“Yemissedone，“saidMcNishgrimly。“Theconservingoftheprofitsoflabourforthebenefitofthecapitalist。“
“Imighthaveputthatin，too，“saidtheminister，“butitisincludedinmyfirst。ButIshouldhaveaddedanotherwhich，tomymind，isoftheveryfirstimportance，thepreservationofthespiritofbrotherlyfeelingandChristiandecencyasbetweenmanandmaninthiscommunity。“
“Aye，yemight，“repliedMalcolminbitterirony，“andyemightbeginwiththeministersandthechurches。“
“Whisht，laddie，“saidhismothersharply，“Mindyermanners。“
“Hedoesn’tmeanmespecially，Mrs。McNish，butIwillnotsaybutwhatheisright。“
“No，“repliedMcNish，“Idon’tmeanyouexactly，Mr。Matheson。“
“Don’ttakeitback，McNish，“saidtheminister。“Ineedit。Weallneeditinthechurches，andwewilltakeit，too。Butcomenow，letuslookattheseclauses。Youaresurelynotstandingforthemall，orforthemallalike？“
“Whynot，then？“saidMcNish，angrily。
“I’lltellyou，“repliedtheminister，“andwon’ttakelong，either。“Heproceededtoreadovercarefullythevariousclausesinthedemandsofthealliedunions，emphasizingandexplainingthemeaningofeachclause。“First，astowages。Thisispurelyamatterforadjustmenttothecostoflivingandgeneralindustrialconditions。Itisamatterofarithmeticandcommonsense。Thereisnoprincipleinvolved。“
“Idon’tagreewithyou，“saidMcNish。“Thereismorethanthecostoflivingtobeconsidered。Thereisthequestionofthestandardofliving。Whyshoulditbeconsideredrightthatthestandardoflivingfortheworkingmanshouldbelowerthanthatfortheprofessionalmanorthecapitalist？“
“Thereyouareagain，McNish，“saidtheminister。“Youarenotuptoyourusualto-night。YouknowquitewellthateveryworkingmaninmyparishlivesbetterthanIdo，andspendsmoremoneyonhisliving。Thestandardoflivinghasnospecialsignificancewiththeworkingmanto-dayasdistinguishedfromtheprofessionalman。
Wearenotspeakingofthewastefulandidlerich。SoIrepeatthathereitisamatterofadjustmentandthatthereisnoprincipleinvolved。Now，asregardtohours。Youaskaneight-
hourdayandaSaturdayhalf-holiday。That，too，isamatterofadjustment。“
“Whataboutproduction，Mr。Matheson？“saidMaitland。“Andoverhead？Productioncostsareabnormallyhighto-dayandsoarecarryingcharges。Iamnotsayingthataten-hourdayisnottoolong。Personally，Ibelievethatamancannotkeepathisbestfortenhoursincertainindustries——notinall。“
“Longhoursdonotmeanbigproduction，Maitland。Notlonghoursbutintensiveandco-ordinatedworkbringupproductionandlowerproductioncosts。“
“Whataboutidlemachinesandoverhead？“inquiredMaitland。
“Averyimportantconsideration，“saidtheminister。“Theonlysoundrulegoverningfactoryindustryespeciallyisthis:thelongestpossiblemachinetime，theshortestpossiblemantime。Buthereagainitisaquestionoforganisation，adjustmentandco-
ordinationofworkandworkers。Weallwanteducationhere。“
“IfIrememberright，“saidMcNish，andhecouldnotkeepthebitternessoutofhisvoice，“Ihaveheardyousaysomethinginthepulpitattimesinregardtothevalueofmen’simmortalsouls。
Whatcarecanmentakeoftheirbodiesandminds，letalonetheirsouls，ifyouworkthemtenhoursaday？“
“Thereisapreviousquestion，McNish，“saidtheminister。“Whygivemoreleisuretimetomenwhospendtheirleisurehoursnowinpoolroomsandthatsortofnonsense？“
“Andwhosefaultisthat，“repliedMcNishsharply。“Whoisresponsiblethattheyhavenotlearnedtousetheirleisuremorewisely？Andfurther，whataboutyouryoungbloodsandtheirleisurehours？“
“Ay，Adoothehasyethere，minister，“saidMrs。McNishwithaquietchuckle。
