Strife by John Galsworthy Page B

have the same interests. Cant! Their interests are as wide asunder as the poles. It has been said that the Board is only part of a machine. Cant! We are the machine; its brains and sinews; it is for us to lead and to determine what is to be done, and to do it without fear or favour. Fear of the men! Fear of the shareholders! Fear of our own shadows! Before I am like that, I hope to die.
     
    [He pauses, and meeting his son's eyes, goes on.]
     
    There is only one way of treating "men"—with the iron hand. This half and half business, the half and half manners of this generation, has brought all this upon us. Sentiment and softness, and what this young man, no doubt, would call his social policy. You can't eat cake and have it! This middle-class sentiment, or socialism, or whatever it may be, is rotten. Masters are masters, men are men! Yield one demand, and they will make it six. They are [he smiles grimly] like Oliver Twist, asking for more. If I were in their place I should be the same. But I am not in their place. Mark my words: one fine morning, when you have given way here, and given way there—you will find you have parted with the ground beneath your feet, and are deep in the bog of bankruptcy; and with you, floundering in that bog, will be the very men you have given way to. I have been accused of being a domineering tyrant, thinking only of my pride—I am thinking of the future of this country, threatened with the black waters of confusion, threatened with mob government, threatened with what I cannot see. If by any conduct of mine I help to bring this on us, I shall be ashamed to look my fellows in the face.
     
    [ANTHONY stares before him, at what he cannot see, and there is perfect stillness. FROST comes in from the hall, and all but ANTHONY look round at him uneasily.]
     
    FROST. [To his master.] The men are here, sir. [ANTHONY makes a gesture of dismissal.] Shall I bring them in, sir?
     
    ANTHONY. Wait!
     
    [FROST goes out, ANTHONY turns to face his son.]
     
    I come to the attack that has been made upon me.
     
    [EDGAR, with a gesture of deprecation, remains motionless with his head a little bowed.]
     
    A woman has died. I am told that her blood is on my hands; I am told that on my hands is the starvation and the suffering of other women and of children.
     
    EDGAR. I said "on our hands," sir.
     
    ANTHONY. It is the same. [His voice grows stronger and stronger, his feeling is more and more made manifest.] I am not aware that if my adversary suffer in a fair fight not sought by me, it is my fault. If I fall under his feet, as fall I may, I shall not complain. That will be my look-out—and this is his. I cannot separate, as I would, these men from their women and children. A fair fight is a fair fight! Let them learn to think before they pick a quarrel!
     
    EDGAR. [In a low voice.] But is it a fair fight, Father? Look at them, and look at us! They've only this one weapon!
     
    ANTHONY. [Grimly.] And you're weak-kneed enough to teach them how to use it! It seems the fashion nowadays for men to take their enemy's side. I have not learnt that art. Is it my fault that they quarrelled with their Union too?
     
    EDGAR. There is such a thing as Mercy.
     
    ANTHONY. And justice comes before it.
     
    EDGAR. What seems just to one man, sir, is injustice to another.
     
    ANTHONY. [With suppressed passion.] You accuse me of injustice, of what amounts to inhumanity, of cruelty?
     
    [EDGAR makes a gesture of horror, a general frightened movement.]
     
    WANKLIN. Come, come, Chairman.
     
    ANTHONY. [In a grim voice.] These are the words of my own son. They are the words of a generation that I don't understand; the words of a soft breed.
     
    [A general murmur. With a violent effort ANTHONY recovers his control.]
     
    EDGAR. [Quietly.] I said it of myself, too, Father.
     
    [A long look is exchanged between them, and ANTHONY puts out his hand with a gesture as if to sweep the personalities away; then places it against