The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1918-05-25

AS the day wore on members Of
the Criminology club, in their as
sunled capacity Of dock hands,
heard with irritating frequency the
announcement of the strike meeting
called for that night The sudden
change of attitude OF the shipowners
toward the longshoremen was start
ling and puzzIing. Harrison Grant
confessed his bewiIderment to him
self even as he tried to dispel it by
joining the small groups that gath
cred here and there, listening for the
meager information their converse
ton contained. The talk was mostly
Of an argumentative nature, discus
sion rising magically over the soar
ing cost Of living, their long hours,
and the wrongs, fancied or other
wise, heaped upon them by the ship
owners. In each little group, Grant
noticed, when excitement Jagged or
one more cool-headed than the rest
counseled less haste and more eau
ton, less hot-headed talk and more
cool thought, that at least one OF the
group was ready to stir them up in
to argument again. But in these
troublesome ,agitators, neither Grant
nor his confreres could recognize any
Of the paid agents Of the German
government known to them.
The sinking Of the lighter had be-
come the main topic Of conversation.
During the noon hour excitement ana
agitation ran high. The longshore-
men, resented being accused OF sink
ing the lighter. Vehemently group
after group disclaimed any such
guilt And while one group, hot in
its denials, still seemed to believe
that the shipowners would listen to
their denials Of guilt, time and again
Grant heard references to the sink
ing Of the lighter as though it had
been the work of the longshoremen
and such was a commendable act
in view Of the wrongs done them.
These agitators he knew were for
eign element.
The air was permeated with the
strike fever, and the fever was fed
by remarks, actions, hints, constant
ly passing among the workmen but
none Of them traceable to men OF
known German leanings. Passing
Billy Cavanaugh, Grant signalled to
stop a moment, and, while he mopped
his perspiring forehead, confided his
doubts to him.
Calling the Strike.
Strike meeting tonight and they
don't know the real reason for their
strike! And we've got to find out
for EN- and put q stop to it today,
Billy stared at him kopelessly.
what you going to do? Germany is
behind this but she is hiding so tight
we can't find her. The Criminology
club could see hidden in this wild
maze of misunderstanding the hands
OF Won Rintelen, Bernstorff, Albert,
Won Papen, Boy-Ed and Won Lertz
as the longshoremen could not; they
could see the hands, but could not
shackle them.
The German dock foreman, upon
whom Won Rintelen had called the
night before, was rushing his mex
perienced crew. The work Of loading
the Arsulus had gone forward with a
rush. Burly laborers, ignorant of
the crime in which they were being
used as tools, loaded crates and
boxes of produce into the hold Of the
Arsulus Reinforced here and there
by men with whom the foreman was
familiar, and who were well aware
OF their share In the crime, driven
and roared and cursed at by the fore
man, the laborers bent to their task.
And the cargo of the Arsulus piled
high against the hold on the water
side OF the vessel. Her hawsers
were pulling a9 their moorings. She
creaked and ratified with the wash
of the current, and listed slightly in
her slip. But in the seething mael-
strom OF activity these things pass
ed unnoticed.
Toward the end OF the afternoon,
Grant picked UP the word that the
men at Union Headquarters had
taken UP the question of a strike
with the shipowners once more. That
they were seeking to convince them
that there should be one more con-
ference before the strike was called,
And at last the word came that the
sHlipowners had consented to- their
pleas and would confer with them,
that there should be one more con-
ference before the strike was called.
And at last the word came that the
shtpowners had consented to their
pleas and would confer with them.
The quitting bell changed and the
men OF the day shift dropped their
trucks. For a brief space compare
tive quiet reigned where all had been
noise, clatter,g ear splitting crashes,
combined with shouts Of men in a
fever heat OF excitement.
CriminoIogy Club Attends Meeting.
Grant, Cavanaugh, Sisson and
Steward OF the Criminology club
Joined the hurrying ranks and wedg-
ed themselves into the hall where the
Union meetings were held, amid a
crowd of persptring, cursing, excited
longshoremen.
the chairman of the shipowners
committee was speaking. AS his
voice was raised q silence fell upon
the crowd.
Men, we want to be fair. You say