to him that hath-第41章

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To　Maitland's　joy　they　found　McNish　at　home。　　They　were　received
with　none…too…cordial　a　welcome　by　the　son；　with　kindly；　even　eager
greeting　by　the　mother。

〃Come　awa　in；　Minister；　come　awa；　Mr。　Maitland。　　You　have　come　to
talk　about　the　'trouble；'　a　doot。　　Malcolm　does…na　want　to　talk
about　it　to　me；　a　bad　sign。　　He　declines　to　converse　even；　wi'　me；
Mr。　Matheson。　　Perhaps　ye　may　succeed　better　wi'　him。〃

〃Mr。　Matheson　can　see　for　himself；〃　said　her　son；　using　his　most
correct　English；　〃the　impropriety　of　my　talking　with　an　employer　in
this　way。〃

〃Nonsense；　McNish；〃　said　the　minister　briskly。　　〃You　know　me　quite
well　and　we　both　know　Maitland。　　It　is　just　sheer　nonsense　to　say
that　you　cannot　talk　with　us。　　Everyone　in　town　is　talking。　　Every
man　in　your　union　is　talking；　trying　to　justify　their　present
position；　which；　I　am　bound　to　say；　takes　some　justifying。〃

〃Why？〃　asked　McNish　hotly。

〃Because　the　demands　are　some　of　them　quite　unsound。　　Some　other
than　you　had　a　hand　in　drawing　up　your　Petition　of　Right；　McNish；
and　some　of　the　demands　are　impossible。〃

〃How　do　you〃　began　McNish　indignantly；　but　the　minister　held　up
his　hand　and　continued：

〃And　some　of　them　are　both　sound　and　reasonable。〃

〃What's　wrang　with　the　demands？〃　said　McNish。

〃That's　what　I　am　about　to　show　you；〃　said　the　minister　with　grave
confidence。

〃Aye；　minister；〃　said　the　mother　with　a　chuckle　of　delight。
〃That's　you！　　That's　you！　　Haud　at　him！　　Haud　at　him！　　That's　you！〃

They　took　seats　about　the　blazing　fire　for　the　evening　was　still
shrewd　enough　to　make　the　fire　welcome。

〃Noo；　Mr。　Matheson；〃　said　the　old　lady；　leaning　toward　him　with
keen　relish　in　her　face；　〃read　me　the　union　demands。　　Malcolm　wadna
read　nor　talk　nor　anything　but　glower。〃

The　Reverend　Murdo　read　the　six　clauses。

〃Um！　　They're　no　bad　negotiating　pints。〃

〃Negotiatin'　pints！〃　exclaimed　her　son　indignantly。　　〃Noo；　mither；
ye　maun　play　the　game。　　A'm　no　gaun　tae　argue　with　ye　to…night。
Nor　wi'　any　of　ye；〃　he　added。

〃Nonsense；　Malcolm。　　You　can't　object　to　talk　over　these　points
with　us。　　You　must　talk　them　over　before　you're　done　with　them。
And　you'll　talk　them　over　before　the　whole　town；　too。〃

〃What　do　you　mean；　'before　the　whole　town'？〃　said　Malcolm。

〃This　is　a　community　question。　　This　community　is　interested　and
greatly　interested。　　It　will　demand　a　full　exposition　of　the
attitude　of　the　unions。〃

〃The　community！〃　snorted　McNish　in　contempt。

〃Aye；　the　community；〃　replied　the　minister；　〃and　you　are　not　to
snort　at　it。　　That's　the　trouble　with　you　labour　folk。　　You　think
you　are　the　whole　thing。　　You　forget　the　third　and　most　important
party　in　any　industrial　strife；　the　community。　　The　community　is
interested　first；　in　justice　being　done　to　its　citizensto　all　its
citizens；　mind　you；　second；　in　the　preservation　of　the　services
necessary　to　its　comfort　and　well…being；　third；　in　the　continuance
of　the　means　of　livelihood　to　wage　earners。〃

〃Ye　missed　one；〃　said　McNish　grimly。　　〃The　conserving　of　the
profits　of　labour　for　the　benefit　of　the　capitalist。〃

〃I　might　have　put　that　in；　too；〃　said　the　minister；　〃but　it　is
included　in　my　first。　　But　I　should　have　added　another　which；　to　my
mind；　is　of　the　very　first　importance；　the　preservation　of　the
spirit　of　brotherly　feeling　and　Christian　decency　as　between　man
and　man　in　this　community。〃

〃Aye；　ye　might；〃　replied　Malcolm　in　bitter　irony；　〃and　ye　might
begin　with　the　ministers　and　the　churches。〃

〃Whisht；　laddie；〃　said　his　mother　sharply；　〃Mind　yer　manners。〃

〃He　doesn't　mean　me　specially；　Mrs。　McNish；　but　I　will　not　say　but
what　he　is　right。〃

〃No；〃　replied　McNish；　〃I　don't　mean　you　exactly；　Mr。　Matheson。〃

〃Don't　take　it　back；　McNish；〃　said　the　minister。　　〃I　need　it。　　We
all　need　it　in　the　churches；　and　we　will　take　it；　too。　　But　come
now；　let　us　look　at　these　clauses。　　You　are　surely　not　standing　for
them　all；　or　for　them　all　alike？〃

