
yearsyou have them hereand the rates of increase in wages。
Plot a diagram showing all these things。  You know what I mean?〃

〃Yes; sir; I understand。〃

〃And find out the wages paid at our competing points。〃

〃All right; Mr。 Jack。  I know what you want。  I can give you the
necessary information in regard to the first three points almost at
once。  It will take some days; however; to get the wages of our
competing points。〃

〃All right; old boy。  Carry on!〃 said Jack; and with the same smile
on his face he passed out of the office into the shops。

It amused him slightly to observe the change in the attitude and
bearing of his men。  They would not look at him fairly in the face。
Even Snoopy Sykes and Macnamara avoided his glance。  But he had for
everyone his usual cheery word。  Why should he not?  These chaps
had no hatred for him; nor he for them。  He had come to understand
union methods of discipline and recognised fully the demands for
loyalty and obedience imposed upon its members by the organisation。
These men of his were bound to the union by solemn obligations。  He
bore them no ill…will on that score。  Rather he respected them the
more for it。  If a fight was inevitable; he would do his best to
beat them but he would allow no spirit of hatred to change his mind
toward them nor cloud his judgment。

The day was full of excursions and alarms。  A hurry call was sent
out by McGinnis to all employers who had received copies of the
document from the Allied Unions。  In the afternoon a meeting was
held in the Board of Trade Building; but it was given over chiefly
to vituperation and threatening directed toward their variously
described employees。  With one heart and voice all affirmed with
solemn; and in many cases with profane oaths that they would not
yield a jot to the insolent demands of this newly organised body。

〃I have already sent my answer;〃 shouted Mr。 McGinnis。

〃What did you say; Mac?〃

〃Told 'em to go to hell; and told 'em that if any of these highly
coloured committee men came on my premises; I would kick 'em into
the middle of next week。〃

Jack; who was present at the meeting; sat listening with silent and
amused pity。  They seemed to him so like a group of angry children
whose game had suddenly been interfered with and whose rage
rendered them incapable of coherent thought。

Grant Maitland; who; throughout the meeting had sat silent; finally
rose and said:  〃Gentlemen; the mere expression of feeling may
afford a sort of satisfaction but the question is; What is to be
done?  That the situation is grave for all of us we know too well。
Not many of us are in a position to be indifferent to a strike。
Let us get down to business。  What shall we do?〃

〃Fight them to a finish!  Smash the unions!〃 were the suggestions
in various forms and with various descriptive adjectives。

〃It may come to a fight; gentlemen; but however gratifying a fight
may be to our feelings; a fight may be disastrous to our business。
A strike may last for weeks; perhaps months。  Are we in a position
to stand that?  And as for smashing the unions; let us once and for
all put such a thought out of our minds。  These unions have all
international affiliations。  It is absurd to imagine that we here
in Blackwater could smash a single union。〃

Fiercely McGinnis made reply。  〃I want to tell you right here and
now that I am prepared to close down and go out of business but I
will have no outside committee tell me how to run my job。〃

But no one took this threat seriously; and no one but knew that a
shut…down for any of them might mean disaster。  They all recalled
those unfilled orders which they were straining every nerve to
complete before the market should break; or cancellation should
come。  It added not a little to their rage that they knew
themselves to be held in the grip of circumstances over which they
had little control。

After much angry deliberation it was finally agreed that they
should appoint a committee to consider the whole situation and to
prepare a plan of action。  Meantime the committee were instructed
to temporise with the enemy。

The evening papers announced the imminence of a strike the extent
and magnitude of which had never been experienced in the history of
Blackwater。  Everywhere the citizens of the industrial town were
discussing the disturbing news anxiously; angrily; indifferently;
according as they were variously affected。  But there was a general
agreement among all classes of citizens that a strike in the
present industrial and financial situation which was already
serious enough; would be nothing short of a calamity; because no
matter what the issue would be; no matter which of the parties won
in the conflict; a fight meant serious loss not only to the two
parties immediately concerned; but to the whole community as well。
With the rank and file of the working people there was little heart
for a fight。  More especially; men upon whom lay the responsibility
for the support of homes shrank from the pain and the suffering; as
well as from the loss which experience taught them a strike must
entail。  It is safe to say that in every working man's home in
Blackwater that night there was to be found a woman who; as she put
her children to bed; prayed that trouble might be averted; for she
knew that in every war it is upon the women and children that in
the last analysis the sorest burden must fall。  To them even
victory would mean for many months a loss of luxuries for the
family; it might be of comforts; and defeat; which would come not
until after long conflict; would mean not only straitened means but
actual poverty; with all the attendant humiliation and bitterness
which would kill for them the joy of life and sensibly add to its
already heavy burden。

That night Jack Maitland felt that a chat with the Reverend Murdo
Matheson might help to clear his own mind as to the demands of the
Allied Unions。  He found the minister in his study and in great
distress of soul。

〃I am glad to see you; Maitland;〃 he said; giving him a hearty
greeting。  〃My hope is largely placed in you and you must not fail
me in this crisis。  What exactly are the demands of the unions?〃

Maitland spread before him the letter which his father had received
that morning。  The Reverend Murdo read it carefully over; then;
with a sigh of relief; he said:  〃Well; it might be worse。  There
should not be much difficulty in coming to an agreement between
people anxious for peace。〃

After an hour spent in canvassing the subject from various points
of view; the Reverend Murdo exclaimed:  〃Let us go and see McNish。〃

〃The very thing;〃 said Maitland。  〃I have been trying to get in
touch with him for the last month or so; but he avoids me。〃

〃Ay;〃 replied the Reverend Murdo; 〃he has a reason; no doubt。〃

To Maitland's joy they found McNish at home。  They were received
with none…too…cordial a welcome by the 

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