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。
〃Well； what do you think of it？〃 said his father。
〃It might be worse。〃
〃Worse？〃 roared his father。 〃Worse？ How can it be worse？〃
〃Well； it is really a demand for an increase in wages。 The others；
I believe； are mere frills。 And between ourselves； sir； though I
haven't gone into it very carefully； I am not sure but that an
increase in wages is about due。〃
Maitland glowered at his son in a hurt and hopeless rage。
〃An increase in wages due？〃 he said。 〃After the increase of six
months ago？ The thing is preposterous。 The ungrateful
scoundrels！〃
At this point the telephone upon his desk rang。 Jack took up the
receiver。
〃Good morning； Mr。 McGinnis。 。 。 。 Yes； he is here。 Yes。 。 。 。
At least； I suppose so。 。 。 。 Oh； I don't know。 。 。 。 It is
rather peremptory。 。 。 。 All right； sir； I shall tell him。〃
〃Let me talk to him；〃 said his father； impatiently。
〃Never mind just now； Dad；〃 said Jack； with his hand over the
receiver。 Then through the telephone he said： 〃All right； sir； he
will await you here。 Good morning。〃
〃。 。 。 The old boy is wild；〃 said Jack with a slight laugh。 〃The
wires are quite hot。〃
〃This is no joke； Jack； I can tell you。 McGinnis is coming over；
is he？〃
〃Yes；〃 replied Jack； 〃but we won't get much help from him。〃
〃Why not？〃 inquired his father。 〃He is a very shrewd and able
business man。〃
〃He may be all that； sir； but in a case like this； if you really
want my opinion； and I have no wish to be disrespectful； he is a
hot…headed ass。 Just the kind of employer to rejoice the heart of
a clever labour leader who is out for trouble。 Dad；〃 and Jack's
voice became very earnest； 〃let's work this out by ourselves。 We
can handle our own men better without the help of McGinnis or any
other。〃
〃That is just the trouble。 Look at this precious document； 'The
Allied Unions。' What have I got to do with them？ And signed by
Simmons and McDonough。 Who is McDonough； pray？〃
〃McDonough？ Oh； I know McDonough。 He is a little like McGinnis
big…hearted； hot…headed； good in a scrap； useless in a conference。
But I suggest； sir； that we ignore the slight unpleasant
technicalities in the manner and method of negotiation and try to
deal with our own people in a reasonable way。〃
〃I am ready always to meet my own people； but I refuse utterly to
deal with this committee！〃 It was not often that Mr。 Maitland
became profane； but in his description of this particular group of
individuals his ordinary English suffered a complete collapse。
〃Dad； McGinnis will be here in a few minutes。 I should like to
suggest one or two things； if you will allow me。〃
〃Go on；〃 said his father quickly。
〃Dad； this is war； and I have learned a little about that game
'over there。' And I have learned something about it in my athletic
activities。 The first essential is to decline to play the enemy's
game。 Let's discover his plan of campaign。 As I read this
document； the thing that hits my eye is this： do they really want
the things they ask for； or is the whole thing a blind？ What I
mean is； do they really want war or peace？ I say let's feel them
out。 If they are after peace； the thing is easy。 If they want
war； this may come to be a very serious thing。 Meantime； Dad；
let's not commit ourselves to McGinnis。 Let's play it alone。〃
Mr。 Maitland's lips had set in a thin； hard line。 His face was
like a mask of grey steel。 He sat thinking silently。
〃Here he comes；〃 said Jack； looking out of the window。 〃Dad； you
asked me to come into this with you。 Let's play the game together。
I found it wise to place the weight on the defence line。 Will you
play defence in this？〃
The lines in his father's face began to relax。
〃All right； boy； we'll play it together； and meantime I shall play
defence。〃
〃By Jove； Dad；〃 cried Jack； in a tone of exultant confidence；
〃we'll beat 'em。 And now here comes that old Irish fire…eater。
I'll go。 No alliance； Dad； remember。〃 His father nodded as Jack
left the room； to return almost immediately with Mr。 McGinnis；
evidently quite incoherent with rage。
In the outer office Jack paused beside the desk of the old
bookkeeper。 From behind the closed door came the sound of high
explosives。
〃Rough stuff in there； eh； Wickes；〃 said Jack； with a humorous
smile。 For some moments he stood listening。 〃War is a terrible
thing；〃 he added with a grin。
〃What seems to be the matter； Mr。 Jack？〃
Jack laid before him the document sent out by the Allied Unions。
〃Oh； this is terrible； Mr。 Jack！ And just at this time。 I am very
much afraid it will ruin us。〃
〃Ruin us？ Rot。 Don't ever say that word again。 We will possibly
have a jolly good row。 Someone will be hurt and perhaps all of us；
more or less； but I don't mean to be beaten； if I know myself；〃 he
added； with the smile on his face that his hockey team loved to see
before a match。 〃Now； Wickes；〃 continued Jack； 〃get that idea of
failure out of your mind。 We are going to win。 And meantime； let
us prepare for our campaign。 Here's a bit of work I want you to do
for me。 Get four things for me： the wages for the last three
yearsyou have the sheets？〃
〃Yes； sir。〃
〃The cost of living from the Labour Gazette for the last three
yearsyou have them hereand the rates of increase in wages。
Plot a diagram showing all these things。 You know what I mean？〃
〃Yes； sir； I understand。〃
〃And find out the wages paid at our competing points。〃
〃All right； Mr。 Jack。 I know what you want。 I can give you the
necessary information in regard to the first three points almost at
once。 It will take some days； however； to get the wages of our
competing points。〃
〃All right； old boy。 Carry on！〃 said Jack； and with the same smile
on his face he passed out of the office into the shops。
It amused him slightly to observe the change in the attitude and
bearing of his men。 They would not look at him fairly in the face。
Even Snoopy Sykes and Macnamara avoided his glance。 But he had for
everyone his usual cheery word。 Why should he not？ These chaps
had no hatred for him； nor he for them。 He had come to understand
union methods of discipline and recognised fully the demands for
loyalty and obedience imposed upon its members by the organisation。
These men of his were bound to the union by solemn obligations。 He
bore them no ill…will on that score。 Rather he respected them the
more for it。 If a fight was inevitable； he would do his best to
beat them but he would allow no spirit of hatred to change his mind
toward them nor cloud his judgment。
The day was full of excursions and alarms。 A hurry call was sent
out by McGinnis to all employers who had received copies of the
document from the Allied Unions。 In the afternoon a meeting was
held in the Board of Trade Building； but it was given over chiefly
to vituperation and threatening directed toward their variously
described employees。 With one heart and voice all affirmed with
solemn； and in many cases with profane oaths that they would not
yield a jot to the insolent demands of this newly organis