Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1918-05-21

, since II had become SO quickly obvious
! that Jerry was not going to he called
! off by "A crook OF the finger There were
even Indications that If told tiatIy tc
dcsist he would refuse to obey; and
open disobcdiencc was something Mr.
| Buckingham would not CountenanCc
| People might argue with him. hut they
must not disobey Not wishing to force
the Young man into rebellion. Mr.. Buck
| inEham had recourse to diplomaCNA
Let me suggest a way out, Jerry
he said almost Soothingly you arc
out OF place in fight like this. All
your friends see that Your business is
manufacturing. In that everybody con-
cedes YOU Il wonderful future Now YOU
let an older and "A more experienced
man intervene at this point. You take
the sign down and will see that YOU
get YOUR franchise immediately"
Jerry could not but be sOftcned by
the mellowncss in Mr.. Buckingham's $
manner; but neither could he yield his
point.
MIR. Buckingham" he said, IF you
get us franchise you viii get It by
dealing with that machine with which.
as a matter of principle have refused
to deal. Isn't that So"
81 will get it without uuarrCling.
Jerry" replied Mr.. Buckingham sig
ntiCantly.
II don't want to offend YOU, Mr. Buck
ingham, nor to appear either unappreCla-
tive or disrcSpeCtfui, but this attitude
of yours, coupled with your immense
power. think, makes YOU really a
dangerous element in the political situa-
ton in Phladcpha," argued Jerry.
you don't want to quarrel You are
a peace-loving man. and Philadelphia
prideS itself on being a peace-lovnG
city. though what it often means by
peace. I think is a mere Cud-Chewng
placidty in which it is undisturbed by
any sort Of too violent appeal to its
conscience.
"The forces OF evil capitalize that
love of quiet, that popular resent
ment of anything which makes loud
or unseemly noises in order to at
tract attention. They trade upon it,
Because of your love Of peace, Mr..
buckingham, is it not true that you,
a thoroughly honorable man, are
more or less in peaceful alliance
with political organization because
il gives you what you demand with
out a quarrel, though it practices
piracy on citizens generally?"
Jerry smiled-gravely, but neverthe-
! less he smiled--aS If to apply a local
anesthetiC to the wound he may have
| made, but Mr. Buckingham chose also
to smile, superior patient sort Of a
smile.
Jerry" he responded, drawing a long
breath. and then speaking in placid
tones of large condescension: ~ have
/ lived a good while. have seen a good
many reformers great and small come
and go. ] have dealt with many ad-
mlnistration in my effort to do the best
possible for the fiduCiary interests which
| represent. Things in the city graduahy
get better but that betterment is not
achieved by agitators. 1t is not accom-
| plished through the newspapers. II is
not won by noise and hOmhast and
vulgar calling of names. 1t is made pos
sibe only by the slow and steady feva.
ton of average standards of honesty in
business and in politics"
But how do those standards get ad
vanCed, IL somebody doesn't pick them
up and plant them higher. How do they
do that without a fGht?" argued Jerry
again. mo, Mr.. Buckingham. doubtless
it seems presumptuOus to YOU, pre-
sumptuouS that man so young as J.
and with experience so limited. should
differ with you, but ! do. | must You
are wrong Clearly wrong. The beast
has never bitten you. II has purred and
done your bidding. 1t has bitten me. II
Il biting our business now. and we are
not going TO pay tribute; we are going
TO fight. The sign will not come down"
CONTINUED TOMORROW