〃Why　not；　then？〃　said　McNish；　angrily。

〃I'll　tell　you；〃　replied　the　minister；　〃and　won't　take　long；
either。〃　　He　proceeded　to　read　over　carefully　the　various　clauses
in　the　demands　of　the　allied　unions；　emphasizing　and　explaining　the
meaning　of　each　clause。　　〃First；　as　to　wages。　　This　is　purely　a
matter　for　adjustment　to　the　cost　of　living　and　general　industrial
conditions。　　It　is　a　matter　of　arithmetic　and　common　sense。　　There
is　no　principle　involved。〃

〃I　don't　agree　with　you；〃　said　McNish。　　〃There　is　more　than　the
cost　of　living　to　be　considered。　　There　is　the　question　of　the
standard　of　living。　　Why　should　it　be　considered　right　that　the
standard　of　living　for　the　working　man　should　be　lower　than　that
for　the　professional　man　or　the　capitalist？〃

〃There　you　are　again；　McNish；〃　said　the　minister。　　〃You　are　not　up
to　your　usual　to…night。　　You　know　quite　well　that　every　working　man
in　my　parish　lives　better　than　I　do；　and　spends　more　money　on　his
living。　　The　standard　of　living　has　no　special　significance　with
the　working　man　to…day　as　distinguished　from　the　professional　man。
We　are　not　speaking　of　the　wasteful　and　idle　rich。　　So　I　repeat
that　here　it　is　a　matter　of　adjustment　and　that　there　is　no
principle　involved。　　Now；　as　regard　to　hours。　　You　ask　an　eight…
hour　day　and　a　Saturday　half…holiday。　　That；　too；　is　a　matter　of
adjustment。〃

〃What　about　production；　Mr。　Matheson？〃　said　Maitland。　　〃And
overhead？　　Production　costs　are　abnormally　high　to…day　and　so　are
carrying　charges。　　I　am　not　saying　that　a　ten…hour　day　is　not　too
long。　　Personally；　I　believe　that　a　man　cannot　keep　at　his　best　for
ten　hours　in　certain　industriesnot　in　all。〃

〃Long　hours　do　not　mean　big　production；　Maitland。　　Not　long　hours
but　intensive　and　co…ordinated　work　bring　up　production　and　lower
production　costs。〃

〃What　about　idle　machines　and　overhead？〃　inquired　Maitland。

〃A　very　important　consideration；〃　said　the　minister。　　〃The　only
sound　rule　governing　factory　industry　especially　is　this：　the
longest　possible　machine　time；　the　shortest　possible　man　time。　　But
here　again　it　is　a　question　of　organisation；　adjustment　and　co…
ordination　of　work　and　workers。　　We　all　want　education　here。〃

〃If　I　remember　right；〃　said　McNish；　and　he　could　not　keep　the
bitterness　out　of　his　voice；　〃I　have　heard　you　say　something　in　the
pulpit　at　times　in　regard　to　the　value　of　men's　immortal　souls。
What　care　can　men　take　of　their　bodies　and　minds；　let　alone　their
souls；　if　you　work　them　ten　hours　a　day？〃

〃There　is　a　previous　question；　McNish；〃　said　the　minister。　　〃Why
give　more　leisure　time　to　men　who　spend　their　leisure　hours　now　in
pool　rooms　and　that　sort　of　nonsense？〃

〃And　whose　fault　is　that；〃　replied　McNish　sharply。　　〃Who　is
responsible　that　they　have　not　learned　to　use　their　leisure　more
wisely？　　And　further；　what　about　your　young　bloods　and　their
leisure　hours？〃

〃Ay；　A　doot　he　has　ye　there；　minister；〃　said　Mrs。　McNish　with　a
quiet　chuckle。

〃He　has；〃　said　the　minister。　　〃The　point　is　well　taken　and　I
acknowledge　it　freely。　　My　position　is　that　the　men　need　more
leisure；　but；　more　than　that；　they　need　instruction　as　to　how　to
use　their　leisure　time　wisely。　　But　let　us　get　on　to　the　third
point。　　'A　Joint　Committee　of　References　demanded　to　which　all
complaints　shall　be　referred。'　　Now；　that's　fine。　　That's　the
Whitley　plan。　　It　is　quite　sound　and　has　proved　thoroughly　useful
in　practice。〃

〃I　quite　agree；〃　said　Maitland　frankly。　　〃But　certain　conditions
must　be　observed。〃

〃Of　course；　of　course；〃　replied　the　minister。　　〃Conditions　must　be
observed　everywhere。　　Now；　the　fourth　point：　　'The　foreman　must　be
a　member　of　the　union。'　　Thoroughly　unsound。　　They　can't　ride　two
horses　at　once。

〃I　am　not　so　sure　of　that；〃　said　Maitland。　　〃For　my　part；　I　should
like　to　have　retained　my　membership　in　the　union。　　The　more　that
both　parties　meet　for　conference；　the　better。　　And　the　more
connecting　links　between　them；　the　better。　　I　should　like　to　see　a
union　where　employers　and　employees　should　have　equal　rights　of
membership。〃

McNish　grunted　contemptuously。

〃It　would　be　an　interesting　experiment；〃　said　the　minister。　　〃An
interesting　experiment；　McNish；　and　yo