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〃I'll tell you；〃 replied the minister； 〃and won't take long；
either。〃 He proceeded to read over carefully the various clauses
in the demands of the allied unions； emphasizing and explaining the
meaning of each clause。 〃First； as to wages。 This is purely a
matter for adjustment to the cost of living and general industrial
conditions。 It is a matter of arithmetic and common sense。 There
is no principle involved。〃
〃I don't agree with you；〃 said McNish。 〃There is more than the
cost of living to be considered。 There is the question of the
standard of living。 Why should it be considered right that the
standard of living for the working man should be lower than that
for the professional man or the capitalist？〃
〃There you are again； McNish；〃 said the minister。 〃You are not up
to your usual to…night。 You know quite well that every working man
in my parish lives better than I do； and spends more money on his
living。 The standard of living has no special significance with
the working man to…day as distinguished from the professional man。
We are not speaking of the wasteful and idle rich。 So I repeat
that here it is a matter of adjustment and that there is no
principle involved。 Now； as regard to hours。 You ask an eight…
hour day and a Saturday half…holiday。 That； too； is a matter of
adjustment。〃
〃What about production； Mr。 Matheson？〃 said Maitland。 〃And
overhead？ Production costs are abnormally high to…day and so are
carrying charges。 I am not saying that a ten…hour day is not too
long。 Personally； I believe that a man cannot keep at his best for
ten hours in certain industriesnot in all。〃
〃Long hours do not mean big production； Maitland。 Not long hours
but intensive and co…ordinated work bring up production and lower
production costs。〃
〃What about idle machines and overhead？〃 inquired Maitland。
〃A very important consideration；〃 said the minister。 〃The only
sound rule governing factory industry especially is this： the
longest possible machine time； the shortest possible man time。 But
here again it is a question of organisation； adjustment and co…
ordination of work and workers。 We all want education here。〃
〃If I remember right；〃 said McNish； and he could not keep the
bitterness out of his voice； 〃I have heard you say something in the
pulpit at times in regard to the value of men's immortal souls。
What care can men take of their bodies and minds； let alone their
souls； if you work them ten hours a day？〃
〃There is a previous question； McNish；〃 said the minister。 〃Why
give more leisure time to men who spend their leisure hours now in
pool rooms and that sort of nonsense？〃
〃And whose fault is that；〃 replied McNish sharply。 〃Who is
responsible that they have not learned to use their leisure more
wisely？ And further； what about your young bloods and their
leisure hours？〃
〃Ay； A doot he has ye there； minister；〃 said Mrs。 McNish with a
quiet chuckle。
〃He has；〃 said the minister。 〃The point is well taken and I
acknowledge it freely。 My position is that the men need more
leisure； but； more than that； they need instruction as to how to
use their leisure time wisely。 But let us get on to the third
point。 'A Joint Committee of References demanded to which all
complaints shall be referred。' Now； that's fine。 That's the
Whitley plan。 It is quite sound and has proved thoroughly useful
in practice。〃
〃I quite agree；〃 said Maitland frankly。 〃But certain conditions
must be observed。〃
〃Of course； of course；〃 replied the minister。 〃Conditions must be
observed everywhere。 Now； the fourth point： 'The foreman must be
a member of the union。' Thoroughly unsound。 They can't ride two
horses at once。
〃I am not so sure of that；〃 said Maitland。 〃For my part； I should
like to have retained my membership in the union。 The more that
both parties meet for conference； the better。 And the more
connecting links between them； the better。 I should like to see a
union where employers and employees should have equal rights of
membership。〃
McNish grunted contemptuously。
〃It would be an interesting experiment；〃 said the minister。 〃An
interesting experiment； McNish； and you are not to grunt like that。
The human element； of course； is the crux here。 If we had the
right sort of foreman he might be trusted to be a member of the
union； but a man cannot direct and be directed at the same time。
But that union of yours； Maitland； with both parties represented in
it； is a big idea。 It is worth considering。 What do you think
about it； McNish？〃
