to him that hath-第42章

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membership。〃

McNish　grunted　contemptuously。

〃It　would　be　an　interesting　experiment；〃　said　the　minister。　　〃An
interesting　experiment；　McNish；　and　you　are　not　to　grunt　like　that。
The　human　element；　of　course；　is　the　crux　here。　　If　we　had　the
right　sort　of　foreman　he　might　be　trusted　to　be　a　member　of　the
union；　but　a　man　cannot　direct　and　be　directed　at　the　same　time。
But　that　union　of　yours；　Maitland；　with　both　parties　represented　in
it；　is　a　big　idea。　　It　is　worth　considering。　　What　do　you　think
about　it；　McNish？〃

〃What　do　I　think　of　it？　　It　is　sheer　idealistic　nonsense。〃

〃It　is　a　noble　idea；　laddie；　and　no　to　be　sneered　at；　but　A　doot　it
needs　a　better　world　for　it　than　we　hae　at　the　present。〃

〃I　am　afraid　that　is　true；〃　said　the　minister。　　〃But　meantime　a
foreman　is　a　man　who　gives　orders　and　directs　work；　and；　generally
speaking；　he　must　remain　with　a　directorate　in　any　business。　　There
may　be　exceptions。　　You　must　acknowledge　that；　McNish。〃

〃I'll　acknowledge　nothing　of　the　sort；〃　replied　McNish；　and　entered
into　a　long　argument　which　convinced　no　one。

〃Now　we　come　to　the　next；　number　five：　'a　voice　in　the　management；'
it　means。　　Come　now；　McNish；　this　is　rather　much。　　Do　you　want　Mr。
Maitland's　job　here；　or　is　there　anyone　in　your　shop　who　would　be
anything　but　an　embarrassment　trying　running　the　Maitland　Mills；
and　you　know　quite　well　that　the　men　want　nothing　of　the　sort。　　It
may　be　as　Mrs。　McNish　said；　'a　good　negotiating　point；'　but　it　has
no　place　in　practical　politics　here　in　Blackwater。　　How　would　you
like；　for　instance；　to　take　orders　from　Simmons？〃

The　old　lady　chuckled　delightedly。　　〃He　has　you　there；　laddie；　he
has　you　there！〃

But　this　McNish　would　not　acknowledge；　and　proceeded　to　argue　at
great　length　on　purely　theoretical　grounds　for　joint　control　of
industries；　till　his　mother　quite　lost　patience　with　him。

〃Hoots；　laddie；　haud　yer　hoofs　on　mither　earth。　　Would　ye　want　yon
radical　bodies　to　take　chairge　o'　ony　business　in　which　ye　had　a
baubee？　　Ye're　talkin'　havers。〃

〃Now；　let　us　look　at　the　last；〃　said　Mr。　Matheson。　　〃It　is
practically　a　demand　for　the　closed　shop。　　Now；　McNish；　I　ask　you；
man　to　man；　what　is　the　use　of　putting　that　in　there？　　It　is　not
even　a　negotiating　point。〃

At　that　McNish　fired　up。　　〃It　is　no　negotiating　point；〃　he
declared。　　〃I　stand　for　that。　　It　is　vital　to　the　very　existence　of
unionised　labour。　　Everyone　knows　that。　　Unionism　cannot　maintain
itself　in　existence　without　the　closed　shop。　　It　is　the　ideal
toward　which　all　unionised　labour　works。〃

〃Now；　McNish；　tell　me　honestly；〃　said　the　minister；　〃do　you　expect
or　hope　for　an　absolutely　closed　shop　in　the　factories　here　in
Blackwater；　or　in　the　Building　Industries？　　Have　you　the　faintest
shadow　of　a　hope？〃

〃We　may　not　get　it；〃　said　McNish；　〃but　that　is　no　reason　why　we
should　not　fight　for　it。　　Men　have　died　fighting　for　the　impossible
because　they　knew　it　was　right；　and；　by　dying　for　it；　they　have
brought　it　to　pass。〃

〃Far　be　it　from　me；　McNish；　to　deny　that。　　But　I　am　asking　you　now；
again　as　man　to　man；　do　you　know　of　any　industry；　even　in　the　Old
Land；　where　the　closed　shop　absolutely　prevails；　and　do　you　think
that　conditions　in　Blackwater　give　you　the　faintest　hope　of　a
closed　shop　here？〃

〃Yes；〃　shouted　McNish；　springing　to　his　feet；　〃there　is　hope。
There　is　hope　even　in　Blackwater。〃

〃Tut；　tut；　laddie；〃　said　his　mother。　　〃Dinna　deeve　us。　　What　has
come　ower　ye　that　ye　canna　talk　like　a　reasonable　man？　　Noo；　Mr。
Matheson；　ye've　had　enough　of　the　labour　matters。　　A'll　mak　ye　a
cup　of　tea。〃

〃Thank　you；　Mrs。　McNish；〃　said　the　minister　gravely；　〃but　I　cannot
linger。　　I　have　still　work　to　do　to…night。〃　　He　rose　from　his　chair
and　found　his　coat。　　His　manner　was　gravely　sad　and　gave　evidence
of　his　disappointment　with　the　evening's　conversation。

〃Dinna　fash　yerself；　minister；〃　said　the　old　lady；　helping　him　on
with　his　coat。　　〃The　'trouble'　will　blow　ower；　a　doot。　　It'll　a'
come　oot　richt。〃

