Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1909-08-28

can lead. hammering 10y sheer brute
strength way 70 wealth by WAYS In
which scruple had counted for nothing
az all and eNpediency for a good deal.
and his entrance upon q higher plane
OF civilization bad not impaired much
polish 10 his appearance. habits or
speech. which were those Of the old
time sailing ship mariner. although OF
late years be had sirlven to conform
more closely 20 the examples OF re-
hnement he witnessed IN the only Dc
lite society be cared for. which was
that OF the family OF his dead friend.
Stanley Harris. who was general man
hger Of the Latin American line when
be obtained control Of it. Re bad a
way OF glaring at a person from IN
der his bushy eyebrows with a scru-
tiny that seemed 20 read through and
up and down him and made BIN most
III at ease under Il.
He made his decisions promptly. au-
thOritauvely. after the manner OF
man accustomed to command and TO
be obeyed without question. and he
never changed them, at least in his
business and administrative dealings.
Add 10 all this a voice like a foghorn.
the effect OF which. when he raised
IT, was. as he knew fun well. 70 make
his subordinates quake and TO intimi-
date Others who had 10 do with him.
and II viii be realized that he lived up
fully 70 bis reputation OF being a hard
man
For his quiet uumovable and thor
oughly capable dock superintendent he
/ entertained certain respect He
knew from experience that the man
was not the least bit afraid or even
disturbed by bis bullying manner and
his believing and that his glare. al
/ ways sQuarey 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
Two delegates from the Loncshore-
mems union were here Just now" an
nounced the captain They say the
freight handlers are going TO strike"
"Ha-asF said Smith interrogatively.
Yes. What DO you know about it2"
Nothing. except that they came 70
me with q demand FOR higher pay FOR
the men. ] referred them to you"
"Well. ! didn't leave 'em any loop
hole Tor doubt as TO my position in the
matter"
You turned them DOWN.
Turned EN- downi OF course.
What do you thinkf Suppose hand
ed EN- a raise on a silver platter and
bowed EN- out OF the door,
Il don't suppose anything about IL
I'm asking Tor Information"
Then two blatherskites came swag.
gering and clustering ia here and said
every last one OF the men would Quit |
. tomorrow morning az IL o'clock unless
they got 3 cents more en- hour. They
wasn't swaggering when they went !
out OF here. ] tell you. ! pretty soon
took the starch out OF EN-"
A faint smile fitted over the superin-
tendents face. but be ventured no re
mark
u told en-" Williams went on. that
! wouldn't"give EN- cent a century
more and 90 strike and be id. I also
told 'em that any man who did go out
would never set another Job with this
company and. by sam. ne won'tr'
The captains voice had risen 20
roar. and he brought his dst down on
the desk with such force that pens and
pencils went dying 10 all directions
and the ink splashed from the wells
In their solid crystal stand.
Them labor agitators amt cot
no notion Of the fitness OF things
They amt got grasp on economic
conditions FOR a cent. They got 70 do
something 10 live without working. So
every once in awhile they 20 70 the
men as pays 'em 20 be walking dele.
gates. gives 'em some glib talk about
their rights and advises 'em 20 strike
for more money. DO they look around
and try 10 find out whether an ad-
vance is warranted Jy the conditions?
Nary a look DO any Of the men they
hand out their advice 10 try 10 End
out? Not on your life! They go ahead
Ike a lot OF sheep and strike and
starve and blame the result on CAPT
tai"
Smith nodded
IF they carry out their threat and
quit" continued the captain. 'you
" III NlfdI an tue tNrlkerS from the
docks. throw EN- Of II necessary.
knock their silly blocks of. but tell
them as wants 10 work that full pro-
lection VIII be given. III arrange
with police headquarters to have a
sufficient fore OF bluecoats on hand 10
guard our property and VIII also moth
~ our docks at other ports to be pre-
pared. You viii fix up accommodations
for the strike breakers Ia the sheds
here until the trouble is over and
make arrangements TO bring men from
the inland cities. In this matter you
Eeed spare no expense. Underestimate
u guess So" replied the superin-
tendent.
Then it's up 10 you"
| Anything else you want TO see me
aboutT ..
mot now. You can get In touch with
me any time you want me- You
know about where I'm to be found"
d Smith drew in hia LONG legs rafsad