to him that hath-第30节

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father　proceeded　to　lay　before　his　son　the　immediately　pressing
problems　in　the　businessthe　financial　obligations　already
assumed；　the　heavy　accumulation　of　stock　for　which　there　were　no
markets；　the　increasing　costs　in　production　with　no　hope　of　relief；
but　rather　every　expectation　of　added　burdens　in　this　direction。

As　he　listened　to　his　father；　Jack　was　appalled　with　what　he
considered　the　overwhelmingly　disastrous　situation　in　which　the
business　was　placed。　　At　the　same　time　he　saw　his　father　in　a　new
light。　　This　silent；　stern；　reserved　man　assumed　a　role　of　hero　in
his　eyes；　facing　desperate　odds　and　silently　fighting　a　lonely　and
doubtful　battle。　　The　son　was　smitten　with　a　sense　of　his　own
futility。　　In　him　was　born　a　desire　and　a　resolve　to　stand　beside
his　father　in　this　conflict　and　if　the　battle　went　against　them；　to
share　in　the　defeat。

〃Dad；〃　cried　his　son　impulsively；　〃I　am　a　rotter。　　I　have　been　of
no　help　to　you；　but　only　a　burden。　　I　had　no　idea　the　situation　was
so　serious。〃　　Remorse　and　alarm　showed　in　his　tone。

〃Don't　misunderstand　me；〃　said　his　father。　　〃This　is　new　to　you　and
appears　more　serious　than　it　is。　　There　is　really　no　ground；　or
little　ground；　for　anxiety　or　alarm。　　Let　me　give　you　the　other
side。〃　　Then　he　proceeded　to　set　forth　the　resources　of　the
business；　the　extent　of　his　credit；　his　plans　to　meet　the　present
situation　and　to　prepare　for　possible　emergencies。　　〃We　are　not　at
the　wall　yet；　by　any　means；　Jack；〃　he　said；　his　voice　ringing　out
with　a　resolute　courage。　　〃But　I　am　bound　to　say　that　if　any　sudden
or　untoward　combination　of　circumstances；　a　strike；　for　instance；
should　arise；　disaster　might　follow。〃

Jack's　heart　sank　still　lower。　　He　was　practically　certain　that　a
strike　was　imminent。　　Although　without　any　official　confirmation　of
his　suspicions；　he　had　kept　his　eyes　and　ears　opened　and　he　was
convinced　that　trouble　was　unavoidable。　　As　his　father　continued　to
set　forth　his　plans；　his　admiration　for　him　grew。　　He　brought　to
bear　upon　the　problems　with　which　he　was　grappling　a　clear　head；
wide　knowledge　and　steady　courage。　　He　was　a　general；　planning　a
campaign　in　the　face　of　serious　odds。　　He　recalled　a　saying　of　his
old　Commander…in…Chief　in　France：　　〃War　is　a　business　and　will　be
won　by　the　application　of　business　principles　and　business　methods。
Given　a　body　of　fighting　men　such　as　I　command；　the　thing　becomes　a
problem　of　transportation；　organization；　reserve；　insurance。　　War
is　a　business　and　will　be　won　by　fighting　men　directed　or　governed
by　business　principles。〃　　He　was　filled　with　regret　that　he　had　not
given　himself　more　during　these　last　months　to　the　study　of　these
principles。　　The　prospect　of　a　fight　against　impending　disaster
touched　his　imagination　and　stimulated　him　like　a　bugle　call。

〃I　see　what　you　want；　father；〃　he　said。　　〃You　want　to　have　some
good　N。　C。　O。's。　　The　N。　C。　O。　is　the　backbone　of　the　army；〃　he
quoted　with　a　grin。

〃N。　C。　O？〃　echoed　his　father。　　He　was　not　sufficiently　versed　in
military　affairs　to　catch　the　full　meaning　of　the　army　rag。

