to him that hath-第33部分

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cause。　　They　had　not　anticipated　any　such　a　strong　opposition　and
were　rather　nonplussed　as　to　the　next　move。　　Brother　Simmons　was　in
a　fury　and　was　on　the　point　of　breaking　forth　into　a　passionate
denunciation　of　scabs　and　traitors　generally　when；　to　the　amazement
of　all　and　the　intense　delight　of　the　supporters　of　the
administration；　McNish　arose　and　gave　unqualified　support　to　the
resolution。

His　speech　was　a　masterpiece　of　diplomacy；　and　revealed　his　long
practice　in　the　art　of　oratory　in　that　best　of　all　training
schools；　the　labour　union　of　the　Old　Land。　　He　began　by　expressing
entire　sympathy　with　the　spirit　of　the　opposition。　　The　opposition；
however；　had　completely　misunderstood　the　intent　and　purport　of　the
resolution。　　None　of　them　desired　trouble。　　There　need　not　be；
indeed；　he　hoped　there　would　not　be　trouble；　but　there　were　certain
very　ugly　facts　that　must　be　faced。　　He　then；　in　terse；　forceful
language；　presented　the　facts　in　connection　with　the　cost　of
living；　quoting　statistics　from　the　Department　of　Labour　to　show
the　steady　rise　in　the　price　of　articles　of　food；　fuel　and　clothing
since　the　beginning　of　the　war；　a　truly　appalling　array。　　He　had
secured　price　lists　from　dealers　in　these　commodities；　both
wholesale　and　retail；　to　show　the　enormous　profits　made　during　the
war。　　There　were　returned　soldiers　present。　　They　had　not　hesitated
at　the　call　of　duty　to　give　all　they　had　for　their　country。　　They
had　been　promised　great　things　when　they　had　left　their　homes；
their　families；　their　business　and　their　jobs。　　How　had　they　found
things　upon　their　return？　　He　illustrated　his　argument　from　the
cases　of　men　present。　　It　was　a　sore　spot　with　many　of　them　and　he
pressed　hard　upon　it。　　They　were　suffering　to…day；　worse；　their
wives　and　children　were　suffering。　　Had　anyone　heard　of　their
employers　suffering？　　Here　again　he　offered　illustrations　of　men
who　had　made　a　good　thing　out　of　the　war。　　True；　there　were　many
examples　of　the　other　kind　of　employer；　but　they　must　deal　with
classes　and　not　individuals　in　a　case　like　this。　　This　was　part　of
a　much　bigger　thing　than　any　mere　local　issue。　　He　drew　upon　his
experience　in　the　homeland　with　overwhelming　effect。　　His　voice
rose　and　rolled　in　his　richest　Doric　as　he　passionately　denounced
the　tyranny　of　the　masters　in　the　coal　and　iron　industries　in　the
homeland。　　He　was　not　an　extremist；　he　had　never　been　one。　　Indeed；
all　who　knew　him　would　bear　him　out　when　he　said　that　he　had　been
an　opponent　of　Brother　Simmons　and　those　who　thought　with　him　on
economic　questions。　　This　sudden　change　in　attitude　would　doubtless
surprise　his　brothers。　　He　had　been　forced　to　change　by　the　stern
logic　of　facts。　　There　was　nothing　in　this　resolution　which　any
reasonable　worker　might　object　to。　　There　was　nothing　in　the
resolution　that　every　worker　with　any　sympathy　with　his　fellow
workers　should　not　support。　　Moreover；　he　warned　them　that　if　they
presented　a　united　front；　there　would　be　little　fear　of　trouble。
If　they　were　divided　in　their　ranks；　or　if　they　were　halfhearted　in
their　demands；　they　would　invite　opposition　and；　therefore；
trouble。　　He　asked　them　all　to　stand　together　in　supporting　a
reasonable　demand；　which　he　felt　sure　reasonable　men　would　consider
favorably。

The　effect　of　his　speech　was　overwhelming。　　The　administration
supporters　were　exuberant　in　their　enthusiastic　applause　and　in
their　vociferous　demands　for　a　vote。　　The　opposition　were　paralysed
by　the　desertion　of　one　whom　they　had　regarded　and　trusted　as　a
leader　against　the　radical　element　and　were　left　without　answer　to
the　masterly　array　of　facts　and　arguments　which　he　had　presented。

At　this　point；　the　door　opened　and　Maitland　walked　in。　　A　few
moments　of　tense　silence；　and　then　something　seemed　to　snap。　　The
opposition；　led　by　the　hockey　men　and　their　supporters；　burst　into
a　demonstration　of　welcome。　　The　violence　of　the　demonstration　was
not　solely　upon　Maitland's　account。　　The　leaders　of　the　opposition
were　quick　to　realise　that　his　entrance　had　created　a　diversion　for
them　which　might　save　them　from　disastrous　defeat。　　They　made　the
most　of　this　opportunity；　prolonging　the　demonstration　and　joining
in　a　〃chair　procession〃　which　carried　Maitland　shoulder…high　about
the　room；　in　the　teeth　of　the　violent　protest　of　Brother　Simmons
and　his　following。

Order　being　restored；　business　was　again　resumed；　when　Brother
Macnamara　rose　to　his　feet　and；　in　a　speech　incoherent　at　times；
but　always　forceful；　proposed　that　the　usual　order　be　suspended
and　that　here　and　now　a　motion　be　carried　expressing　their
gratification　at　the　recent　great　hockey　victory　and　referring　in
highly　laudatory　terms　to　the　splendid　work　of　Brother　Captain
Maitland；　to　whose　splendid　efforts　victory　was　largely　due。

