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working men's groups taking on small contracts； which excited great
wrath and which McGinnis declared must be stopped。〃
〃How can they stop them？ This is a free country；〃 said Adrien。
〃Aha！〃 cried Victor。 〃Little you know of the resources of the
E。 D。 C。 It is proposed that the supply dealers should refuse
supplies to all builders until the strike is settled。 No more
lumber； lime； cement； etc。； etc。〃
〃Boycott； eh？ I call that pretty rotten；〃 said Adrien。
〃The majority were pretty much for it； however； except Maitland and
my governor； they protesting that this boycott was hardly playing
the game。 Your friend Captain Jack came in for his licks；〃
continued Vic； turning to Patricia。 〃It appears he has been
employing strikers in some work or other； which some of the
brethren considered to be not according to Hoyle。〃
〃Nonsense！〃 cried Patricia indignantly。 〃Jack took me yesterday to
see the work。 He showed me all the plans and we went over the
grounds。 It is a most splendid thing； Mamma！ He is laying out
athletic grounds for his men； with a club house and all that sort
of thing。 They are going to be perfectly splendid！ Do you mean to
say they were blaming him for this？ Who was？〃 And Patricia stood
ready for battle。
〃Kamerad！〃 cried Vic； holding up his hands。 〃Not me！ However；
Jack was exonerated； for it appears he sent them a letter two weeks
ago； telling them what he proposed to do； to which letter they had
raised no objection。〃
〃Well； what then？〃 inquired Patricia。
〃Oh； the usual thing。 They all resolved to stand patno surrender
or； rather； let the whole line advanceyou know the stuffwhen
into this warlike atmosphere walked the deputation from the
Ministerial Association。 It gave the E。 D。 C。 a slight shock； so
my Dad says。 The Doctor fired the first gun。 My governor says
that it was like a breath from another world。 His face was enough。
Everybody felt mean for just being what they were。 I know exactly
what that is； for I know the way he makes me feel when I look at him
in church。 You know what I mean； Pat。〃
〃I know；〃 said Patricia softly； letting her hand fall upon her
mother's shoulder。
〃Well；〃 continued Vic； 〃the Doctor just talked to them as if they
were his children。 They hadn't been very good and he was sorry for
them。 He would like to help them to be better。 The other side；
too； had been doing wrong； and they were having a bad time。 They
were suffering； and as he went on to tell them in that wonderful
voice of his about the women and children； every man in the room；
so the governor said； was wondering how much he had in his pocket。
And then he told them of how wicked it was for men whose sons had
died together in France to be fighting each other here in Canada。
Well； you know my governor。 As he told me this tale； we just both
of us bowed our heads and wept。 It's the truth； so help me； just
as you are doing now； Pat。〃
〃I am not；〃 cried Patricia indignantly。 〃And I don't care if I am。
He is a dear and those men are just〃
〃Hush； dear；〃 said Mrs。 Templeton gently。 〃And did they agree to
anything？〃
〃Alas； not they； for at that moment some old Johnny began asking
questions and then that old fire…eater； McGinnis； horned in again。
No Arbitration Committee for himno one could come into his
foundry and tell him how to run his businesssame old stuff； you
know。 Well； then； the Methodist Johnny took a hand。 What's his
name？ Haynes； isn't it？〃
〃Yes； Haynes；〃 said Hugh Maynard。
〃Well； Brother Haynes took up the tale。 He is an eloquent chap；
all right。 He took the line 'As you are strong； be pitiful；' but
the psychological moment had gone and the line still held strong。
Campbell of the woollen mills invited him up to view his 25；000。00
stock 'all dressed up and nowhere to go。' 'Tell me how I can pay
increased wages with this stock on my hands。' And echo answered
'How？' Haynes could not。 Then my old chief took a handthe
Reverend Murdo Matheson。 He is a good old scout； a Padre； you
knowregular fire…eatera rasping voice and grey matter oozing
from his pores。 My governor says he abandoned the frontal attack
and took them on the flank。 Opened up with a dose of economics
that made them sit up。 And when he got through on this line； he
made every man feel that it was entirely due to the courtesy and
forbearance of the union that he was allowed to carry on business
at all。 He spiked Brother McGinnis's guns by informing him that if
he was harbouring the idea that he owned a foundry all on his own；
