the iron puddler-第22章
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ho afterward became one of the big men in the tin industry。
After I became Secretary of Labor I was a dinner guest at the White House。 When I arrived the President said： 〃Here's an old friend of yours。〃 To my surprise and keen pleasure President Harding led forward my old boss； Daniel G。 Reid。 There was much laughing and old…time talk between us。 〃Do you recall；〃 said Mr。 Reid； 〃how during the tin strike of '96； you steered to the lodge room and unionized men who came to take the place of the strikers？〃 Mr。 Reid thought this was a great joke。 He had always been favorable to ending the strike and signing the men's agreement； but for a long time had been deterred by his partners。 Mr。 Reid in nearly every conference was selected for chairman； and this was considered by the employers a very fine tribute of respect and confidence。 Turning to the president； Mr。 Reid said： 〃If Jim is as industrious in your service as he was in the Elwood tin mill you have got a good secretary。 Jim knew more about the tin plate business when he was a worker than any other man in America。 I wanted to get him to join our sales department but he declined my offer！〃
When the matter of the Elwood strike was referred to the next regular meeting I had been working only three weeks。 I wrote to my father in Sharon asking for his counsel on the subject。 He wrote back： 〃In as much as it isn't a question of wages or rules； I'd vote to stay on the job and wait for my pay。 There's no pay out here to be had even by waiting。 The mill is down； and if we hadn't raised a big potato crop we wouldn't know where to look for our next meal。〃
CHAPTER XXXI
UNACCUSTOMED AS I AM TO PUBLIC SPEAKING
With father's warning on my mind I went to the meeting where the strike was to be voted。 Nobody had opposed the strike； for the cause was plainly a just one。 The men wanted their pay to be issued to them every week； and they were entitled to it。 The only question in my mind was one of expediency。 Could we hope to win a strike at a time like that when the mills were on the verge of closing because of bad business？
While the speakers were presenting the reasons for the strike I noticed that not a man examined or discussed the dangers in it。 The mind of the meeting was made up。 I was talking to the fellow who sat beside me； and I told him what my father had written me。
〃I agree；〃 he said。 〃A strike at a time like this doesn't seem to be the right thing to do。〃
〃If you don't think it a wise move；〃 I said； 〃why don't you get up and say so。 For this meeting is going to vote strike in the next two minutes； sure as fate。〃
〃I can't make a speech；〃 he said。 〃You do it。〃
The men were paid monthly checks and had never heard any complaint from their landlords and grocerymen who were willing to wait for their pay。 The complaint had been made by a few outsiders who wanted to see money circulate faster in town and thus boom things up a bit。 They had aroused the strike spirit of the men by speeches like this：
〃The bosses own you body and soul。 They regard you as slaves。 Your work makes them rich and yet they won't pay for your work。 While they are piling up profits you go around without a nickel in your jeans。 At the end of the week you want your pay。 Why don't they give it to you？ Because they would sooner borrow money without interest from you than go to the bank and pay eight per cent。 for it。 You men are their bankers and don't know it。 You could have your money in the bank instead of in their pocketsit would be drawing interest for you instead of drawing interest for them！ The interest on the wages of you men is five hundred sixty dollars a month。 No wonder they hold your pay for a month and put that five hundred and sixty dollars in their pockets。 But those wages are yours as fast as you earn them。 The interest on your money belongs to you。 That five hundred and sixty dollars a month belongs in your pockets。 But it will go into the bosses' pockets as long as you are willing to be robbed。 You have rights； but they trample on them when you will not fight for your rights。 Are you mice or men？〃
When it was put that way they answered that they were men。 The strike was 〃sold〃 to them before the meeting； without their having had a chance to state their side of it。 I felt that this was wrong。 There are lynch verdicts in this world as well as verdicts of justice。 When men have a chance to make up their own minds their verdict is always just。 But here a little group who knew what they wanted had stampeded the minds of the men； and a verdict won that way is like a mob verdict。
I decided to get up and speak； although it was really too late。 It seemed to me like calling a doctor after the patient is dead。 〃Men；〃 I said； 〃I'm a newcomer here and I never made a speech in my life。 I wouldn't try to now； only I've been asked to by othersby somebody that's been here a long time。 He thinks there ought to be a little more said before we ballot。 It's a hot day and I don't want to keep you here if you don't want to listen to me。 What I've got to say probably don't amount to much。〃
〃Go ahead；〃 somebody said。
〃We've decided to strike； and I don't know how it will turn out。 I've been out of work for several months and you fellows haven't； so I can tell you what it's like。 The country is thronging with idle men。 If we lose this strike we can roam all over the country before we find another job。 I came all the way here from Alabama； where they drove a bunch of iron workers into the peonage camps； and I was glad to get out alive。 Conditions are awful bad in this country and I have been trying to study 'em。 Money is scarcer now than it's ever been before。 They tell us that the bosses are keeping our wages in their pockets。 That's a mistake。 They haven't got anything in their pockets。 They've mortgaged their homes and pledged everything they own。 They're having a devil of a time to rake up the money every month to meet the pay…roll when it's due。 They aren't taking in the money as fast as they're paying it out。 Their salesmen are on the road trying to sell tin plate； but the tinners are so hard up that few of them can buy。
〃I believe we ought to get our pay every week； but how can we get it if the boss hasn't got it？ We've got to look at this thing in the light of facts。 The facts are that we have our jobs and are sure of our pay once a month。 There are a million men who would like to have what we have。 Those men will swarm in and take our jobs。 You can't stop them。 A hungry man can't be stopped by the cry of 'scab。' You all know that there are so many union men now idle that we have to pass around our jobs to keep the men in this town from starving。 When word goes out that we have struck； you'll see the workers swarm in here like locusts。 They'll be glad to take their pay by the month。 What's the use of a strike that hasn't got a chance to win？ We joined the union to make our jobs secure and to get good pay。 We're getting good pay。 Our jobs are secure unless we lose them in this strike。
〃I don't believe we've looked at both sides of the case。 I don't believe the boys really want this strike。 The demand for it originated outside our ranks。 Who started it？ Wasn't it started by fellows who want us to get our pay quicker so they can get it quicker？ They're the ones that worked up this strike。 They tell us that the bosses are robbing us because they hold our pay till the end of the month。 They say we ought to have it in the bank。 They know we wouldn't put it in the bank。 You know we wouldn't put it in the bank。 We don't want to put it in the bank； and you bet your boots they don't want us to put it in the bank。 They're liars when they say they're boosting for the banks。 They're boosting for their own pockets。
〃But we've really got our money in a bankor what's good as a bank。 The mill keeps our money for us just the way a bank would。 No bank in town pays interest on checking accounts； you know that。 Then why take our money out of the mill office and put it in a bank？ It's just as safe in the mill office。 And you've got the right to draw on it if you really need money in the middle of the month。 Only in case of death or accident does a man need money in the middle of the month。 An
