plans　of　McNish　and　the　Executive　of　the　allied　unions。　　The　new
  manager　was　beginning　to　make　his　hand　felt　upon　the　wheel。　　Checks
  upon　wastage　in　labour　time　and　in　machine　time　were　being
  instituted；　everywhere　there　was　a　tightening　up　of　loose　screws
  and　a　knitting　up　of　loose　ends；　with　the　inevitable　consequent
  irritation。　　This　was　especially　true　in　the　case　of　Tony　Perrotte；
  to　whom　discipline　was　ever　an　external　force　and　never　an　inward
  compulsion。　　Inexact　in　everything　he　did；　irregular　in　his　habits；
  irresponsible　in　his　undertakings；　he　met　at　every　turn　the
  pressure　of　the　firm；　resolute　hand　of　the　new　manager。　　Deep　down
  in　his　heart　there　was　an　abiding　admiration　and　affection　for　Jack
  Maitland；　but　he　loathed　discipline　and　kicked　against　it。
  The　first　of　May　is　ever　a　day　of　uncertainty　and　unrest　in　the
  world　of　labour。　　It　is　a　time　for　readjustment；　for　the　fixing　of
  wage　scales；　for　the　assertion　of　labour　rights　and　the　ventilating
  of　labour　wrongs。　　It　is　a　time　favourable　to　upheaval；　and　is
  therefore　awaited　by　all　employers　of　labour　with　considerable
  anxiety。
  On　the　surface　there　was　not　a　ripple　to　indicate　that　as　far　as
  the　Maitland　Mills　were　concerned　there　was　beneath　a　surging　tide
  of　unrest。　　So　undisturbed　indeed　was　the　surface　that　the
  inexperienced　young　manager　was　inclined　to　make　light　of　the
  anxieties　of　his　father；　and　was　confident　in　his　assurance　that
  the　danger　of　a　labour　crisis　had；　for　the　present　at　least；　been
  averted。
  Out　of　the　blue　heaven　fell　the　bolt。　　The　mails　on　May　Day　morning
  brought　to　the　desk　of　every　manager　of　every　industry　in
  Blackwater；　and　to　every　building　contractor；　a　formal　document
  setting　forth　in　terms　courteous　but　firm　the　demands　of　the
  executives　of　the　allied　unions　of　Blackwater。
  〃Well；　it　has　come；　boy；〃　was　Maitland's　greeting　to　his　son；　who
  came　into　the　office　for　the　usual　morning　consultation。
  〃What？〃　said　Jack。
  〃War；〃　replied　his　father；　tossing　him　the　letter　and　watching　his
  face　as　he　read　it。
  Jack　handed　him　the　letter　without　a　word。
  〃Well；　what　do　you　think　of　it？〃　said　his　father。
  〃It　might　be　worse。〃
  〃Worse？〃　roared　his　father。　　〃Worse？　　How　can　it　be　worse？〃
  〃Well；　it　is　really　a　demand　for　an　increase　in　wages。　　The　others；
  I　believe；　are　mere　frills。　　And　between　ourselves；　sir；　though　I
  haven't　gone　into　it　very　carefully；　I　am　not　sure　but　that　an
  increase　in　wages　is　about　due。〃
  Maitland　glowered　at　his　son　in　a　hurt　and　hopeless　rage。
  〃An　increase　in　wages　due？〃　he　said。　　〃After　the　increase　of　six
  months　ago？　　The　thing　is　preposterous。　　The　ungrateful
  scoundrels！〃
  At　this　point　the　telephone　upon　his　desk　rang。　　Jack　took　up　the
  receiver。
  〃Good　morning；　Mr。　McGinnis。　。　。　。　　Yes；　he　is　here。　　Yes。　。　。　。
  At　least；　I　suppose　so。　。　。　。　　Oh；　I　don't　know。　。　。　。　　It　is
  rather　peremptory。　。　。　。　　All　right；　sir；　I　shall　tell　him。〃
  〃Let　me　talk　to　him；〃　said　his　father；　impatiently。
  〃Never　mind　just　now；　Dad；〃　said　Jack；　with　his　hand　over　the
