to him that hath-第41节

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working　men's　groups　taking　on　small　contracts；　which　excited　great
wrath　and　which　McGinnis　declared　must　be　stopped。〃

〃How　can　they　stop　them？　　This　is　a　free　country；〃　said　Adrien。

〃Aha！〃　cried　Victor。　　〃Little　you　know　of　the　resources　of　the
E。　D。　C。　　It　is　proposed　that　the　supply　dealers　should　refuse
supplies　to　all　builders　until　the　strike　is　settled。　　No　more
lumber；　lime；　cement；　etc。；　etc。〃

〃Boycott；　eh？　　I　call　that　pretty　rotten；〃　said　Adrien。

〃The　majority　were　pretty　much　for　it；　however；　except　Maitland　and
my　governor；　they　protesting　that　this　boycott　was　hardly　playing
the　game。　　Your　friend　Captain　Jack　came　in　for　his　licks；〃
continued　Vic；　turning　to　Patricia。　　〃It　appears　he　has　been
employing　strikers　in　some　work　or　other；　which　some　of　the
brethren　considered　to　be　not　according　to　Hoyle。〃

〃Nonsense！〃　cried　Patricia　indignantly。　　〃Jack　took　me　yesterday　to
see　the　work。　　He　showed　me　all　the　plans　and　we　went　over　the
grounds。　　It　is　a　most　splendid　thing；　Mamma！　　He　is　laying　out
athletic　grounds　for　his　men；　with　a　club　house　and　all　that　sort
of　thing。　　They　are　going　to　be　perfectly　splendid！　　Do　you　mean　to
say　they　were　blaming　him　for　this？　　Who　was？〃　　And　Patricia　stood
ready　for　battle。

〃Kamerad！〃　cried　Vic；　holding　up　his　hands。　　〃Not　me！　　However；
Jack　was　exonerated；　for　it　appears　he　sent　them　a　letter　two　weeks
ago；　telling　them　what　he　proposed　to　do；　to　which　letter　they　had
raised　no　objection。〃

〃Well；　what　then？〃　inquired　Patricia。

〃Oh；　the　usual　thing。　　They　all　resolved　to　stand　patno　surrender
or；　rather；　let　the　whole　line　advanceyou　know　the　stuffwhen
into　this　warlike　atmosphere　walked　the　deputation　from　the
Ministerial　Association。　　It　gave　the　E。　D。　C。　a　slight　shock；　so
my　Dad　says。　　The　Doctor　fired　the　first　gun。　　My　governor　says
that　it　was　like　a　breath　from　another　world。　　His　face　was　enough。
Everybody　felt　mean　for　just　being　what　they　were。　　I　know　exactly
what　that　is；　for　I　know　the　way　he　makes　me　feel　when　I　look　at　him
in　church。　　You　know　what　I　mean；　Pat。〃

〃I　know；〃　said　Patricia　softly；　letting　her　hand　fall　upon　her
mother's　shoulder。

〃Well；〃　continued　Vic；　〃the　Doctor　just　talked　to　them　as　if　they
were　his　children。　　They　hadn't　been　very　good　and　he　was　sorry　for
them。　　He　would　like　to　help　them　to　be　better。　　The　other　side；
too；　had　been　doing　wrong；　and　they　were　having　a　bad　time。　　They
were　suffering；　and　as　he　went　on　to　tell　them　in　that　wonderful
voice　of　his　about　the　women　and　children；　every　man　in　the　room；
so　the　governor　said；　was　wondering　how　much　he　had　in　his　pocket。
And　then　he　told　them　of　how　wicked　it　was　for　men　whose　sons　had
died　together　in　France　to　be　fighting　each　other　here　in　Canada。
Well；　you　know　my　governor。　　As　he　told　me　this　tale；　we　just　both
of　us　bowed　our　heads　and　wept。　　It's　the　truth；　so　help　me；　just
as　you　are　doing　now；　Pat。〃

〃I　am　not；〃　cried　Patricia　indignantly。　　〃And　I　don't　care　if　I　am。
He　is　a　dear　and　those　men　are　just〃

〃Hush；　dear；〃　said　Mrs。　Templeton　gently。　　〃And　did　they　agree　to
anything？〃

〃Alas；　not　they；　for　at　that　moment　some　old　Johnny　began　asking
questions　and　then　that　old　fire…eater；　McGinnis；　horned　in　again。
No　Arbitration　Committee　for　himno　one　could　come　into　his
foundry　and　tell　him　how　to　run　his　businesssame　old　stuff；　you
know。　　Well；　then；　the　Methodist　Johnny　took　a　hand。　　What's　his
name？　　Haynes；　isn't　it？〃

〃Yes；　Haynes；〃　said　Hugh　Maynard。

〃Well；　Brother　Haynes　took　up　the　tale。　　He　is　an　eloquent　chap；
all　right。　　He　took　the　line　'As　you　are　strong；　be　pitiful；'　but
the　psychological　moment　had　gone　and　the　line　still　held　strong。
Campbell　of　the　woollen　mills　invited　him　up　to　view　his　25；000。00
stock　'all　dressed　up　and　nowhere　to　go。'　　'Tell　me　how　I　can　pay
increased　wages　with　this　stock　on　my　hands。'　　And　echo　answered
'How？'　　Haynes　could　not。　　Then　my　old　chief　took　a　handthe
Reverend　Murdo　Matheson。　　He　is　a　good　old　scout；　a　Padre；　you
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；