Evening star., 1896-12-12

Don't interrupt the speaker" shouted
Braunt from the body of the hall.
he interrupted me-" roared Gibbons
now now thoroughiy angry. Turning to the
young man, who stood there silently wait
ing for statement and retort to cease Tho
secretary demanded: Ao
when did Sartwell tell you that?"
on Tuesday night"
On Tuesday nightr repeated c,ibhons
coming to the front of the platform. "On
tuesday night! and you have the brazen
cneek to stand here and admit it,
ny shouldn't II" asked Marsten, with
perceptiDle self-control but whitening
around his tightening lips
why shouldn't you? I'll tell you why.
because you sneaked in behind the backs
ooint od ,he 6n,! TGmmittee tee you had helped to ap
mittee." ' e'iii
Every man in the works had a hand in
appointing the committee. If you didn't
vote, then you neglected your duty If
you voted against the committee YOU were
bound by the result, just as the COMMITTEES
would have been bound If they had been
defeated. That's trade unionism-stand to-
gcther or fall together. You knowing a
committee had been appointed to deal with
this very business, must go crawling to
Sartwell and undermine the work of your
fellow unionists."
That's lie," Kissed Marsten through his
set teeth, in low but intense tone of voice
which was heard to the further end Of the
nall. The young man strobe toward his
antagonist. his right hand nervously clinch-
ing and unclinching. 1t was an electric
moment-the crowd held Its breath They
expected the next move would be blow
Gibbons stood his ground without finch
ing. Not muscle of his face moved ex-
cept his eyelids, which partially closed over
mis- eyes. leaving slit through which a
steely glance shot at Marsten, but his an
swer was rot SO truculent as his look
If its lie, he said, calmly to the evil
of hfc haa
the lie Is not mine. / was merely putting
your own statements in little terser Ian
guage. that's ALL"
Braunt. who had with difficulty kent his
hot temper in hand during the colloauy on
the stage, now roared at the top of his
voice:
Give Z lad a chance to speak and shut
your silly mouth, He's called Won n liar
like man. Sit down, you fool!'
I must really ask the protection of the
chair. protested the secretary. turning
to Scrimmins. The latter feeling that
something was expected of him, rose
rather uncertainty to his feet and struck
the table three or four times with his MAJ
let.
'Order, order," he cried "If there is any
more disturbance down there, the man will
be put out of the meeting
WHAT shouted Braunt. Put me out.
Ezodi I'll give 'ee tn chance"
The big man made his way toward the
platform, brushing aside from his path a
few who, in the interests of law and order.
endeavored to oppose him. The majority of
those present, however, were manifestly
of the opinion that the progress of the
angry man should not be barred, so they
cheered his Intervention and made encour-
aging remarks.
Braunt sprang upon the platform, ad-
vanced to the chair, smote his clenched fist
on the table, and cried:
Here 1 am. scrimmins. Now put me
out! Dye hear?'
He paused for a reply, but there was
rome. Scrimmins, shrinking from him. OBJ
viously prepared for fight II Braunt at
tempted to storm the position. The York
shireman glared about him, but those on
the platform appeared to think that the
time-for protest had not yet arrived. Mean
while the audience was calling loudly for q
speech.
II haven't much to say. mates" began
Braunt calming down through lack of op-
position. "and I'm no man at the CAB. I'm
a worker. and all 1 want is a chance to
earn my bread. But I'll say this: / saw
In { papers not so long ago that there's
1000 men Of our trade out of work in
England today. Twenty seven thousand
men anxious for a job.
Now, what Is this man Gibbons asking
you to do? He's asking you to chook up
your jobs and have your places taken by
some of them twenty-seven thousand. Sart-
well has only to put an advertisement in
the papers and he can I'LL the shops i've
times over in two days. It's always easier
to chook oop job than to get a new one
these times. l know. because I've tried II.
So have most OF you. Take my advice and
go no further with this nonsense. II Sart-
well. as Marsten says, is willing to talk