The Detroit times., 1914-05-29
The Ambition of
Mark Truitt

why, regard bathing as very
proper habit"
Mark smiled. THE men will be
grateful"
I'm not joking" Henley reminded
him sternly I'm go as far as to
agree TO the eight-hour shift as an
experiment, I'd like to see IL tried
out"
"Yes?"
your company stores, company
gardens and company homes are well
enough. They can be made proiit-
able-properly handled But your
profit-sharlng plan is all wrong and
Henley leaned forward and raped
on the arm OF his chair TO empna-
size each word-"and you can't have
II. | wouldn't care II you gave them
only a nominal share. II would be
useful--at hrst-to get good men up
here. Afterward you could cut il
out But why. in Gods name, give
them half?"
Because III need the other half
for some thing I'm planning
I'm not Joking Henley repeated.
why give them half?"
"Oh, that's an approximation. IL
seems to me a pretty fair division or
the spoils | don't insist on its accu-
racyg However, that's not the point"
Mark Strengthened up in his seat by
the desk, facing Henley squarely.
Have You forgotten that my money
and mine only is invested in this
plant? can quote good authority,
yourself that a man ought TO be al
lowed to run his own business TO suit
himself"
tAs long as he hurts no one else.
Mark smiled again at that. You
said you weren't joking. | suppose
you aren't That's the joke OF 1t. How
ever, the point is, you forbid me TO
conduct my own business in my own
way. And your authority
The power answered Henley
quietly, Ito smash you-and the will.
We've got labor where we want IL
in this business and we propose 10
keep II there. What you propose
would be a dangerous precedent. lr
we let you succeed, we'd have the
men all over the country yammering
for the same freak conditions. There
fore. we won't let you succeed
IL see. And you?
~" ! made you-haye you for
gotten that?--and I'm responsible for
you. | helped TO put labor where 1t
is, at some risk to myself and |
don't propose 10 have a man of my
own making undo the biggest thing
I've ever done. Therefore, !. won't
let you succeed"
You're quite sure you can do it
smash me?"
"Truitt, every steel company in the
country will make il its business TO
put you out. | know almost TO a
dollar what you have and what this
plant cost you. give you five years
TO hold out. at most six. After that
we will collect the remains and bury
them" Henley leaned back in his
chair, smiling genially. It's a pretty
little plant III be glad TO buy II
cheap, under the hammer"
And you won't stand aside and let
me fight II out with the rest or
them?"
NO" Henley seemed astonished
at the question. Certainly not What
did you expect"
II had hoped Mark answered
slowly. that you'd stay out OF il.
realize | had no reason TO hope that.
Henley stirred restlessly, turned TO
look out upon the valley, upon the
city that had not yet risen. An un-
easy qualm moved in his heart con
tinued with sharpness that was al
most akin to pain He found him
self resisting an absurd. an incred-
ible impulse-a tenderness such as he
had used to know, stealthily and
unadmittedly, for a young half inva-
lid with the habit of triumphing
where robust men fell, multiplied now
for this man.