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knowregular fire…eatera rasping voice and grey matter oozing
from his pores。 My governor says he abandoned the frontal attack
and took them on the flank。 Opened up with a dose of economics
that made them sit up。 And when he got through on this line； he
made every man feel that it was entirely due to the courtesy and
forbearance of the union that he was allowed to carry on business
at all。 He spiked Brother McGinnis's guns by informing him that if
he was harbouring the idea that he owned a foundry all on his own；
he was labouring under a hallucination。 All he owned was a heap of
brick and mortar and some iron and steel junk arranged in some
peculiar way。 In fact； there was no foundry there till the workmen
came in and started the wheels going round。 Old McGinnis sat
gasping like a chicken with the pip。 Then the Padre turned on the
'Liberty of the subject' stop as follows： 'Mr。 McGinnis insists
upon liberty to run his foundry as he likes； insists upon perfect
freedom of action。 There is no such thing as perfect freedom of
action in modern civilisation。 For instance； Mr。 McGinnis rushing
to catch a train； hurls his Hudson Six gaily down Main Street
thirty miles an hour； on the left…hand side of the street。 A speed
cop sidles up； whispers a sweet something in his ear； hails him
ignominiously into court and invites him to contribute to the
support of the democracy fifty little iron men as an evidence of
his devotion to the sacred principle of personal liberty。 In
short； there is no such thing as personal liberty in this burg；
unless it is too late for the cop to see。' The governor says
McGinnis's face afforded a perfect study in emotions。 I should
have liked to have seen it。 The Padre never took his foot off
the accelerator。 He took them all for an excursion along
the 'Responsibility' line： personal responsibility； mutual
responsibility； community responsibility and every responsibility
known to the modern mind。 And then when he had them eating out
of his hand； he offered them two alternatives： an Arbitration
Committee as formerly proposed； or a Conciliation Board under the
Lemieux Act。 My governor says it was a great speech。 He had 'em
all jumping through the hoops。〃
〃What DO you mean； Vic？〃 lamented Mrs。 Templeton。 〃I have only the
very vaguest idea of what you have been saying all this time。〃
〃So sorry； Mrs。 Templeton。 What I mean is the Padre delivered a
most effective speech。〃
〃And did they settle anything？〃 inquired Patricia。
〃I regret to say； Patricia； that your friend Rupert〃
〃My friend； indeed！〃 cried Patricia。
〃Who comforts you with bonbons；〃 continued Vic； ignoring her words；
〃and stays you with joy rides； interposed at this second
psychological crisis。 He very cleverly moves a vote of thanks；
bows out the deputation； thanking them for their touching
addresses； and promising consideration。 Thereupon； as the door
closed； he proceeded to sound the alarm once more； collected the
scattered forces； flung the gage of battle in the teeth of the
enemy； dared them to do their worst； and there you are。〃
〃And nothing done？〃 cried Adrien。 〃What a shame。〃
〃What I cannot understand is；〃 said Hugh； 〃why the unions do not
invoke the Lemieux Act？〃
〃Aha！〃 said Vic。 〃Why？ The same question rose to my lips。〃
〃The Lemieux Act？〃 inquired Mrs。 Templeton。
〃Yes。 You know； Mrs。 Templeton； either party in dispute can ask
for a Board of Conciliation； not Arbitration； you understand。 This
Board has power to investigatebring out all the factsand
failing to effect conciliation； makes public its decision in the
case； leaving both parties at the bar of public opinion。〃
〃But I cannot understand why the unions do not ask for this
Conciliation Board。〃
〃I fear； Hugh；〃 said Victor in an awed and solemn voice； 〃that
there is an Ethiopian in the coal bin。〃
〃What DOES he mean； Patricia？〃
〃He means that there is something very dark and mysterious； Mamma。〃
〃So there is；〃 said Hugh。 〃The unions will take an Arbitration
Committee； which the employers decline to give； but they will not
ask for a Conciliation Board。〃
〃My governor says it's a bluff；〃 said Vic。 〃The unions know quite
well that McGinnis et hoc genus omne will have nothing to do with
an Arbitration Committee。 Hence they are all for an Arbitration
Committee。 On the other hand； neither the unions nor McGinnis are
greatly in love with the prying methods of the Conciliation Board；
and hence reject the aid of the Lemieux Act。〃
〃But why should they all be dominated by a man like McGinnis？〃
demanded Adrien。 〃Why doesn't some employer demand a Conciliation
Board？ He can get it； you know。〃
〃They naturally stand together；〃 said Hugh。
〃But they won't long。 Maitland declares that he will take either
board； and that if the committee cannot agree which to choose； he
will withdraw and make terms on his own。 He furthermore gave them
warning that if any strike…breakers were employed； of which he had
heard rumours； he would have nothing to do with the bunch。〃
〃Strike…breakers？〃 said Adrien。 〃That would certainly mean serious
trouble。〃
〃Indeed； you are jolly well right；〃 said Vic。 〃We will all be in
it then。 Civic guard！ Special police！ 'Shun！ Fix bayonets！
Prepare for cavalry！ Eh？〃
〃Oh； how terrible it all is；〃 said Mrs。 Templeton。
〃Nonsense； Vic；〃 said Hugh。 〃Don't listen to him； Mrs。 Templeton。
We will have nothing of that sort。〃
〃Well； it is all very sad；〃 said Mrs。 Templeton。 〃But here is
Rupert。 He will give us the latest。〃
But Rupert appeared unwilling to talk about the meeting of the
morning。 He was quite certain； however； that the strike was about
to break。 He had inside information that the resources of the
unions were almost exhausted。 The employers were tightening up
all along the line； credits were being refused at the stores； the
unions were torn with dissension； the end was at hand。
〃It would be a great mercy if it would end soon；〃 said Mrs。
Templeton。 〃It is a sad pity that these poor people are so
misguided。〃
〃It is a cruel shame； Mrs。 Templeton；〃 said Rupert indignantly。 〃I
have it from scores of them that they didn't want to strike at all。
They were getting good wagesthe wage scale has gone up steadily
during the war to the present extravagant height。〃
〃The cost of living has gone up much more rapidly； I believe；〃 said
Adrien。 〃The men are working ten hours a day； the conditions under
which they labour are in some cases deplorable； that McGinnis
foundry is a ghastly place； terribly unhealthy； the girls in many
of the factories are paid wages so shamefully low that they can
hardly maintain themselves in decency； and they are continually
being told that they are about to be dismissed。 The wrong's not
all on one side； by any means。 To my mind； men like McGinnis who
are unwilling to negotiate are a menace to the country。〃
〃You are quite right； Adrien；〃 replied Hugh。 〃I consider him a
most dangerous man。 That sort of pig…headed； bull…headed employer
of labour does more to promote strife than a dozen 'walking
delegates。' I am not terribly strong for the unions； but the point
of va