〃What　I　mean　is；〃　said　Jack；　〃that　no　matter　how　able　a　military
commander　is；　he　must　have　efficient　subordinates　to　carry　on。　　No
Colonel　can　do　his　own　company　and　platoon　work。〃

His　father　nodded：　　〃You've　got　it；　Jack。　　I　want　a　manager　to　whom
I　can　entrust　a　policy　without　ever　having　to　think　of　it　again。　　I
don't　want　a　man　who　gets　on　top　of　the　load；　but　one　who　gets
under　it。〃

〃You　want　a　good　adjutant；　father；　and　a　sergeant…major。〃

〃I　suppose　so；〃　said　the　father；　〃although　your　military　terms　are
a　little　beyond　me。　　After　all；　the　thing　is　simple　enough。　　On　the
management　side；　we　want　increase　in　production；　which　means
decrease　in　production　costs；　and　this　means　better　organization　of
the　work　and　the　workers。〃

Jack　nodded　and　after　a　moment；　said：　　〃May　I　add；　sir；　one　thing
more？〃

〃Yes；〃　said　his　father。

〃Team　play；〃　said　Jack。　　〃That　is　my　specialty；　you　know。
Individualism　in　a　game　may　be　spectacularly　attractive；　but　it
doesn't　get　the　goal。〃

〃Team　play；〃　said　his　father。　　〃Co…operation；　I　suppose　you　mean。
My　dear　boy；　this　is　no　time　for　experimentation　in　profit…sharing
schemes；　if　that　is　what　you　are　after。　　Anyway；　the　history　of
profiteering　schemes　as　I　have　read　it　is　not　such　as　to　warrant
entire　confidence　in　their　soundness。　　You　cannot　change　the
economic　system　overnight。〃

〃That　is　true　enough；　Dad；〃　said　his　son；　〃and　perhaps　I　am　a　fool。
But　I　remember；　and　you　remember；　what　everybody　said；　and
especially　what　the　experts　said；　about　the　military　methods　and
tactics　before　the　war。　　You　say　you　cannot　change　the　economic
system　overnight；　and　yet　the　whole　military　system　was　changed
practically　overnight。　　In　almost　every　particular；　there　was　a
complete　revolution。　　Cavalry；　fortress　defences；　high　explosives；
the　proper　place　for　machine　guns；　field　tactics；　in　fact；　the
whole　business　was　radically　changed。　　And　if　we　hadn't　changed；
they　would　be　speaking　German　in　the　schools　of　England；　like
enough；　by　this　time。〃

〃Jack；　you　may　be　right；〃　said　his　father；　with　a　touch　of
impatience；　〃but　I　don't　want　to　be　worried　just　now。　　It　is　easy
enough　for　your　friend；　Matheson；　and　other　academic　industrial
directors；　to　suggest　experiments　with　other　people's　money。　　If　we
could　only　get　production；　I　would　not　mind　very　much　what　wages　we
had　to　pay。　　But　I　confess　when　industrial　strife　is　added　to　my
other　burdens；　it　is　almost　more　than　I　can　bear。〃

〃I　am　awfully　sorry；　Dad；〃　replied　his　son。　　〃I　have　no　wish　to
worry　you；　but　how　are　you　going　to　get　production？　　Everybody　says
it　has　fallen　off　terribly　during　and　since　the　war。　　How　are　you
going　to　bring　it　up？　　Not　by　the　pay　envelope；　I　venture　to　say；
and　that　is　why　I　suggested　team　play。　　And　I　am　not　thinking　about
co…operative　schemes　of　management；　either。　　Some　way　must　be　found
to　interest　the　fellows　in　their　job；　in　the　work　itself；　as
distinct　from　the　financial　returns。　　Unless　the　chaps　are
interested　in　the　game；　they　won't　get　the　goals。〃

〃My　boy；〃　said　his　father　wearily；　〃that　old　interest　in　work　is
gone。　　That　old　pride　in　work　which　we　used　to　feel　when　I　was　at
the　job　myself；　is　gone。　　We　have　a　different　kind　of　workman
nowadays。〃

