The mirror., 1923-08-23

utIS OF TOOIHS, Hlltu WIFI the IHcu tHcy
wished to help. There was the golden
opportunity of lifetime to meet them
personally and become acquainted; to es-
tablish their confidence and gain an in
fuence over them; to learn their hopes,
aspirations, ambitions, their difficulties,
their faults and weaknesses, and their
individual characteristics; and then to
lead, mould, and encourage them to live
clean, honest useful, and upright lives.
But they never thought of it.; seeing their
object through the window-pane-, but
never reaching it,"
Finch, paused; and Justice, both amazed
and perplexed, exclaimed-"Can it be
possibe?"
"It's the Gods truth" answered the
other.
Justice sighed, and arose saying, ~
must be going now, goodbye"
"Goodbye.' replied Mike
Superior Avenue was the main artery
of Metropolis. Walled in upon either
side by sheer and lofty and cliff
like sky-scrapers, built of steel, and
faced with white tile, red or yellow pressed
brick, or blue-grey granite.
Justice True, while walking along this
busy thoroughfare, looked upward and
beheld narrow strip of blue that was
the sky. She felt as one who picks his
perilous way along the gorge of some
mammoth canyons depths beside a rush
ing river. But instead of seething, tur-
bulent waters, there was pushing, bab-
bling vortex of humanity. The purr and
buzz of automobiles, honking like flock
of excited geese, was everywhere and in
cessant. Rambling street cars, with clang-
ing gongs and footing whistles, added to
the din.
Just ahead of her, a voice rang out
above the roar of traffic. "This theatre is
unfair to Organized Labor!" The cry
arose, clear, loud, and distinct. "The
Model theatre is not patronized by Or
ganized Labor!" and the cry was echoed
again some distance farther on.
In moment, Miss True beheld the
object which was under Labor's ban. A
great moving picture house, with wide
overhanging canopy of glass and steel. AT
either side of the building stood young
man constantly repeating the cry; while
in the street. along the curbstone, man
carried a sandwich sign bearing the en-
bem of international Alliance of Theat-
rical Stage Employees and Moving Picture
Operators Union" This sign also an
nounced the theatre as unfair
Justice paused, somewhat bewildered
at the unusual sight; and, out of curiosity,
was about to inquire of one of the pickets
as to the Unions grievance, when the
picket changed his cry and caled-"The
Model theatre has imported outside help
in an effort to reduce the wage scale of
both picture-machine operators and
musicians"
Miss True nodded comprehendingly,
and the picket touched his hat in salute.
A band of music was heard approaching,
and Justice tarried moment to see it pass.
In moment came the band, and with it
a large group of "Shriners" clad in gor-
geous silken costumes, and bearing ban
ners enscribed '"Patronize your home in
dustries! Do it for Metropolis" 1t was
"booster" parade.
Suddenly hearty, vociferous cheers came
from the sidewalk, and with them the
Boosters" slogan "Do it for Metropolis.
The marching Shriners took up the cry
started by Labor's pickets.
The procession passed on, and Miss
True was about to enter an adjacent shoe
store when her attention was arrested by
the window display. AS she stopped to
look, voice near her was saying-"Now
just listen to that! The speaker, large,
heavy set, prosperous appearing man, was