New-York tribune., 1919-05-10
The Bolsheuik Engine
From Poacer Plant Enginecrino

oohle OF the Turbines and Dynamos. w;,h
'he flstons and Rods, got together ..s
TAXED over their grievances. One Dvr....
pointing foot toward the Fiy-wheel sa;s.
why should we all go on getting all
ana working hard to make electricity for
'he world when that idle Fly-wheel dos.
nothing but whirl around on his shaft, W.
VINO produce the power, should get al, ~
credit and attention and care. I.oo,. ~
hlm' He sticks up above everythins ole.
everybody sees him and talks about h;.s
ne takes up room and gets painted srs
1ussed over, but he's absolutely useless y
lhen the Turbine Joined in with his shru
voice. You're right, MIR. Dynamo; that Flv'
"heel belongs to the bourgeoisic. He's new.
made watt or horsepower in the n;not.s-
years he's been in this plant. I've wa+.h.I
nm carefully. He never hurries or ro..
hea'eo. he just goes round and round. Hes
kept all pohshed up and looks dignitied and
doesn't work at all; while I'm grinding ava,
night and day, chewing up $50 pounds .,
steam and turning out light and power 7.
isn't fair that guy should get awav with -
and ride all day on the shaft that YOU fe,,ow.
work to keep turning
Up spoke the Piston-rod: "You said cav.
thing, Brother Turbine I've had NV eve ~,
lhat fellow, too. This is bower
plant, and those who don't make noua.
haven't any place here"
The Steam-pipe broke out with great h,..
then: II am with you, boys That Flv.whoo, /.
does nothing but sponge on us, who do the
real work He's robber, that's
what ne is; and the day of the idle plutocro+
is gong to close. We fellows create all ths
power IN this plant, and we should realize it
and not let ourselves be exploited and our
means of livelihood stolen by an ider WIZ
does nothing. Let's put him ontn
Good for you,' spoke up a Boiler. "rr.
peen here twenty-six years and | arree
Why don't we boycott that Fly-wheel
and refuse to work for him any longer. He
stays in nice, clean, cool room, while
sweat in coal and ashes all day here. wbers
there's no sunlight or air and where ;t,s
always hot. He gets all the comfort and
get all the drudgery."
SO the Turbine and Dynamo and Piston
rod and Steam-ppe and Boiler decided to or.
ganize and talked about name Tbev
couldn't agree, so they adjourned for later
meeting.
BY that time their ideas had grown and
they decided to start a movement to make
war on all the hy-wheels of the world. And
they organized the 'International Power
Producers Soviet" They chose red as their
emblem and Down with all iders!" as their
battle cry.
They decided to hold a parade to arouse
the other plants; but just as they were
starting out steady voice spoke up from
behind the Engine. Boys, wait minute:
L want to talk to you." 1t was the Governor
speaking, and the "reds" stopped to listen.
for they had always had some respect for
him. They had heard that if he quit the
whole plant would likely be wrecked. and
they would all be out of Job for good.
So they waited to hear him.
He went on: "Go easy boys Don't forget
there are outlaws known as dead centre and
sudden peaks that can break in here and
make tremendous trouble. It's Fly-wheeI who
keeps them in order. If it wasn't for him
dead centre would hold US up so we couldn't
start up; and if Fly wheel wasn't on guard
sudden peaks would break in with his gang
OF heavy loads and we couldn't withstand
hlms Then we'd lose our jobs, for our out
side customers would leave us and there
wouldn't be any power plant in operation"
A Pump, who had not been heard from
before, spoke up. 81 don't see why we should
pay much attention to what the Governor
says. I've run for eighteen years without a
governor and I've pumped 25O,0O0,0OO gal
Ions of water. I'm wise to what that party
wants. He knows that he doesn't produce
any power either, and he's afraid that if
we unite and organize we'll throw him out.
too. He's never done any real
work. -
In reply, the Governor said: "You may all
do as you please. If you throw out either
the Fly-wheel or me, you'll all soon be out
of job and starving. But maybe you'll
have to before you learn the lesson"
Then everybody joined in at once Some
wanted to consider what the Governor said,
and began to call themselves Conservatives.
Others joined with Steam pump and called
themselves Radicals. They were for throw
ing out all Valves and Meters that might
in any way control the operation of the
plant.
And so the argument ragged. Meantime,
Fly-wheel and Governor went about their
tasks, working with the Conservatives and
trying to keep things going so that tire
Radicals would not wreck the plant and
throw everybody out of job
That's where matters stood at the last
report