It　was　in　vain　that　Brother　Simmons　and　those　of　his　way　of
thinking　sought　to　stem　the　tide　of　disorder。　　The　motion　was
carried　with　acclaim。

No　sooner　had　this　matter　been　disposed　of　than　Maitland　rose　to
his　feet　and　said：

〃Mr。　President；　I　wish　to　thank　you　all　for　this　very　kind
reference　to　my　team　and　myself。　　I　take　very　little　credit　for
the　victory　which　we　won。　　We　had　a　good　team；　indeed；　quite　a
remarkable　team。　　I　have　played　in　a　good　many　athletic　teams　of
various　kinds；　but　in　two　particulars　the　Maitland　Mills　Hockey
Team　is　the　most　remarkable　of　any　I　have　knownfirst；　in　their
splendid　loyalty　in　taking　their　training　and　sticking　together；
that　was　beyond　all　praise；　and；　secondly；　in　the　splendid　grit
which　they　showed　in　playing　a　losing　game。　　Now；　Mr。　President；　I
am　going　to　do　something　which　gives　me　more　regret　than　any　of　you
can　understand。　　I　have　to　offer　my　resignation　as　a　member　of　this
union。　　I　have　accepted　the　position　of　manager　of　the　planing　mill
and　I　understand　that　this　makes　it　necessary　that　I　resign　as　a
member　of　this　union。　　I　don't　really　see　why　this　should　be
necessary。　　I　don't　believe　myself　that　it　should；　and；　brothers；　I
expect　to　live　long　enough　to　belong　to　a　union　that　will　allow　a
fellow　like　me　to　be　a　member　with　chaps　like　you。　　But　meantime；
for　the　present　I　must　resign。　　You　have　treated　me　like　a　brother
and　a　chum。　　I　have　learned　a　lot　from　you　all；　but　one　thing
especially；　which　I　shall　never　forget：　that　there　is　no　real
difference　in　men　that　is　due　to　their　position　in　life；　that　a
man's　job　doesn't　change　his　heart。〃

He　paused　for　a　few　moments　as　if　to　gather　command　of　his　voice；
which　had　become　suddenly　husky。

〃I　am　sorry　to　leave　you；　boys；　and　I　want　to　say　to　you　from　my
heart　that　though　I　cannot　remain　a　member　of　this　union；　I　can　be
and　I　will　be　a　brother　to　you　all　the　same。　　And　I　promise　you
that；　as　far　as　I　can；　I　will　work　for　the　good　of　the　union　in　the
future　as　I　have　done　in　the　past。〃

McNish　alone　was　prepared　for　this　dramatic　announcement；　although
they　all　knew　that　Maitland　sooner　or　later　would　assume　a　position
which　would　link　him　up　with　the　management　of　the　business。　　But
the　suddenness　of　the　change　and　the　dramatic　setting　of　the
announcement　created　an　impression　so　profound　as　to　neutralise
completely　the　effect　of　McNish's　masterly　speech。

Disappointed　and　enraged　at　the　sudden　turn　of　events；　he　was　too
good　a　general　to　allow　himself　to　be　routed　in　disorder。　　He　set
about　to　gather　his　disordered　forces　for　a　fresh　attack；　when　once
more　the　hockey　men　took　command　of　the　field。　　This　time　it　was
Snoopy　Sykes；　the　most　voiceless　member　of　the　union。

After　a　few　moments　of　dazed　silence　that　followed　Maitland's
announcement　of　his　resignation；　Snoopy　rose　and；　encouraged　by　the
cheers　of　his　astonished　comrades；　began　the　maiden　speech　of　his
life。

〃Mr。　President；〃　he　shouted。

〃Go　to　it；　Snoopy；　old　boy。〃

〃I　never　made　a　speech　in　my　life；　never〃

〃Good；　old　scout；　never　begin　younger！　　Cheerio；　old　son！〃

〃And　I　want　to　say　that　he　don't　need　to。　　I　once　heard　of　a　feller
who　didn't。　　He　kept　on　and　he　didn't　do　no　harm　to　nobody。　　And
the　Captain　here　wouldn't　neither。　　So　what　I　say　is　he　don't　need
to；〃　and　Snoopy　sat　down　with　the　whole　brotherhood　gazing　at　him
in　silence　and　amazed　perplexity；　not　one　of　them　being　able　to
attach　the　faintest　meaning　to　Snoopy's　amazing　oration。

At　length　Fatty　Findlay；　another　of　the　voiceless　ones；　but　the
very　special　pal　of　Snoopy　Sykes；　broke　forth　in　a　puzzled　voice：

〃Say　it　again；　Snoopy。〃

There　was　a　roar　of　laughter；　which　only　grew　in　volume　as　Snoopy
turned　toward　his　brothers　a　wrathful　and　bewildered　countenance。

〃No；〃　said　another　voice。　　〃Say　something　else；　Snoopy。　　Shoot　a
goal　this　time。〃

Again　Snoopy　rose。　　〃What　I　said　was　this；〃　he　began　indignantly。
Again　there　was　a　roar　of　laughter。

〃Say；　you　fellers；　shut　up　and　give　a　feller　a　chance。　　The　Captain
wants　to　resign。　　I　say　'No。'　　He　is　a　darned　good　scout。　　We　want
him　and　we　won't　let　him　go。　　Let　him　keep　his　card。〃

〃By　the　powers；〃　roared　Macnamara；　〃it　is　a　goal；　Snoopy。　　It's　a
humdinger。　　I　second　the　motion。〃

It　was　utterly　in　vain　that　Brother　Simmons　and　his　whole　following
pointed　out　unitedly　and　successiv