Omaha daily bee., 1896-11-22

to-"
The young man looked up at his master.
with you It is different" he said you
are backed by wealthy company whether
! you win or lose, your situation Is secure.
II | failed the union in a crisis l could
| never get another situation"
Sartwell smiled grimly wnen the young
man mentioned the firm. He knew that
| there lay his weakness rather than his
strength. for although the firm had said he
| was to have a free hand, yet he was certain
the moment the contest became bitter the
| firm would be panic-strlCken. Then II the
| women took a hand in, the Jig was up, If
! the strikers had known on which side their
| bread was buttered, they would have sent
a delegation of their wives to Mrs Monkton
and Mrs. Hope. But they did not know this,
and Sartwoll was not the man to show the
| weakness Of his hand.
Yes" said the manager. ~ have the en-
| tire confidence of Mr.. Monkton and Mr.
| Hope. | wonder If the men appreciate that
| fact?"
! "oh yes, sir, they know that"
Now. Marsten, have you any influence
with the men?'
VERY little, I'm afraid, sir"
"If you have any now is the time to exert
1t, for their sakes, you know, not for mine
! Tho strike Is bound to fail. Nevertheless
l don't forget man who stands by me-"
The young man shook his head.
"If my comrades CO. I'll go with them.
| am not so sure that a strike is bound to
fail. although | am against 1t. The union
is very strong, Mr. Sartwell. Perhaps you
don't know that it is the strongest union in
London"
The manager allowed his hand to hover
for a moment over nest of pigeonholes,
then he drew out paper and handed 1t to
Marsten.
There Is the strength OF the union" he
said, down to the f17 IS and % they put
in the bank yesterday afternoon. II you
want any information about your union,
Marsten, / shall be happy to obige you
with it,"
TIE young man opened his eyes as he
| locked at the figures.
1T is very large sum-" he said.
"a respectable fighting fund" remarked
Sartwell, impartially. But how many Sat
urdays do you think it would stand the
drain Of the pay roll of this establishment"
mot very many, perhaps
at would surprise you to know how few.
The men look at one side Of this question
only, while l am compelled TO look at two
sides II any Saturday their pay was not
| forthcoming, they would not be pleased,
would they? Now / have to scheme and
plan so that the money is there every. Sat
urday,. and besides there must be enough
more to pay the firm for its investment and
its risk. These little details may not eeem
| important to a demagogue who knows moth
! ing Of business, but who can harangue a
body OF men and make them dissatisfied. |
should be very pleased to give them my
place here for month or two while took
a rest and then we would see whether
he thought there was anything to my point
of view
"Mr. Sartwell" said Marsten. looking
suddenly at the manager Some of the more
moderate men asked me tonight a similar
question to one of yours"
What question was that?"
They asked If l had any influence with
you" ,. ..,..
yes And you told them"
THAT I didn't know"
We'll you will never know until YOU
test the point. Have you anything to sug-
gest"
Many are against a strike. but even the
moro moderate think you are wrong in re-
fusing to see the delegation. They think
the refusal seems high-handed and that II
you were compelled to reject any requests
made. you ought not to let things come to
crisis without at least allowing the delega-
tion to present the mems ease
And do you think am wrong in this?"
81 do"
VERY well. I will settle that in moment
You get some of the more moderate to-
gether-head the delegation yourself. ! will
make an appointment with you, and we
will talk the matter over"
The young man did not appear so satisfied
with this prompt concession as might have
been expected. He did not reply for some
moments, while the elder man looked at him
critically, with his back against the tall
desk:
At last Marsten spoke:
II could not lead the delegation, being
one OF the youngest in the employ OF the
firm The secretary OF the union is the
leader the men have chosen"
An! The secretary Of the union. That Is
quite different matter. He Is not In my
employ. | cannct allow outsiders to interfere
in any business with which am connected.
/ am always willing to receive my own men,
either singly or in deputation, and that Is
no small matter where so many men are Mt
work; but II | am to open my Office doors to
the outside world-well, life is too short.
For instance, / discuss these things with
you, but | should decline to discuss them
with any man who dropped in out OF the
street"
Eyes. see the difficulty, but don't YOU
think you might make a concession in this
Instance, to avoid trcuble?"
1T wouldn't be avoiding trouble. II would
merely he postponing it. 1t would form
precedent, and | would have this man or
.hat interfering time and again. would
have to make n stand some time, perhaps
when was not so we'll prepared. If there
is 10 be fight l want it now. We need
some new machinery in. and We could do
with weeks shutdown"
Marsten shook his head
The shutdown would be for longer than
week" he said.
81 know that. The strike will last exactly
three weeks. At the end OF that time there
will be no union"
Perhaps tEero will also be no factory"
you mean that there will be violence?
Very we'll In that case the strike will
last but fortnight. You see, my boy, we
are In London. and there are not only the
police within a moments call, but back of
thcm, the soldiers. and back OF them again
the whole British empire. oh. no. Marsten
II won't do, you know. 1t won't do"
The men are very determined, Mr.. Sart-
we'll"
"All the better. like a determined an,
tagonist. Then you get things settled once
for all. / don't object TO n square. standup
fight, but eternal haggl!ng and higgling.
and seeing deputations and orbltrations,
and all that sort OF thing. cannot endure.
Let us know where we are. and then get on
with our work"
Then you have nothing to propose. Mr..
Sartwell? Nothing conciliatory. mean"
Certainly | have. Let the men request
that blatant ass Gibbons 10 attend to his
secretariai duties. and then let denutation
from our own workshops come up and see
ne. We'll talk the matter over. and II they
have any Just grievance | VIII remedy il |
for them. What can be falrer than that?"
TITS got to he a matter OF principle with
the men now--that is the inclusion OF Glib |
bons has. 1t means recognizing of the
union"
"Oh, I'll recognize The union ard take
off my hat to IL. that Ia so far aa my oWn