〃Mrs。　McNish；　what　I　have　seen　and　heard　in　this　house　to…night；〃
said　the　minister　solemnly；　〃gives　me　little　hope　that　it　will　all
come　right；　but　rather　gives　me　grave　concern。〃　　Then；　looking
straight　into　the　eyes　of　her　son；　he　added：　　〃I　came　here
expecting　to　find　help　and　guidance　in　discovering　a　reasonable　way
out　of　a　very　grave　and　serious　difficulty。　　I　confess　I　have　been
disappointed。〃

〃Mr。　Matheson；〃　said　McNish；　〃I　am　always　glad　to　discuss　any
matter　with　you　in　a　reasonable　and　kindly　way。〃

〃I　am　afraid　my　presence　has　not　helped　very　much；　Mrs。　McNish；〃
said　Maitland。　　〃I　am　sorry　I　came　tonight。　　I　did　come　earnestly
desiring　and　hoping　that　we　might　find　a　way　out。　　It　seems　I　have
made　a　mistake。〃

〃You　came　at　my　request；　Maitland；〃　said　the　minister。　　〃If　a
mistake　has　been　made；　it　is　mine。　　Good…night；　Mrs。　McNish。　　Good…
night；　Malcolm。　　I　don't　pretend　to　know　or　understand　what　is　in
your　heart；　but　I　am　going　to　say　to　you　as　your　minister　that
where　there　is　evil　passion　there　can　be　no　clear　thinking。　　And
further；　let　me　say　that　upon　you　will　devolve　a　heavy　responsibility
for　the　guidance　you　give　these　men。　　Good…night　again。　　Remember
that　One　whom　we　both　acknowledge　as　the　source　of　all　true　light
said：　　'If　the　light　that　is　in　thee　be　darkness；　how　great　is　that
darkness。'〃　　He　shook　hands　first　with　the　mother；　then　with　the
son；　who　turned　away　from　him　with　a　curt　〃Good…night〃　and　nodded　to
Maitland。

For　a　moment　or　two　neither　of　the　men　spoke。　　They　were　both
grievously　disappointed　in　the　interview。

〃I　never　saw　him　like　that；〃　said　the　Reverend　Murdo　at　length。
〃What　can　be　the　matter　with　him？　　With　him　passion　is　darkening
counsel。〃

〃Well；〃　said　Maitland；　〃I　have　found　out　one　thing　that　I　wanted。〃

〃And　what　is　that？〃

〃These　men　clearly　do　not　want　what　they　are　asking　for。　　They　want
chiefly　warat　least；　McNish　does。〃

〃I　am　deeply　disappointed　in　McNish；〃　replied　the　minister；　〃and　I
confess　I　am　anxious。　　McNish；　above　all　others；　is　the　brains　of
this　movement；　and　in　that　mood　there　is　little　hope　of　reason　from
him。　　I　fear　it　will　be　a　sore　fight；　with　a　doubtful　issue。〃

〃Oh；　I　don't　despair；〃　said　Maitland　cheerily。　　〃I　have　an　idea　he
has　a　quarrel　with　me。　　He　wants　to　get　me。　　But　we　can　beat　him。〃

The　Reverend　Murdo　waited　for　a　further　explanation；　but　was　too
much　of　a　gentleman　to　press　the　point　and　kept　silent　till　they
reached　his　door。

〃You　will　not　desert　us；　Mr。　Matheson；〃　said　Maitland　earnestly。

〃Desert　you？　　It　is　my　job。　　These　people　are　my　people。　　We　cannot
desert　them。〃

〃Right　you　are；〃　said　Maitland。　　〃Cheerio。　　We'll　carry　on。　　He
shook　hands　warmly　with　the　minister　and　went　off；　whistling
cheerily。

〃That　is　a　man　to　follow；〃　said　the　minister　to　himself。　　〃He　goes
whistling　into　a　fight。〃



CHAPTER　XIII

THE　STRIKE


The　negotiations　between　the　men　and　their　employers；　in　which　the
chief　exponents　of　the　principles　of　justice　and　fair　play　were　Mr。
McGinnis　on　the　one　hand　and　Brother　Simmons　on　the　other；　broke
down　at　the　second　meeting；　which　ended　in　a　vigorous　personal
encounter　between　these　gentlemen；　without；　however；　serious　injury
to　either。

The　following　day　a　general　strike　was　declared。　　All　work　ceased
in　the　factories　affected　and　building　operations　which　had　begun
in　a　moderate　way　were　arrested。　　Grant　Maitland　was　heartily
disgusted　with　the　course　of　events　and　more　especially　with　the
humiliating　and　disgraceful　manner　in　which　the　negotiations　had
been　conducted。

〃You　were　quite　right；　Jack；〃　he　said　to　his　son　the　morning　after
which　the　strike　had　been　declared。　　〃That　man　McGinnis　is　quite
impossible。〃

〃It　really　made　little　difference；　Dad。　　The　negotiations　were
hopeless　from　the　beginning。　　There　was　no　chance　of　peace。〃

〃Why　not？〃

〃Because　McNish　wants　war。〃　　He　proceeded　to　give　an　account　of　the
evening　spent　at　the　McNish　home。　　〃When　McNish　wants　peace；　we　can
easily　end　the　strike；〃　concluded　Jack。

〃There　is　something　in　what　you　say；　doubtless；〃　replied　his　father；
〃but　meantime　there　is　a　lot　to　be　done。〃