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financial leaders began to sound a note of warning； calling for
retrenchment and thrift。 And now the inevitable results were
beginning to appear。 The great steel and coal industries began to
curtail their operations； while desperately striving to maintain war
prices for their products。 Other industries followed their example。
All the time the cost of living continued to mount。 Foodstuffs
reached unheard…of prices； which； under the manipulations of
unscrupulous dealers； continued to climb。
Small wonder that working men with high wages and plenty of money
in their hands cherished exaggerated ideas of their wealth and
developed extravagant tastes in dress； amusements and in standard
of living。 With the rest of the world； they failed to recognise
the fact that money was a mere counter in wealth and not wealth
itself。 To a large extent； thrift was abandoned and while deposits
in the savings banks grew in volume； the depositors failed to
recognise the fact that the value of the dollar had decreased fifty
per cent。 Already the reaction from all this had begun to set in。
Nervousness paralysed the great financial institutions。 The fiat
went forth 〃No more money for industrial enterprises。 No more
advances on wholesale stocks。〃 The order was issued 〃Retrench。
Take your losses； unload your stocks。〃 This men were slow to do；
and while all agreed upon the soundness of the policy； each waited
for the other to begin。
Through the month of April anxiety； fear and discontent began to
haunt the minds of business men。 In the labour world the High
Command was quick to sense the approach of a crisis and began to
make preparations for the coming storm。 The whole industrial and
commercial world gradually crystallised into its two opposing
classes。 A subsidised press began earnestly to demand lower cost
in productions retrenchment in expenditure； a cut in labour costs；
a general and united effort to meet the inevitable burden of
deflation。
On the other hand； an inspired press began to raise an outcry
against the increasing cost of living； to point out the effect of
the house famine upon the income of the working man； and to sound a
warning as to the danger and folly of any sudden reduction in the
wage scale。
Increased activity in the ranks of organised labour began to be
apparent。 Everywhere the wild and radical element was gaining in
influence and in numbers； and the spirit of faction and internecine
strife became rampant。
It was due to the dominating forcefulness of McNish； the leader of
the moderates； that the two factions in the allied unions had been
consolidated； and a single policy agreed upon。 His whole past had
been a preparation for just a crisis as the present。 His wide
reading； his shrewd practical judgment； his large experience in
labour movements in the Old Land； gave him a position of commanding
influence which enabled him to dominate the executives and direct
their activities。 His sudden and unexplained acceptance of the
more radical program won for him an enthusiastic following of the
element which had hitherto recognised the leadership of Brother
Simmons。 Day and night； with a zeal that never tired； he laboured
at the work of organising and disciplining the various factions and
parties in the ranks of labour into a single compact body of
fighting men under a single command。 McNish was in the grip of one
of the mightiest of human passions。 Since that day in the Perrotte
home； when he had seen the girl that he loved practically offer
herself； as he thought； to another man； he had resolutely kept
himself away from her。 He had done with her forever and he had
torn out of his heart the genuine friendship which he had begun to
hold toward the man who had deprived him of her love。 But deep in
his heart he nourished a passion for vengeance that became an
obsession； a madness with him。 He merely waited the opportunity to
gratify his passion。
He learned that the Maitland Mills were in deep water； financially。
His keen economic instinct and his deep study of economic movements
told him that a serious financial crisis； continent…wide； was
inevitable and imminent。 It only needed a successful labour war to
give the final touch that would bring the whole industrial fabric
tumbling into ruin。 The desire for immediate revenge upon the man
toward whom he had come to cherish an implacable hatred would not
suffer him to await the onset of a nation…wide industrial crisis。
He fancied that he saw the opportunity for striking an immediate
blow here in Blackwater。
He steadily thwarted Maitland's attempts to get into touch with
him； whether at the works or in his own home； where Maitland had
become a frequent visitor。 He was able only partially to allay his
mother's anxiety and her suspicion that all was not well with him。
That shrewd old lady knew her son well enough to suspect that some
untoward circumstance had befallen him； but she knew also that she
could do no more than bide her time。
With the workers of the Maitland Mills circumstances favoured the
plans of McNish and the Executive of the allied unions。 The new
manager was beginning to make his hand felt upon the wheel。 Checks
upon wastage in labour time and in machine time were being
instituted； everywhere there was a tightening up of loose screws
and a knitting up of loose ends； with the inevitable consequent
irritation。 This was especially true in the case of Tony Perrotte；
to whom discipline was ever an external force and never an inward
compulsion。 Inexact in everything he did； irregular in his habits；
irresponsible in his undertakings； he met at every turn the
pressure of the firm； resolute hand of the new manager。 Deep down
in his heart there was an abiding admiration and affection for Jack
Maitland； but he loathed discipline and kicked against it。
The first of May is ever a day of uncertainty and unrest in the
world of labour。 It is a time for readjustment； for the fixing of
wage scales； for the assertion of labour rights and the ventilating
of labour wrongs。 It is a time favourable to upheaval； and is
therefore awaited by all employers of labour with considerable
anxiety。
On the surface there was not a ripple to indicate that as far as
the Maitland Mills were concerned there was beneath a surging tide
of unrest。 So undisturbed indeed was the surface that the
inexperienced young manager was inclined to make light of the
anxieties of his father； and was confident in his assurance that
the danger of a labour crisis had； for the present at least； been
averted。
Out of the blue heaven fell the bolt。 The mails on May Day morning
brought to the desk of every manager of every industry in
Blackwater； and to every building contractor； a formal document
setting forth in terms courteous but firm the demands of the
executives of the allied unions of Blackwater。
〃Well； it has come； boy；〃 was Maitland's greeting to his son； who
came into the office for the usual morning consultation。
〃What？〃 said Jack。
〃War；〃 replied his father； tossing him the letter and watching his
face as he read it。
Jack handed him the letter without a word。
〃