The citizen. (Honesdale, Pa.) 1908-1914, 1909-11-03

his believing and that his glare, al
ways squarely met, had no more effect
upon him than it would have upon the
bronze statue of Washington which
stands sentinel on the steps of the sub.
treasury in Wall street.
Smith lowered himself slowly and
easily into a big armchair beside the
presidents desk.
1.-TWO delegates from the Longshore-
mems union were here just now," an
nounced the captain. "They say the
freight handlers are going to strike"
"Ya-asW said Smith interrogatively.
eyes. What do you know about it2"
Nothing, except that they came to
me with demand for higher pay for
the men. l referred them to you"
"Well, 1 didn't leave 'em any loop
hole for doubt as to my position in the
matter"
"You turned them down"
Turned 'em down! OF course.
What do you think? Suppose I hand
ed 'em q raise on a silver platter and
bowed 'em out of the door?
81 don't suppose anything about it.
I'm asking for information"
"Them two blatherskites came swag
gering and clustering in here and said
every last one of the men would quit
tomorrow morning at II o'clock unless
they got cents more an hour. They
wasn't staggering when they went
out of here, I tell you. I pretty soon
took the starch out Of EN-"
A faint smile fitted over the superin
tendent's face, but he ventured no re.
mark.
'I told 'em," williams went on, "that
/ wouldn't give 'em a cent a century
more and to strike and be ID. I also
told 'em that any man who did go
out would never get another job with
this company, and, by Sam. he won't!'
The captains voice had risen to a
roar, and he brought his fist down on
the desk with such force that pens and
pencils went flying in all directions
and the ink splashed from the wells In
their solid crystal stand.
"Them labor agitators amt got
no notion Of the fitness of things.
They amt got a grasp on economic
conditions for a cent. They got to do
something to live without working, so
every once in awhile they go to the
men as pays 'em to be walking dele
gates, gives 'em some glib talk about
their rights and advises 'em to strike
for more money. Do they look around
and try to find out whether an ad-
vance is warranted by the conditions
Nary look. Do any of the men they
hand out their advice to try to find
out? Not on your life! They go ahead
like a lot of sheep and strike and
starve and blame the result on cap
ital.'
Smith nodded.
eff they carry out their threat and
quit" continued the captain, "you
will clear all the strikers from the
docks, throw 'em off if necessary
knock their silly blocks off, but tel
them as wants to work that full pro
lection will be given. I'll arrange
with police headquarters to have 6
sufficient force Of bluecoats on hand tt
guard our property and will also noti
fly. our docks at other ports to be pre-
pared. You will fix up accommodations
for the strike breakers in the sheds
here until the trouble is over ant
make arrangements to bring men from
the inland cities. In this matter yor
need spare no expense. Understand?
81 guess So" replied the superin
tendent.
''Then it's up to you"
tn MI
about?"
mot now. You can get in touch will
me any time you want me. You know
, about where Pm to be found"
Smith drew in his long legs, raised
himself from the chair and took W
his hat to go.
"See here, Smith," said the captain
his voice rising gradually to it's fear
some below, Its nigh on to twoscor'
years since I took my first vessel, til,
Sally Moran, out of Frisco as maste
and owner, bound for the south Sc;
islands to trade, and I've commanded
/, my own ship every minute since an(
held my own against all sorts of lub
bers as would have done me and dom
for me if they could. And do yol
! think Pm going to be dictated to b.
! any white livered gas bag of crawl
ing delegate who comes here holding ,
: knife to my throat by threatening {
" turnout without giving me chanc