〃Dad；　don't　believe　that；〃　said　Jack。　　〃Remember　the　same　thing　was
said　before　the　war。　　We　used　to　hear　all　about　that　decadent　race
stuff。　　The　war　proved　it　to　be　all　rot。　　The　race　is　as　fine　as
ever　it　was。　　Our　history　never　produced　finer　fighting　men。〃

〃You　may　be　right；〃　said　his　father。　　〃If　we　could　only　get　rid　of
these　cursed　agitators。〃

〃There　again；　Dad；　if　you　will　excuse　me；　I　believe　you　are
mistaken。　　I　have　been　working　with　these　men　for　the　last　nine
months；　I　have　attended　very　regularly　the　meetings　of　their　unions
and　I　have　studied　the　whole　situation　with　great　care。　　The　union
is　a　great　institution。　　I　am　for　it　heart　and　soul。　　It　is　soundly
and　solidly　democratic；　and　the　agitators　cut　very　little　figure。
I　size　up　the　whole　lot　about　this　way：　　Fifty　per　cent　of　the　men
are　steady…going　fellows　with　ambition　to　climb；　twenty…five　per
cent　are　content　to　grub　along　for　the　day's　pay　and　with　no　great
ambition　worrying　them。　　Of　the　remainder；　ten　per　cent　are　sincere
and　convinced　reformers；　more　or　less　half…baked　intellectuals；　ten
per　cent　love　the　sound　of　their　own　voices；　hate　work　and　want　to
live　by　their　jaw；　five　per　cent　only　are　unscrupulous　and　selfish
agitators。　　But；　Dad；　believe　me；　fire…brands　may　light　fires；　but
solid　fagots　only　can　keep　fires　going。　　You　cannot　make
conflagrations　out　of　torches　alone。〃

〃That　is　Matheson；　I　suppose；〃　said　his　father；　smiling　at　him。

〃Well；　I　own　up。　　I　have　got　a　lot　of　stuff　from　Matheson。　　All　the
same　I　believe　I　have　fairly　sized　up　the　labour　situation。〃

〃Boy；　boy；〃　said　his　father；　〃I　am　tired　of　it　all。　　I　believe　with
some　team　play　you　and　I　could　make　it　go。　　Alone；　I　am　not　so
sure。　　Will　you　take　the　job？〃

There　was　silence　between　them　for　a　few　minutes。　　Then　Jack
answered　slowly：　　〃I　am　not　sure　of　myself　at　all；　Dad；　but　I　can
see　you　must　have　someone　and　I　am　willing　to　try　the　planing
mill。〃

〃Thank　you；　boy；〃　said　his　father；　stretching　his　hand　quickly
across　the　table；　〃I　will　back　you　up　and　won't　worry　you。　　Within
reasonable　limits　I　will　give　you　a　free　hand。〃

〃I　know　you　will；　Dad；〃　said　Jack；　〃and　of　course　I　have　been　in
the　army　long　enough　to　know　the　difference　between　the　O。　C。　and
the　sergeant…major。〃

〃Now；　what　about　Tony？〃　inquired　Maitland；　reverting　suddenly　to
what　both　felt　to　be　a　painful　and　perplexing　problem。　　〃What　are
we　to　do　with　him？〃

〃I　will　take　him　on；〃　said　Jack。　　〃I　suppose　I　must。〃

〃He　will　be　a　heavy　handicap　to　you；　boy。　　Is　there　no　other　way？〃

〃I　see　no　other　way；〃　Jack　replied。　　〃I　will　give　him　a　trial。
Shall　I　bring　him　in？〃

〃Bring　him　in。〃

In　a　minute　or　two　Jack　returned　with　Tony。　　As　Maitland's　eyes
fell　upon　him；　he　could　not　prevent　a　start　of　shocked　surprise。

〃Why；　Tony！〃　he　exclaimed。　　〃What　in　all　the　wor