  receiver。　　Then　through　the　telephone　he　said：　　〃All　right；　sir；　he
  will　await　you　here。　　Good　morning。〃
  〃。　。　。　The　old　boy　is　wild；〃　said　Jack　with　a　slight　laugh。　　〃The
  wires　are　quite　hot。〃
  〃This　is　no　joke；　Jack；　I　can　tell　you。　　McGinnis　is　coming　over；
  is　he？〃
  〃Yes；〃　replied　Jack；　〃but　we　won't　get　much　help　from　him。〃
  〃Why　not？〃　inquired　his　father。　　〃He　is　a　very　shrewd　and　able
  business　man。〃
  〃He　may　be　all　that；　sir；　but　in　a　case　like　this；　if　you　really
  want　my　opinion；　and　I　have　no　wish　to　be　disrespectful；　he　is　a
  hot…headed　ass。　　Just　the　kind　of　employer　to　rejoice　the　heart　of
  a　clever　labour　leader　who　is　out　for　trouble。　　Dad；〃　and　Jack's
  voice　became　very　earnest；　〃let's　work　this　out　by　ourselves。　　We
  can　handle　our　own　men　better　without　the　help　of　McGinnis　or　any
  other。〃
  〃That　is　just　the　trouble。　　Look　at　this　precious　document；　'The
  Allied　Unions。'　　What　have　I　got　to　do　with　them？　　And　signed　by
  Simmons　and　McDonough。　　Who　is　McDonough；　pray？〃
  〃McDonough？　　Oh；　I　know　McDonough。　　He　is　a　little　like　McGinnis
  big…hearted；　hot…headed；　good　in　a　scrap；　useless　in　a　conference。
  But　I　suggest；　sir；　that　we　ignore　the　slight　unpleasant
  technicalities　in　the　manner　and　method　of　negotiation　and　try　to
  deal　with　our　own　people　in　a　reasonable　way。〃
  〃I　am　ready　always　to　meet　my　own　people；　but　I　refuse　utterly　to
  deal　with　this　committee！〃　　It　was　not　often　that　Mr。　Maitland
  became　profane；　but　in　his　description　of　this　particular　group　of
  individuals　his　ordinary　English　suffered　a　complete　collapse。
  〃Dad；　McGinnis　will　be　here　in　a　few　minutes。　　I　should　like　to
  suggest　one　or　two　things；　if　you　will　allow　me。〃
  〃Go　on；〃　said　his　father　quickly。
  〃Dad；　this　is　war；　and　I　have　learned　a　little　about　that　game
  'over　there。'　　And　I　have　learned　something　about　it　in　my　athletic
  activities。　　The　first　essential　is　to　decline　to　play　the　enemy's
  game。　　Let's　discover　his　plan　of　campaign。　　As　I　read　this
  document；　the　thing　that　hits　my　eye　is　this：　do　they　really　want
  the　things　they　ask　for；　or　is　the　whole　thing　a　blind？　　What　I
  mean　is；　do　they　really　want　war　or　peace？　　I　say　let's　feel　them
  out。　　If　they　are　after　peace；　the　thing　is　easy。　　If　they　want
  war；　this　may　come　to　be　a　very　serious　thing。　　Meantime；　Dad；
  let's　not　commit　ourselves　to　McGinnis。　　Let's　play　it　alone。〃
  Mr。　Maitland's　lips　had　set　in　a　thin；　hard　line。　　His　face　was
  like　a　mask　of　grey　steel。　　He　sat　thinking　silently。
  〃Here　he　comes；〃　said　Jack；　looking　out　of　the　window。　　〃Dad；　you
  asked　me　to　come　into　this　with　you。　　Let's　play　the　game　together。
  I　found　it　wise　to　place　the　weight　on　the　defence　line。　　Will　you
  play　defence　in　this？〃
  The　lines　in　his　father's　face　began　to　relax。
  〃All　right；　boy；　we'll　play　it　together；　and　meantime　I　shall　play
  defence。〃
  〃By　Jove；　Dad；〃　cried　Jack；　in　a　tone　of　exultant　confidence；
  〃we'll　beat　'em。　　And　now　here　comes　that　old　Irish　fire…eater。
  I'll　go。　　No　alliance；　Dad；　remember。〃　　His　father　nodded　as　Jack
  left　the　room；　to　return　almost　immediately　with　Mr。　McGinnis；
