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sense of fair play。 His men were his comrades in work。 He knew
themat least； until these war days he had known thempersonally；
as friends。 They trusted him and were loyal to him； and he had
taken the greatest care to deal justly and more than justly by
them。 No labour troubles had ever disturbed the relations which
existed between him and his men。 It was thus no small shock when
Wickes announced one day that a Grievance Committee wished to
interview him。 That he should have to meet a Grievance Committee；
whose boast it had been that the first man in the works to know of
a grievance was himself； and that the men with whom he had toiled
and shared both good fortune and ill； but more especially the good；
that had befallen through the last quarter century should have a
grievance against himthis was indeed an experience that cut him
to the heart and roused in him a fury of perplexed indignation。
〃A what？ A Grievance Committee！〃 he exclaimed to Wickes； when the
old bookkeeper came announcing such a deputation。
〃That's what they call themselves； sir；〃 said Wickes； his tone of
disgust disclaiming all association with any such organization。
〃A Grievance Committee？〃 said Mr。 Maitland again。 〃Well； I'll be！
What do they want？ Who are they？ Bring them in；〃 he roared in a
voice whose ascending tone indicated his growing amazement and
wrath。
〃Come in you；〃 growled Wickes in the voice he generally used for
his collie dog； which bore a thoroughly unenviable reputation；
〃come on in； can't ye？〃
There was some shuffling for place in the group at the door； but
finally Mr。 Wigglesworth found himself pushed to the front of a
committee of five。 With a swift glance which touched 〃the boss〃
in its passage and then rested upon the wall； the ceiling； the
landscape visible through the window； anywhere indeed rather than
upon the face of the man against whom they had a grievance； they
filed in and stood ill at ease。
〃Well； Wigglesworth； what is it？〃 said Grant Maitland curtly。
Mr。 Wigglesworth cleared his throat。 He was new at the business
and was obviously torn between conflicting emotions of pride in his
present important position and a wholesome fear of his 〃boss。〃
However； having cleared his throat； Mr。 Wigglesworth pulled himself
together and with a wave of the hand began。
〃These 'ereergentlemen an' myself 'ave been （h）appinted a
Committee to lay before you certain grievances w'ich we feel to be
very （h）oppressive； sir； so to speak； w'ich； an' meanin' no
offence； sir； as men； fellow…men； as we might say〃
〃What do you want； Wigglesworth？ What's your trouble？ You have
some trouble； what is it？ Spit it out； man；〃 said the boss
sharply。
〃Well； sir； as I was a…sayin'； this 'ere's a Committee （h）appinted
to wait on you； sir； to lay before you certain facts w'ich we wish
you to consider an' w'ich； as British subjecks； we feel〃
〃Come； come； Wigglesworth； cut out the speech； and get at the
things。 What do you want？ Do you know？ If so； tell me plainly
and get done with it。〃
〃We want our rights as men；〃 said Mr。 Wigglesworth in a loud voice；
〃our rights as free men； and we demand to be treated as British〃
〃Is there anyone of this Committee that can tell me what you want
of me？〃 said Maitland。 〃You； Gilby； you have some sensewhat is
the trouble？ You want more wages； I suppose？〃
〃I guess so；〃 said Gilby； a long； lean man； Canadian born； of about
thirty； 〃but it ain't the wages that's eatin' me so much。〃
〃What then？〃
〃It's that blank foreman。〃
〃Foreman？〃
〃That's right； sir。〃 〃Too blanked smart！〃 〃Buttin' in like a
blank billy goat！〃 The growls came in various undertones from the
Committee。
〃What foreman？ Hoddle？〃 The boss was ready to fight for his
subalterns。
〃No！ Old Hoddle's all right；〃 said Gilby。 〃It's that young smart
aleck； Tony Perrotte。〃
〃Tony Perrotte！〃 Mr。 Maitland's voice was troubled and uncertain。
〃Tony Perrotte！ Why； you don't mean to tell me that Perrotte is
not a good man。 He knows his job from the ground up。〃
〃Knows too much；〃 said Gilby。 〃Wants to run everything and
everybody。 You can't tell him anything。 And you'd think he was
a Brigadier…General to hear him giving us orders。〃
〃You were at the front； Gilby？〃
〃I was； for three years。〃
〃You know what discipline is？〃
〃I do that； and I know too the difference between a Corporal and a
Company Commander。 I know an officer when I see him。 But a brass
hat don't make a General。〃
〃I won't stand for insubordination in my mills； Gilby。 You must
