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solemn； and in many cases with profane oaths that they would not
yield a jot to the insolent demands of this newly organised body。
〃I have already sent my answer；〃 shouted Mr。 McGinnis。
〃What did you say； Mac？〃
〃Told 'em to go to hell； and told 'em that if any of these highly
coloured committee men came on my premises； I would kick 'em into
the middle of next week。〃
Jack； who was present at the meeting； sat listening with silent and
amused pity。 They seemed to him so like a group of angry children
whose game had suddenly been interfered with and whose rage
rendered them incapable of coherent thought。
Grant Maitland； who； throughout the meeting had sat silent； finally
rose and said： 〃Gentlemen； the mere expression of feeling may
afford a sort of satisfaction but the question is； What is to be
done？ That the situation is grave for all of us we know too well。
Not many of us are in a position to be indifferent to a strike。
Let us get down to business。 What shall we do？〃
〃Fight them to a finish！ Smash the unions！〃 were the suggestions
in various forms and with various descriptive adjectives。
〃It may come to a fight； gentlemen； but however gratifying a fight
may be to our feelings； a fight may be disastrous to our business。
A strike may last for weeks； perhaps months。 Are we in a position
to stand that？ And as for smashing the unions； let us once and for
all put such a thought out of our minds。 These unions have all
international affiliations。 It is absurd to imagine that we here
in Blackwater could smash a single union。〃
Fiercely McGinnis made reply。 〃I want to tell you right here and
now that I am prepared to close down and go out of business but I
will have no outside committee tell me how to run my job。〃
But no one took this threat seriously； and no one but knew that a
shut…down for any of them might mean disaster。 They all recalled
those unfilled orders which they were straining every nerve to
complete before the market should break； or cancellation should
come。 It added not a little to their rage that they knew
themselves to be held in the grip of circumstances over which they
had little control。
After much angry deliberation it was finally agreed that they
should appoint a committee to consider the whole situation and to
prepare a plan of action。 Meantime the committee were instructed
to temporise with the enemy。
The evening papers announced the imminence of a strike the extent
and magnitude of which had never been experienced in the history of
Blackwater。 Everywhere the citizens of the industrial town were
discussing the disturbing news anxiously； angrily； indifferently；
according as they were variously affected。 But there was a general
agreement among all classes of citizens that a strike in the
present industrial and financial situation which was already
serious enough； would be nothing short of a calamity； because no
matter what the issue would be； no matter which of the parties won
in the conflict； a fight meant serious loss not only to the two
parties immediately concerned； but to the whole community as well。
With the rank and file of the working people there was little heart
for a fight。 More especially； men upon whom lay the responsibility
for the support of homes shrank from the pain and the suffering； as
well as from the loss which experience taught them a strike must
entail。 It is safe to say that in every working man's home in
Blackwater that night there was to be found a woman who； as she put
her children to bed； prayed that trouble might be averted； for she
knew that in every war it is upon the women and children that in
the last analysis the sorest burden must fall。 To them even
victory would mean for many months a loss of luxuries for the
family； it might be of comforts； and defeat； which would come not
until after long conflict； would mean not only straitened means but
actual poverty； with all the attendant humiliation and bitterness
which would kill for them the joy of life and sensibly add to its
already heavy burden。
That night Jack Maitland felt that a chat with the Reverend Murdo
Matheson might help to clear his own mind as to the demands of the
Allied Unions。 He found the minister in his study and in great
distress of soul。
〃I am glad to see you； Maitland；〃 he said； giving him a hearty
greeting。 〃My hope is largely placed in you and you must not fail
me in this crisis。 What exactly are the demands of the unions？〃
Maitland spread before him the letter which his father had received
