Strife by John Galsworthy Page A

ears.]
     
    WANKLIN. None of us are opposed to a settlement, except your Father.
     
    EDGAR. I'm certain that if the shareholders knew—
     
    WANKLIN. I don't think you'll find their imaginations are any better than ours. Because a woman happens to have a weak heart—
     
    EDGAR. A struggle like this finds out the weak spots in everybody. Any child knows that. If it hadn't been for this cut-throat policy, she needn't have died like this; and there wouldn't be all this misery that anyone who isn't a fool can see is going on.
     
    [Throughout the foregoing ANTHONY has eyed his son; he now moves as though to rise, but stops as EDGAR speaks again.]
     
    I don't defend the men, or myself, or anybody.
     
    WANKLIN. You may have to! A coroner's jury of disinterested sympathisers may say some very nasty things. We mustn't lose sight of our position.
     
    SCANTLEBURY. [Without uncovering his ears.] Coroner's jury! No, no, it's not a case for that!
     
    EDGAR. I've had enough of cowardice.
     
    WANKLIN. Cowardice is an unpleasant word, Mr. Edgar Anthony. It will look very like cowardice if we suddenly concede the men's demands when a thing like this happens; we must be careful!
     
    WILDER. Of course we must. We've no knowledge of this matter, except a rumour. The proper course is to put the whole thing into the hands of Harness to settle for us; that's natural, that's what we should have come to anyway.
     
    SCANTLEBURY. [With dignity.] Exactly! [Turning to EDGAR.] And as to you, young sir, I can't sufficiently express my—my distaste for the way you've treated the whole matter. You ought to withdraw! Talking of starvation, talking of cowardice! Considering what our views are! Except your own is—is one of goodwill—it's most irregular, it's most improper, and all I can say is it's—it's given me pain—
     
    [He places his hand over his heart.]
     
    EDGAR. [Stubbornly.] I withdraw nothing.
     
    [He is about to say mote when SCANTLEBURY once more coveys up his ears. TENCH suddenly makes a demonstration with the minute-book. A sense of having been engaged in the unusual comes over all of them, and one by one they resume their seats. EDGAR alone remains on his feet.]
     
    WILDER. [With an air of trying to wipe something out.] I pay no attention to what young Mr. Anthony has said. Coroner's jury! The idea's preposterous. I—I move this amendment to the Chairman's Motion: That the dispute be placed at once in the hands of Mr. Simon Harness for settlement, on the lines indicated by him this morning. Any one second that?
     
    [TENCH writes in his book.]
     
    WANKLIN. I do.
     
    WILDER. Very well, then; I ask the Chairman to put it to the Board.
     
    ANTHONY. [With a great sigh-slowly.] We have been made the subject of an attack. [Looking round at WILDER and SCANTLEBURY with ironical contempt.] I take it on my shoulders. I am seventy-six years old. I have been Chairman of this Company since its inception two-and-thirty years ago. I have seen it pass through good and evil report. My connection with it began in the year that this young man was born.
     
    [EDGAR bows his head. ANTHONY, gripping his chair, goes on.]
     
    I have had do to with "men" for fifty years; I've always stood up to them; I have never been beaten yet. I have fought the men of this Company four times, and four times I have beaten them. It has been said that I am not the man I was. [He looks at Wilder.] However that may be, I am man enough to stand to my guns.
     
    [His voice grows stronger. The double-doors are opened. ENID slips in, followed by UNDERWOOD, who restrains her.]
     
    The men have been treated justly, they have had fair wages, we have always been ready to listen to complaints. It has been said that times have changed; if they have, I have not changed with them. Neither will I. It has been said that masters and men are equal! Cant! There can only be one master in a house! Where two men meet the better man will rule. It has been said that Capital and Labour