take orders from my foreman。 You know me； Gilby。 You've been long
enough with me for that。〃
〃You treat a man fair； Mr。 Maitland； and I never kicked at your
orders。 Ain't that so？〃
Maitland nodded。
〃But this young dude〃
〃'Dude'？ What do you mean； 'dude'？ He's no dude！〃
〃Oh； he's so stuck on himself that he gives me the wearisome
willies。 Look here； other folks has been to the war。 He needn't
carry his chest like a blanked bay window。〃
〃Look here； Gilby； just quit swearing in this room。〃 The cold blue
eyes bored into Gilby's hot face。
〃I beg pardon； sir。 It's a bad habit I've got； but thatthat Tony
Perrotte has got my goat and I'm through with him。〃
〃All right； Gilby。 If you don't like your job you know what you
can do；〃 said Maitland coldly。
〃You mean I can quit？〃 enquired Gilby hotly。
〃I mean there's only one boss in these works； and that's me。 And
my foreman takes my orders and passes them along。 Those that don't
like them needn't take them。〃
〃We demand our rights as〃 began Mr。 Wigglesworth heatedly。
〃Excuse me； sir。 'A should like to enquir…r…e if it is your…r
or…rder…rs that your…r for…r…man should use blasphemious language
to your…r men？〃
The cool； firm； rasping voice cut through Mr。 Wigglesworth's
sputtering noise like a circular saw through a pine log。
Mr。 Maitland turned sharply upon the speaker。
〃What is your name； my man？〃 he enquired。
〃Ma name is Malcolm McNish。 'A doot ye have na har…r…d it。 But
the name maitters little。 It's the question 'A'm speerin'asking
at ye。〃
Here was no amateur in the business of Grievance Committees。 His
manner was that of a self…respecting man dealing with a fellow…man
on terms of perfect equality。 There was a complete absence of
Wigglesworth's noisy bluster； as also of Gilby's violent profanity。
He obviously knew his ground and was ready to hold it。 He had a
case and was prepared to discuss it。 There was no occasion for
heat or bluster or profanity。 He was prepared to discuss the
matter； man to man。
Mr。 Maitland regarded him for a moment or two with keen steady
gaze。
〃Where do you work； McNish？〃 he enquired of the Scot。
〃A'm workin' the noo in the sawmill。 A'm a joiner to trade。〃
〃Then Perrotte is not your foreman？〃
〃That is true；〃 said McNish quietly。
〃Then personally you have no grievance against him？〃 Mr。 Maitland
had the air of a man who has scored a bull at the first shot。
〃Ay； A have an' the men taethe men I represent have〃
〃And you assume to speak for them？〃
〃They appoint me to speak for them。〃
〃And their complaint is？〃
〃Their complaint is that he is no fit to be a foreman。〃
〃Ah； indeed！ And you are here solely on their word〃
〃No； not solely； but pairtly。 A know by experience and A hae
har…r…d the man； and he's no fit for his job； A'm tellin' you。〃
〃I suppose you know the qualifications of a foreman； McNish？〃
enquired Mr。 Maitland with the suspicion of sarcasm in his voice。
〃Ay； A do that。〃
〃And how； may I ask； have you come to the knowledge？〃
〃A dinna seeI do not see the bearing of the question。〃
〃Only this； that you and those you represent place your judgment
as superior to mine in the choice of a foreman。 It would be
interesting to know upon what grounds。〃
〃I have been a foreman myself。 But there are two points of view in
this questionthe point of view of the management and that of the
worker。 We have the one point of view； you have the other。 And
each has its value。 Ours is the more important。〃
〃Indeed！ And why； pray？〃
〃Yours has chiefly to do with profits； ours with human life。〃
〃Very interesting indeed；〃 said Mr。 Maitland； 〃but it happens that
profits and human life are somewhat closely allied〃
〃Aye； but wi' you profits are the primary consideration and
humanity the secondary。 Wi' us humanity is the primary。〃
〃Very interesting； indeed。 But I must decline your premise。 You
are a new man here and so I will excuse you the impudence of
charging me with indifference to the well…being of my men。〃
〃You put wur…r…ds in my mouth； Mr。 Maitland。 A said nae sic
thing；〃 said McNish。 〃But your foreman disna' know his place； and
he must be changed。〃
〃'Must；' eh？〃 The word had never been used to Mr。 Maitland since
his own father fifty years before had used it。 It was an
unfortunate word for the success of the interview。 〃'Must；' eh？〃
repeated Mr。 Maitland with rising wrath。 〃I'd have you know；
McNish； that the man doesn't live that says 'must' to me in regard
to the men I choose to manage my business。〃
〃Then you refuse to remove yere foreman？〃
〃Most emphatically；