〃What do I think of it？ It is sheer idealistic nonsense。〃
〃It is a noble idea； laddie； and no to be sneered at； but A doot it
needs a better world for it than we hae at the present。〃
〃I am afraid that is true；〃 said the minister。 〃But meantime a
foreman is a man who gives orders and directs work； and； generally
speaking； he must remain with a directorate in any business。 There
may be exceptions。 You must acknowledge that； McNish。〃
〃I'll acknowledge nothing of the sort；〃 replied McNish； and entered
into a long argument which convinced no one。
〃Now we come to the next； number five： 'a voice in the management；'
it means。 Come now； McNish； this is rather much。 Do you want Mr。
Maitland's job here； or is there anyone in your shop who would be
anything but an embarrassment trying running the Maitland Mills；
and you know quite well that the men want nothing of the sort。 It
may be as Mrs。 McNish said； 'a good negotiating point；' but it has
no place in practical politics here in Blackwater。 How would you
like； for instance； to take orders from Simmons？〃
The old lady chuckled delightedly。 〃He has you there； laddie； he
has you there！〃
But this McNish would not acknowledge； and proceeded to argue at
great length on purely theoretical grounds for joint control of
industries； till his mother quite lost patience with him。
〃Hoots； laddie； haud yer hoofs on mither earth。 Would ye want yon
radical bodies to take chairge o' ony business in which ye had a
baubee？ Ye're talkin' havers。〃
〃Now； let us look at the last；〃 said Mr。 Matheson。 〃It is
practically a demand for the closed shop。 Now； McNish； I ask you；
man to man； what is the use of putting that in there？ It is not
even a negotiating point。〃
At that McNish fired up。 〃It is no negotiating point；〃 he
declared。 〃I stand for that。 It is vital to the very existence of
unionised labour。 Everyone knows that。 Unionism cannot maintain
itself in existence without the closed shop。 It is the ideal
toward which all unionised labour works。〃
〃Now； McNish； tell me honestly；〃 said the minister； 〃do you expect
or hope for an absolutely closed shop in the factories here in
Blackwater； or in the Building Industries？ Have you the faintest
shadow of a hope？〃
〃We may not get it；〃 said McNish； 〃but that is no reason why we
should not fight for it。 Men have died fighting for the impossible
because they knew it was right； and； by dying for it； they have
brought it to pass。〃
〃Far be it from me； McNish； to deny that。 But I am asking you now；
again as man to man； do you know of any industry； even in the Old
Land； where the closed shop absolutely prevails； and do you think
that conditions in Blackwater give you the faintest hope of a
closed shop here？〃
〃Yes；〃 shouted McNish； springing to his feet； 〃there is hope。
There is hope even in Blackwater。〃
〃Tut； tut； laddie；〃 said his mother。 〃Dinna deeve us。 What has
come ower ye that ye canna talk like a reasonable man？ Noo； Mr。
Matheson； ye've had enough of the labour matters。 A'll mak ye a
cup of tea。〃
〃Thank you； Mrs。 McNish；〃 said the minister gravely； 〃but I cannot
linger。 I have still work to do to…night。〃 He rose from his chair
and found his coat。 His manner was gravely sad and gave evidence
of his disappointment with the evening's conversation。
〃Dinna fash yerself； minister；〃 said the old lady； helping him on
with his coat。 〃The 'trouble' will blow ower； a doot。 It'll a'
come oot richt。〃
〃Mrs。 McNish； what I have seen and heard in this house to…night；〃
said the minister solemnly； 〃gives me little hope that it will all
come right； but rather gives me grave concern。〃 Then； looking
straight into the eyes of her son； he added： 〃I came here
expecting to find help and guidance in discovering a reasonable way
out of a very grave and serious difficulty。 I confess I have been
disappointed。〃
〃Mr。 Matheson；〃 said McNish； 〃I am always glad to discuss any
matter with you in a reasonable and kindly way。〃
〃I am afraid my presence has not helped very much； Mrs。 McNish；〃
said Maitland。 〃I am sorry I came tonight。 I did come earnestly
desiring and hoping that we might find a way out。 It seems I have
made a mistake。〃
〃You came at my request； Maitland；〃 said the minister。 〃If a
mistake has been made； it is mine。 Good…night； Mrs。 McNish。 Good…
night； Malcolm。 I don't pretend to know or understand what is in
your heart； but I am going to say to you as your minister that
where there is evil passion there can be no clear thinking。 And
further； let me say that upon you will devolve a heavy responsibility
for the gu