that morning。 The Reverend Murdo read it carefully over； then；
with a sigh of relief； he said： 〃Well； it might be worse。 There
should not be much difficulty in coming to an agreement between
people anxious for peace。〃
After an hour spent in canvassing the subject from various points
of view； the Reverend Murdo exclaimed： 〃Let us go and see McNish。〃
〃The very thing；〃 said Maitland。 〃I have been trying to get in
touch with him for the last month or so； but he avoids me。〃
〃Ay；〃 replied the Reverend Murdo； 〃he has a reason； no doubt。〃
To Maitland's joy they found McNish at home。 They were received
with none…too…cordial a welcome by the son； with kindly； even eager
greeting by the mother。
〃Come awa in； Minister； come awa； Mr。 Maitland。 You have come to
talk about the 'trouble；' a doot。 Malcolm does…na want to talk
about it to me； a bad sign。 He declines to converse even； wi' me；
Mr。 Matheson。 Perhaps ye may succeed better wi' him。〃
〃Mr。 Matheson can see for himself；〃 said her son； using his most
correct English； 〃the impropriety of my talking with an employer in
this way。〃
〃Nonsense； McNish；〃 said the minister briskly。 〃You know me quite
well and we both know Maitland。 It is just sheer nonsense to say
that you cannot talk with us。 Everyone in town is talking。 Every
man in your union is talking； trying to justify their present
position； which； I am bound to say； takes some justifying。〃
〃Why？〃 asked McNish hotly。
〃Because the demands are some of them quite unsound。 Some other
than you had a hand in drawing up your Petition of Right； McNish；
and some of the demands are impossible。〃
〃How do you〃 began McNish indignantly； but the minister held up
his hand and continued：
〃And some of them are both sound and reasonable。〃
〃What's wrang with the demands？〃 said McNish。
〃That's what I am about to show you；〃 said the minister with grave
confidence。
〃Aye； minister；〃 said the mother with a chuckle of delight。
〃That's you！ That's you！ Haud at him！ Haud at him！ That's you！〃
They took seats about the blazing fire for the evening was still
shrewd enough to make the fire welcome。
〃Noo； Mr。 Matheson；〃 said the old lady； leaning toward him with
keen relish in her face； 〃read me the union demands。 Malcolm wadna
read nor talk nor anything but glower。〃
The Reverend Murdo read the six clauses。
〃Um！ They're no bad negotiating pints。〃
〃Negotiatin' pints！〃 exclaimed her son indignantly。 〃Noo； mither；
ye maun play the game。 A'm no gaun tae argue with ye to…night。
Nor wi' any of ye；〃 he added。
〃Nonsense； Malcolm。 You can't object to talk over these points
with us。 You must talk them over before you're done with them。
And you'll talk them over before the whole town； too。〃
〃What do you mean； 'before the whole town'？〃 said Malcolm。
〃This is a community question。 This community is interested and
greatly interested。 It will demand a full exposition of the
attitude of the unions。〃
〃The community！〃 snorted McNish in contempt。
〃Aye； the community；〃 replied the minister； 〃and you are not to
snort at it。 That's the trouble with you labour folk。 You think
you are the whole thing。 You forget the third and most important
party in any industrial strife； the community。 The community is
interested first； in justice being done to its citizensto all its
citizens； mind you； second； in the preservation of the services
necessary to its comfort and well…being； third； in the continuance
of the means of livelihood to wage earners。〃
〃Ye missed one；〃 said McNish grimly。 〃The conserving of the
profits of labour for the benefit of the capitalist。〃
〃I might have put that in； too；〃 said the minister； 〃but it is
included in my first。 But I should have added another which； to my
mind； is of the very first importance； the preservation of the
spirit of brotherly feeling and Christian decency as between man
and man in this community。〃
〃Aye； ye might；〃 replied Malcolm in bitter irony； 〃and ye might
begin with the ministers and the churches。〃
〃Whisht； laddie；〃 said his mother sharply； 〃Mind yer manners。〃
〃He doesn't mean me specially； Mrs。 McNish； but I will not say but
what he is right。〃
〃No；〃 replied McNish； 〃I don't mean you exactly； Mr。 Matheson。〃
〃Don't take it back； McNish；〃 said the minister。 〃I need it。 We
all need it in the churches； and we will take it； too。 But come
now； let us look at these clauses。 You are surely not standing for
them all； or for them all alike？〃
〃Why not； then？〃 said McNish； angrily。
〃I'll tell you；〃 replied the minister； 〃and won't take long；
either。〃 He proceeded to read over