The review. [volume] (High Point, N.C.) 1908-19??, 1915-09-16
eleventh INSTALLMENT
CHAPTER XVIII.


had the narrowest kind of an escape
from being blown to pieces by dyna-
mite did not make their feelings for
kehr and his men any friendlier, but
one thing was certain, If harm came to
the girl who had risked her life to warn
them of their danger it would have
to come to her over their dead bodies.
Wherever she went among the
strikers she was welcomed with a
kind of gallant alteration. Something
about her seemed, when she entered
a room, to pull the rudest and the
most ignorant men to their feet.
Everywhere she went she preached
her gospel, softened hearts and made
men and women hopeful of better
things. And presently only those who
were naturally bloodthirsty and who
loved violence for it's own sake talked
openly of attacking the stockade. 1t
aeemed to Celestia that the strikers
demands were not unjust, and she de-
termined to end the strike by persuad-
ing Kehr and the men he represented
to meet their demands.
Elections were coming on, and the
best way to secure the labor vote was
to see that 1abor's envelope was bet
ter filed than ever before. With a
new form Of government in control
of the nations most disinterested and
able men there would be such a saw
ing of national waste that doubling
the pay of every laborer in the coun-
try would be but a drop in the bucket.
Tommy could not see any possible
good in Celestia's form of millennium.
He felt that, innocently, Of course,
and with the best intentions, she was
trying to betray labor into the hands
of capital, and he fought her doctrine
tooth and nail. But what she seemed
to offer was so glittering and alluring
to the poor and needy that Tommys
opposing arguments found few listen
ers in Bitumen.
Celestial preached that government
of the people by the people and for
the people had been proved gigan-
tic failure, for two excellent reasons
(D, it isn't by the people, and CD it
isn't for the people. The fathers who
set down some very noble aspira-
tions in black and white were in
stantly succeeded by politicians, who
twisted their aspirations to their own
ends. We are today a government OF
the people by the politicians and for
the politicians. Patriotism, if it isn't
dead, has gone to sleep. There are
patriotic Virginians, patriotic Yer
monters, too, but there are very few
patriotic Americans.
No business run as this United
States is run could possibly be a
success. No employee of such a busl-
ness could be blamed for failing in
respect for his employers or In 10y
atty to them. So, do we want our
country to be respectable and sue
cess or don't we? Let it be run with
the same American efficiency with
which the Standard Oil company has
been run, and nobody will be poor and
no part of any city will be dirty and
full of disease.
If there we're no waste there would
be plenty of money for everybody, or
at least of the things money can buy
Celestial was insistent on this, and
personally I am hanged If don't
think she was right. We waste every
thing-raw material, finished product
health and brains.
In the face of Kehr's stubbornness
1t was not easy to make progress
toward settlement of the strike, ana
at last Celestia telegraphed to Cor
don Barclay and asked for definite
power to speak for the coal companies
and treat with the labor leaders.
His answer was a flying trip TO
Bitumen.
He was very sharp with Kehr, num-
bled him and browbeat him, caused |
Gunsdorf and the other leaders to be |
released, and then, after long, secret |
conference with Professor Stilliter, ne
gave. Celestia the power she asked
for.
Before returning to New York he
sent for Gunsdorf ct al, made per-
sonal peace with them, and obtained |
their political allegiance
"Celestia,'' he told them, us right. |
The troubles between labor and capital |
are only the symptom of the great ma
tional wastage that has gone on since
the beginning of things. We must
give IN electfn1 men to high Office as |