  evidently　quite　incoherent　with　rage。
  In　the　outer　office　Jack　paused　beside　the　desk　of　the　old
  bookkeeper。　　From　behind　the　closed　door　came　the　sound　of　high
  explosives。
  〃Rough　stuff　in　there；　eh；　Wickes；〃　said　Jack；　with　a　humorous
  smile。　　For　some　moments　he　stood　listening。　　〃War　is　a　terrible
  thing；〃　he　added　with　a　grin。
  〃What　seems　to　be　the　matter；　Mr。　Jack？〃
  Jack　laid　before　him　the　document　sent　out　by　the　Allied　Unions。
  〃Oh；　this　is　terrible；　Mr。　Jack！　　And　just　at　this　time。　　I　am　very
  much　afraid　it　will　ruin　us。〃
  〃Ruin　us？　　Rot。　　Don't　ever　say　that　word　again。　　We　will　possibly
  have　a　jolly　good　row。　　Someone　will　be　hurt　and　perhaps　all　of　us；
  more　or　less；　but　I　don't　mean　to　be　beaten；　if　I　know　myself；〃　he
  added；　with　the　smile　on　his　face　that　his　hockey　team　loved　to　see
  before　a　match。　　〃Now；　Wickes；〃　continued　Jack；　〃get　that　idea　of
  failure　out　of　your　mind。　　We　are　going　to　win。　　And　meantime；　let
  us　prepare　for　our　campaign。　　Here's　a　bit　of　work　I　want　you　to　do
  for　me。　　Get　four　things　for　me：　the　wages　for　the　last　three
  yearsyou　have　the　sheets？〃
  〃Yes；　sir。〃
  〃The　cost　of　living　from　the　Labour　Gazette　for　the　last　three
  yearsyou　have　them　hereand　the　rates　of　increase　in　wages。
  Plot　a　diagram　showing　all　these　things。　　You　know　what　I　mean？〃
  〃Yes；　sir；　I　understand。〃
  〃And　find　out　the　wages　paid　at　our　competing　points。〃
  〃All　right；　Mr。　Jack。　　I　know　what　you　want。　　I　can　give　you　the
  necessary　information　in　regard　to　the　first　three　points　almost　at
  once。　　It　will　take　some　days；　however；　to　get　the　wages　of　our
  competing　points。〃
  〃All　right；　old　boy。　　Carry　on！〃　said　Jack；　and　with　the　same　smile
  on　his　face　he　passed　out　of　the　office　into　the　shops。
  It　amused　him　slightly　to　observe　the　change　in　the　attitude　and
  bearing　of　his　men。　　They　would　not　look　at　him　fairly　in　the　face。
  Even　Snoopy　Sykes　and　Macnamara　avoided　his　glance。　　But　he　had　for
  everyone　his　usual　cheery　word。　　Why　should　he　not？　　These　chaps
  had　no　hatred　for　him；　nor　he　for　them。　　He　had　come　to　understand
  union　methods　of　discipline　and　recognised　fully　the　demands　for
  loyalty　and　obedience　imposed　upon　its　members　by　the　organisation。
  These　men　of　his　were　bound　to　the　union　by　solemn　obligations。　　He
  bore　them　no　ill…will　on　that　score。　　Rather　he　respected　them　the
  more　for　it。　　If　a　fight　was　inevitable；　he　would　do　his　best　to
  beat　them　but　he　would　allow　no　spirit　of　hatred　to　change　his　mind
  toward　them　nor　cloud　his　judgment。
  The　day　was　full　of　excursions　and　alarms。　　A　hurry　call　was　sent
  out　by　McGinnis　to　all　employers　who　had　received　copies　of　the
  document　from　the　Allied　Unions。　　In　the　afternoon　a　meeting　was
  held　in　the　Board　of　Trade　Building；　but　it　was　given　over　chiefly
  to　vituperation　and　threatening　directed　toward　their　variously
  described　employees。　　With　one　heart　and　voice　all　affirmed　with
  solemn；　and　in　many　cases　with　profane　oaths　that　they　would　not
  yield　a　jot　to　the　insolent　demands　of　this　newly　organis