he was labouring under a hallucination。 All he owned was a heap of
brick and mortar and some iron and steel junk arranged in some
peculiar way。 In fact； there was no foundry there till the workmen
came in and started the wheels going round。 Old McGinnis sat
gasping like a chicken with the pip。 Then the Padre turned on the
'Liberty of the subject' stop as follows： 'Mr。 McGinnis insists
upon liberty to run his foundry as he likes； insists upon perfect
freedom of action。 There is no such thing as perfect freedom of
action in modern civilisation。 For instance； Mr。 McGinnis rushing
to catch a train； hurls his Hudson Six gaily down Main Street
thirty miles an hour； on the left…hand side of the street。 A speed
cop sidles up； whispers a sweet something in his ear； hails him
ignominiously into court and invites him to contribute to the
support of the democracy fifty little iron men as an evidence of
his devotion to the sacred principle of personal liberty。 In
short； there is no such thing as personal liberty in this burg；
unless it is too late for the cop to see。' The governor says
McGinnis's face afforded a perfect study in emotions。 I should
have liked to have seen it。 The Padre never took his foot off
the accelerator。 He took them all for an excursion along
the 'Responsibility' line： personal responsibility； mutual
responsibility； community responsibility and every responsibility
known to the modern mind。 And then when he had them eating out
of his hand； he offered them two alternatives： an Arbitration
Committee as formerly proposed； or a Conciliation Board under the
Lemieux Act。 My governor says it was a great speech。 He had 'em
all jumping through the hoops。〃
〃What DO you mean； Vic？〃 lamented Mrs。 Templeton。 〃I have only the
very vaguest idea of what you have been saying all this time。〃
〃So sorry； Mrs。 Templeton。 What I mean is the Padre delivered a
most effective speech。〃
〃And did they settle anything？〃 inquired Patricia。
〃I regret to say； Patricia； that your friend Rupert〃
〃My friend； indeed！〃 cried Patricia。
〃Who comforts you with bonbons；〃 continued Vic； ignoring her words；
〃and stays you with joy rides； interposed at this second
psychological crisis。 He very cleverly moves a vote of thanks；
bows out the deputation； thanking them for their touching
addresses； and promising consideration。 Thereupon； as the door
closed； he proceeded to sound the alarm once more； collected the
scattered forces； flung the gage of battle in the teeth of the
enemy； dared them to do their worst； and there you are。〃
〃And nothing done？〃 cried Adrien。 〃What a shame。〃
〃What I cannot understand is；〃 said Hugh； 〃why the unions do not
invoke the Lemieux Act？〃
〃Aha！〃 said Vic。 〃Why？ The same question rose to my lips。〃
〃The Lemieux Act？〃 inquired Mrs。 Templeton。
〃Yes。 You know； Mrs。 Templeton； either party in dispute can ask
for a Board of Conciliation； not Arbitration； you understand。 This
Board has power to investigatebring out all the factsand
failing to effect conciliation； makes public its decision in the
case； leaving both parties at the bar of public opinion。〃
〃But I cannot understand why the unions do not ask for this
Conciliation Board。〃
〃I fear； Hugh；〃 said Victor in an awed and solemn voice； 〃that
there is an Ethiopian in the coal bin。〃
〃What DOES he mean； Patricia？〃
〃He means that there is something very dark and mysterious； Mamma。〃
〃So there is；〃 said Hugh。 〃The unions will take an Arbitration
Committee； which the employers decline to give； but they will not
ask for a Conciliation Board。〃
〃My governor says it's a bluff；〃 said Vic。 〃The unions know quite
well that McGinnis et hoc genus omne will have nothing to do with
an Arbitration Committee。 Hence they are all for an Arbitration
Committee。 On the other hand； neither the unions nor McGinnis are
greatly in love with the prying methods of the Conciliation Board；
and hence reject the aid of the Lemieux Act。〃
〃But why should they all be dominated by a man like McGinnis？〃
demanded Adrien。 〃Why doesn't some employer demand a Conciliation
Board？ He can get it； you know。〃
〃They naturally stand together；〃 said Hugh。
〃But they won't long。 Maitland declares that he will take either
board； and that if the committee cannot agree which to choose； he
will withdraw and make terms on his own。 He furthermore gave them
warning that if any strike…breakers were employed； of which he had
heard rumours； he would have nothing to do with the bunch。〃
〃Strike…breakers？〃 said Adrien。 〃That would certainly mean serious
trouble。〃
〃Indeed； you are jolly well right；