The Washington herald., 1916-07-16

his brain empty Of consciousness.
Tom. flushed with victory. looked up In
eager appeal to Edna, She shuddered and
buried her face In her hands. Tom shrug-
sed his shoulders and, with q last con-
temptuous backward look at his battered
OF the yard and through the applauding
crowd. His days work was done. and
done well.
At 10 o'clock next morning Joe Carr
rsturned to his own department from q
summons to the presidents ofiee. with
orders from Peltz and Graham that
Thomas Clark be instantly discharged.
Il did my best for you. lad" reported
the old man when he had told the news
men who came over to listen. But 1t
was no use. Graham was there, with his
face all swollen and cut. and he kept
saying. Mr.. Peltz. either Clark goes or
gov I told Peltz you were the best
worker on the floor; but he stood by
Graham and"
And I guess the boys win stand by
Tom Clark" spoke up one Of the listen
ing workers. Hes fired without cause,
and that's dead against our agreement
with the company. Well call meeting
for tonight and"
Not on my account" begged Tom.
Il don't want to make any Of you men
lose a, days work or get In bad with
Graham for my sake. l can find work
somewhere. And
And you'll fnd it right here in these
mills" supplemented Carr. "or we'll
know the reason why. Mr. Agnew Gra-
hams gone a step too far this time"
On the following day a committee Of
the men formally waited upon Mr.. Peltz
in the latter's office. Graham was there,
still hideously dishgured by his thrash
ing.
Peltz nodded curtIy to the committee
and bade them state their errand. The
spokesman cleared his throat and began
speech he had carefully rehearsed.
Mr.. Peltz," said he. I'VE are here as a
delegation OF your entire force. We have
grievance. We regret that we should
be obliged"
"oh, cut out the fowery language and
come to the point!" snapped Graham
What's your grievance7'
The spokesman, still addressing Peltz,
resumed:
Thomas Clark was yesterday dis
charged without assigned cause, and for
no reason concerning his work and con-
duct here in the mills. We demand, re-
spectfulIy. that he be reinstated by or
before noon today"
And II We refuse?" sneered Graham
What then7"
Then" retorted the spokesman, STIR
red out Of his self-control by the insolent
tone. then at noon every man in these
mills will register his protest by walking
out. That is final"
Walk out. them" yelled Graham.
Strike. II you're fools enough! Not a
man who strikes on account of that Clark
olackguard will ever get another Job here.
That's final. too"
Us that your decision. too, Mr.. Peltz?"
asked the spokesman.
1T is" replied the president. I'VE in
tend to run our mills without dicta ton
from our employees"
CLARK was unjustly discharged" ar
gued the spokesman. and contrary to
section ls of our agreement with the COM
pany. Do you refuse to reinstste him."
Il do" grunted Peltz. That's my
ultimatum."
we walk out at noon today" said
filed from the office.
As they departed they heard Ora
ham say to the president:
Perhaps you see now why didn't
like Clark's popularity with the men.
He"
Telegraph to Nagel," interrupted
Peltz. Tell him to ship US FIVE hun
dred strikebreakers and fifty guards.
Well see this thing through. Tell Ma
gel to rush his men here on the first
possible train"
But 1t was one thing to summon q
battalion Of strikebreakers and quite
another thing to break a strik as
Peltz and Graham speedily discovered.
The men of the mills were fercely
in earnest. They had struck. not only
for a man they liked. but in defense
of a principle. They were not minded
to starve while professional hoboes
o,I hat Inh
Wherefore. as the guarded strike
breakers marched up the street to-
ward the mill from the railroad sta
ton the strikers barred their prog
ress. The police and the hired guards
sought to drive back the solid body Of
men who opposed the strikebreakers'
march.
stone flew; then another. Then a
hailstorm Of missiles. The police and
guards charged; but the strikers flung
themselves upon their foes with a
steady determination that forced them
to halt
The air was thick with stones and
clubs. Here and there a revolver spat
viciously. Hundreds Of men were en-
tangled in a no-luarter hand-to-hand
conflict.
Bit by bit the strikers gained ground.
In vain had Tom Clark implored them TO
ABSTAIN from violence anu lTOIn ItSlsl-
ance to the law. Their blood was up.
They were fighting for their homes, for
their principles. and they were conquer
ing.
The street in front OF the mill was in
a mad turmoil. The strikers in q final
rush swept their opponents of their feet
and back toward the railroad station
whence they had come.
They'll turn around presently and
wreck the mills" rnuttered Graham as,
from Peltzs office, he peeped down on
the scene of carnage below. And when
they do
He looked around him. to find he was
talking to himself alone, Peltz had pru-
IDENTIFY left the office and was even then
sneaking out of the building through an
unguarded door.
Graham, left alone lost what little rem
nant of nerve he still possessed. Guess
ing at Peltzs flight, he made ready to
follow his worthy presidents example.
He bolted from the office, down flight
Of stairs toward the street. In the hall
way someone sprang forward and seized
him by the arm. Graham, half blinded
by terror, jerked his arm free and was
starting on again, when he saw 1t was
Edna Carr who had sought to stay him.