Arizona republican., 1911-09-23
Publishing Co.)

metal. glowing with an indescribable | heat. so molten that it was thin as
 water. and bubbled and simmered and
 jetted hot, scalding fountains here and
 there over it's surface. driven upward 1 by the terrible fires beneath. Fused
 for moment into a common agony
 of fear and helplesSness. they seethed
 and eddied like turbulent metal. And
 like the metal. too. John felt their will
 might be still nodded into any form. l He elevated himself slowly 10 the plat l form. and stood there beside McKich-
 nie with his hand on the table.
 The hall was large but there was l something in the bigness of John Mar ] tin that enabled him 10 overshadOw | every man in it. His eve flashed. and | if seemed like a stroke of lightning to | the last man on the bench. He brought ! his huge fist down on the table with | T low thump and it seemed as though | the whole building reverberated.,
 Look here. now. fellows" he said i 1t last when he had cast his spell over | them sufficiently. "I didn't have any. | thing 70 do with this strike. When il started was against H. I haven't | had anything 10 do with 1t. except 10 keep back some of you from doing things that l thought would hurt the rause more than il would help. But I
 want 10 tell you something. I ain't the Organizer. 1 ain't e President of the Metal Council. nor the Secretary. nor anything. not even a picket But l
 believe in this strike When I come put. I put in everything My family's III broke up. My wife'S out in Iowa ,-F.I .1-,
 lacks down in the country My baby, Little Wiggler. is out wonder in that
 Iuiet place where babies don't never
 yet hungry any more. I've lost my loUse that I was payin' for on install nents. And I don't tell you this be 'ause I think I've suffered more'n my share There's men here that's had it larder'n me. I'm just tellin' you how [ feel
 Every reason I had for strikin' the
 lay I struck. I've got now. And I've got some more reasons, too. Every .Ut-throat scab that's come into this own 10 take my job away from me is another reason why I see that I've got 70 stick 10 my union principles. Every thing I've suffe-ed-ny house and seat tered family. and my baby that just about starved 10 death. you could call it. is another reason why I'm SC :ng to stick 10 the union.
 Fellows. it's got so now that If a man that works ever expects 10 have a family and care for II free and in- dependent. he's got to have union con ditiOns. That's a big reason. Then there's others Every one of you anxious men-every hungry wife and child and empty cupboard; every bin that's shy of coal or potatoes is a req son why ! can't abandon this strike and go back 10 work. Some of you have got crape on your hats since this strike began Others of you didn't have the price 10 put it on your hats. but you're a-wearing mourning in your hearts Well. those are other reasons why I've got to stay on strike.
 Now. I don't know why you fel- lows come here. nor what you're going 10 do; but. SO help me God, I'm going 10 stay out"
 He had been talking in low. even tones of great earnestness that pene- trated to every corner of the room.
 When he ceased speaking there was silence for a moment. breathless si- lence. and then a creaking of chairs as men straightened up and drew full breaths again. But the expression on every face had changed. From being a mass they had become individuals, and from extreme excitability they had passed 10 a solemn calm.
 Martin knew that he had poured the metal.
 "I call for de question" said Holtz- man from the back of the house. even his fiery soul sufficiently tanned to ex- press itself in unaffected tones.
 question:"
 McKichnie put Martins motion to continue the strike indefinitely.
 II was carried with a thunderous "Ayei"
 And then without the formality of adjournment the meeting broke up. It was entirely unofficial. The president of neither union involved in the strike had presided. nor had the secretary recorded the proceedings. McKichnie and Martin had chanced upon it, had made themselves a part of il. each had done his work and each knew, as the crowd melted away. that the day had been absolutely won. and that 1t would be long and only after another tedious series of hardships. disappointments and deferred hopes that they would have to fear another such mutiny.
 John was leaning once more against the platform. and his face had fallen into one of those complete distractions which often overcame him.
 McKichnie stopped down and clapped him heartily on the shoulder. Many crowded near and pressed his hand, out Martin hardly seemed 10 notice them He stood apart, silent. bowed with some weighty responsibility. un- seeing. unhearlng. like the prophet. Ezra. at Chebar, and yet just now. his silence. his black, passionate abstrac- sion was to the men a supreme in- 1uence They knew he was fighting his fight with his whole soul. and they contented themselves with look Ing on his face and then. like satisfied children, drffted on out of the hall atout their several concerns. leaving him to tho lonely vigil of his passion.
 He must have been breeding alone for three full hours. for McKichnie. like the rest. had respected his mood and left him there. And only the sudden realization that darkness had fallen reminded him that he was alone Tn tho grant amOtv chamber AS ha !