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It was utterly in vain that Brother Simmons and his whole following
pointed out unitedly and successively the utter impossibility and
absurdity of the proposal which was unconstitutional and without
precedent。 The hockey team had the company with them and with the
bit in their teeth swept all before them。
At this point； McNish displayed the master…hand that comes from
long experience。 He saw his opportunity and seized it。
〃Mr。 President；〃 he said； and at once he received the most complete
attention。 〃A confess this is a most extraordinary proposal； but
A'm goin' tae support it。〃 The roar that answered told him that he
had regained control of the meeting。 〃Brother Simmons says it is
unconstitutional and without precedent。 He is no correct in this。
A have known baith maisters and managers who retained their union
cards。 A grant ye it is unusual； but may I point oot that the
circumstances are unusual？〃Wild yells of approval〃And Captain
Maitland is an unusual man〃louder yells of approval〃It may that
there is something in the constitution o' this union that stands in
the way〃Cries of 〃No！ No！〃 and consignment of the constitution to
a nameless locality。〃A venture to suggest that a committee be
appointed； consisting of Brothers Sykes； Macnamara and the
chairman； wi' poors tae add； tae go into this maitter with Captain
Maitland and report。〃
It was a master…stroke。 A true union man regards with veneration
the constitution and hesitates to tamper with it except in a
perfectly constitutional manner。 The opposition to the
administration's original resolution had gained what they sought； a
temporary stay。 The committee was appointed and the danger to both
the resolution and the constitution for the present averted。
Again Mr。 McNish took command。 〃And noo； Mr。 President；〃 he said；
〃the oor is late。 We are all tired and we all wish to give mair
thocht to the main maitter before us。 A move； therefore； that we
adjourn to the call o' the Executive。〃
Once more Brother Simmons found himself in a protesting minority；
and the meeting broke up； the opposition jubilant over their
victory； the supporters of the administration determined to await a
more convenient time。
CHAPTER XII
LIGHT THAT IS DARKNESS
At the next monthly meeting of Local 197 of the Woodworkers' Union；
the executive had little difficulty in finally shelving the report
of its committee appointed to deal with the resignation of Captain
Maitland； and as little difficulty in passing by unanimous vote
their resolution held up at the last meeting。 The allied unions
had meantime been extended to include the building trades。 Their
organization had been perfected and their discipline immensely
strengthened。 Many causes contributed to this result。 A month's
time had elapsed and the high emotional tides due to athletic
enthusiasm； especially the hockey victory； had had space to
subside。 The dead season for all outdoor games was upon them and
the men； losing touch with each other and with their captain； who
was engrossed in studying his new duties； began to spend their
leisure hours in loafing about the streets or lounging in the pool
rooms。
All over the country the groundswell of unrest was steadily and
rapidly rising。 The returned soldiers who had failed to readjust
themselves to the changed conditions of life and to the changes
wrought in themselves by the war； embittered； disillusioned and
disappointed； fell an easy prey to unscrupulous leaders and were
being exploited in the interests of all sorts of fads and foolish
movements。 Their government bonuses were long since spent and many
of them； through no fault of their own； found themselves facing a
situation full of difficulty； hardship； and often of humiliation。
Under the influence of financial inflation and deceived by the
abundant flow of currency in every department of business；
industries by the score started up all over the land。 Few could
foresee the approach of dark and stern days。 It was in vain that
financial leaders began to sound a note of warning； calling for
retrenchment and thrift。 And now the inevitable results were
beginning to appear。 The great steel and coal industries began to
curtail their operations； while desperately striving to maintain war
prices for their products。 Other industries followed their example。
All the time the cost of living continued to mount。 Foodstuffs
reached unheard…of prices； which； under the manipulations of
unscrupulous dealers； continued to climb。
Small wonder that working men with high wages and plenty of money
in their hands cherished exaggerated ideas of their wealth and
developed extravagant tastes in dress； amusements and in standard
of living。 With the rest of the world； they failed to recognise
the fact that money was a mere counter in wealth and not wealth
itself。 To a large extent； thrift was abandoned and while deposits
in the savings banks grew in volume； the depositors failed to
recognise the fact that the value of the dollar had decreased fifty
per cent。 Already the reaction from all this had begun to set in。
Nervousness paralysed the great financial institutions。 The fiat
went forth 〃No more money for industrial enterprises。 No more
advances on wholesale stocks。〃 The order was issued 〃Retrench。
Take your losses； unload your stocks。〃 This men were slow to do；
and while all agreed upon the soundness of the policy； each waited
for the other to begin。
Through the month of April anxiety； fear and discontent began to
haunt the minds of business men。 In the labour world the High
Command was quick to sense the approach of a crisis and began to
make preparations for the coming storm。 The whole industrial and
commercial world gradually crystallised into its two opposing
classes。 A subsidised press began earnestly to demand lower cost
in productions retrenchment in expenditure； a cut in labour costs；
a general and united effort to meet the inevitable burden of
deflation。
On the other hand； an inspired press began to raise an outcry
against the increasing cost of living； to point out the effect of
the house famine upon the income of the working man； and to sound a
warning as to the danger and folly of any sudden reduction in the
wage scale。
Increased activity in the ranks of organised labour began to be
apparent。 Everywhere the wild and radical element was gaining in
influence and in numbers； and the spirit of faction and internecine
strife became rampant。
It was due to the dominating forcefulness of McNish； the leader of
the moderates； that the two factions in the allied unions had been
consolidated； and a single policy agreed upon。 His whole past had
been a preparation for just a crisis as the present。 His wide
reading； his shrewd practical judgment； his large experience in
labour movements in the Old Land； gave him a position of commanding
influence which enabled him to dominate the executives and direct
their activities。 His sudden and unexplained acceptance of the
more radical program won for him an enthusiastic following of the
element which had hitherto recognised the leadership of Brother
Simmons。 Day and night； with a zeal that never tired； he laboured
at the work of organising and disciplining the various factions and
parties in the ranks of labour into a single compact body of
fighting men under a single command。 McNish was in the grip of one
of the mightiest of human passions。 Since that day in the Perrotte
home； when he had seen the girl that he loved practically offer
herself； as he thought； to another man； he had resolutely kept
himself away from her。 He had done with her forever and he had
torn out of his heart the genuine friendship which he had begun to
hold toward the man who had deprived him of her love。 But deep in
his heart he nourished a passion for vengeance that became an
obsession； a madness with him。 He merely waited the opportunity to
gratify his passion。
He learned that the Maitland Mills were in deep water； financially。
His keen economic instinct and his deep study of economic movements
told him that a serious financial crisis； continent…wide； was
inevitable and imminent。 It only needed a successful labour war to
give the final touch that would bring the whole industrial fabric
tumbling into ruin。 The desire for immediate revenge upon the man
toward whom he had come to cherish an implacable hatred would not
suffer him to await the onset of a nation…wide industrial crisis。
He fancied that he saw the opportunity for striking an immediate
blow here in Blackwater。
He steadily thwarted Maitland's attempts to get into touch with
him； whether at the works or in his own home； where Maitland had
become a frequent visitor。 He was able only partially to allay his
mother's anxiety and her suspicion that all was not well with him。
That shrewd old lady knew her son well enough to suspect that some
untoward circumstance had befallen him； but she knew also that she
could do no more than bide her time。
With the workers of the Maitland Mills circumstances favoured the
plans of McNish and the Executive of the allied unions。 The new
manager was beginning to