The spectator., 1921-07-12


 'I can, indeed" was the smiling an swer
 Cantrel looked as if he didn't more than half believe it.
 Being newspaper man, I'm nat urally suspicious" he put in. There are big doings down underneath all this that 1 can smell, but cant dig up Everything about this strike is too blamed good-natured. I've talked with half d dozen of the leaders, and with any number of the rank and file. They all grin and give me the wink, as if pulled off"
 Again Mir. Norcross smiled hand somely. If you push me to it, Cant rell, l may say that this is exactly their attitude toward me :"
 Well" said the editor. getting up good and proper. Your railroad stock is tumbling downstairs so fast that it cant keep up with itself
 "I hope il will tumble still more" !" said the boss, pleasantly, with another sort of enigmatic smile; and with that Mir Cantrell had to be content. As the editor went out. Fred May brought in the bunch of forenoon tele- grams and laid them on the desk. They were quickly glanced at and tossed over to ne as fast as they were read. Most of them were plaintiVe little yipS H., V along the short Line who seemed to think that the world had come to an end. but there were three bearing the New York date line and signed bun ton. The earliest had been sent short ly after the opening of the Stock eN- change, and it ran thus;
 Morning papers announce strike and complete tie-up on F. x. l.. Why no report from you of labor troubles threateningt Compromise at any cost and wire emphatic denial of strike. Answer quick"
 The second of the Serie> had been flied for transmission an hour later and if WaS still more sau=teethed
 Later reports confirm newspaper story Your failure to compromise in stantly with employees will break stock market and Subiect you to in- vestigatou for criminal ineoYpeteney. Answer"
 The third message had been sent still later.
 Your continued silence ts insXcuS. al J.f. by six o'clock you may consider your self discharged from the eompahy'> service and criminal proceedings ea charge of conspiracy will be instituted at once
 l thought things were beginning to look pretty serious fer us f Mr Dun ton WIS going to Try to drag ns into the courts, but Mir. NorcrosS was still smiling when he handed me the last and latest telegram in the bunch. II was from Mr. Chadwick, and Was good naturedly Iaconc.
 '.Eo q. NorCroSs, c. M.,
 Portal City.
 Just returned from trip to Seattle. Whats doing an the short Line?
 "Ghadwick.'
 "A couple of tcle@ramS Jimmie" said the chief, aS he passed this last wire over and I got my notebook ready.
 "To E. punton, New York. Strike is sympathetic and not subject to com promise. Mails moving regularly. but all other traffic suspended indefinitely. My office closes today, and my resig. nation, effective at once. goes to you on Fast Mail tonight a
 Now one to Mir Chadwick, and you may send il in code he directed criSply, Then he dictated:
 See newspapers for account strike. Hatch and eight of his aSsociateS were killed last night in railroad wreck punton has demanded my reSi Snation and l have given il. llave plan for complete reorganization along lines discussed in beginning. and need your help. At market opening tomorrow sell r. <. l.. large blocks and repur- chase in dribets as price goes down. Repeat until tell you to stop. Wire quick if you are with us."
 Just as I was taking the last sen tence. Mir Ripley and Billoughby came in. and Mir, NoreroSs took them both into the third room of The suite and shut the door. An hour later when the door opened and they came out. the boss was summing up the neW or ders to Billoughhy: There's n lot to dc, and you have my authority to hire all the help you need. See the bank. CTS yourself, personally, and get them to interest other local buyers along Inc line. the more of them and the smaller they are. the better. I'll take carc of Portal City, myself tye had Van Britt on the wire and he iS taking carr' of the einployees-Nes. that goes as 1T lies. and k n part of the original plan every man who works for T.. \ l.. iS going to own Il hit of stock. if we have to carry him for it and lct him pay II Hallur o Unat ,Jnra thau th.,t tb,,.