“Hehas，“saidtheminister。“ThepointiswelltakenandI
acknowledgeitfreely。Mypositionisthatthemenneedmoreleisure，but，morethanthat，theyneedinstructionastohowtousetheirleisuretimewisely。Butletusgetontothethirdpoint。’AJointCommitteeofReferencesdemandedtowhichallcomplaintsshallbereferred。’Now，that’sfine。That’stheWhitleyplan。Itisquitesoundandhasprovedthoroughlyusefulinpractice。“
“Iquiteagree，“saidMaitlandfrankly。“Butcertainconditionsmustbeobserved。“
“Ofcourse，ofcourse，“repliedtheminister。“Conditionsmustbeobservedeverywhere。Now，thefourthpoint:’Theforemanmustbeamemberoftheunion。’Thoroughlyunsound。Theycan’tridetwohorsesatonce。
“Iamnotsosureofthat，“saidMaitland。“Formypart，Ishouldliketohaveretainedmymembershipintheunion。Themorethatbothpartiesmeetforconference，thebetter。Andthemoreconnectinglinksbetweenthem，thebetter。Ishouldliketoseeaunionwhereemployersandemployeesshouldhaveequalrightsofmembership。“
McNishgruntedcontemptuously。
“Itwouldbeaninterestingexperiment，“saidtheminister。“Aninterestingexperiment，McNish，andyouarenottogruntlikethat。
Thehumanelement，ofcourse，isthecruxhere。Ifwehadtherightsortofforemanhemightbetrustedtobeamemberoftheunion，butamancannotdirectandbedirectedatthesametime。
Butthatunionofyours，Maitland，withbothpartiesrepresentedinit，isabigidea。Itisworthconsidering。Whatdoyouthinkaboutit，McNish？“
“WhatdoIthinkofit？Itissheeridealisticnonsense。“
“Itisanobleidea，laddie，andnotobesneeredat，butAdootitneedsabetterworldforitthanwehaeatthepresent。“
“Iamafraidthatistrue，“saidtheminister。“Butmeantimeaforemanisamanwhogivesordersanddirectswork，and，generallyspeaking，hemustremainwithadirectorateinanybusiness。Theremaybeexceptions。Youmustacknowledgethat，McNish。“
“I’llacknowledgenothingofthesort，“repliedMcNish，andenteredintoalongargumentwhichconvincednoone。
“Nowwecometothenext，numberfive:’avoiceinthemanagement，’
itmeans。Comenow，McNish，thisisrathermuch。DoyouwantMr。
Maitland’sjobhere，oristhereanyoneinyourshopwhowouldbeanythingbutanembarrassmenttryingrunningtheMaitlandMills，andyouknowquitewellthatthemenwantnothingofthesort。ItmaybeasMrs。McNishsaid，’agoodnegotiatingpoint，’butithasnoplaceinpracticalpoliticshereinBlackwater。Howwouldyoulike，forinstance，totakeordersfromSimmons？“
Theoldladychuckleddelightedly。“Hehasyouthere，laddie，hehasyouthere！“
ButthisMcNishwouldnotacknowledge，andproceededtoargueatgreatlengthonpurelytheoreticalgroundsforjointcontrolofindustries，tillhismotherquitelostpatiencewithhim。
“Hoots，laddie，haudyerhoofsonmitherearth。Wouldyewantyonradicalbodiestotakechairgeo’onybusinessinwhichyehadabaubee？Ye’retalkin’havers。“
“Now，letuslookatthelast，“saidMr。Matheson。“Itispracticallyademandfortheclosedshop。Now，McNish，Iaskyou，mantoman，whatistheuseofputtingthatinthere？Itisnotevenanegotiatingpoint。“
AtthatMcNishfiredup。“Itisnonegotiatingpoint，“hedeclared。“Istandforthat。Itisvitaltotheveryexistenceofunionisedlabour。Everyoneknowsthat。Unionismcannotmaintainitselfinexistencewithouttheclosedshop。Itistheidealtowardwhichallunionisedlabourworks。“
“Now，McNish，tellmehonestly，“saidtheminister，“doyouexpectorhopeforanabsolutelyclosedshopinthefactorieshereinBlackwater，orintheBuildingIndustries？Haveyouthefaintestshadowofahope？“
“Wemaynotgetit，“saidMcNish，“butthatisnoreasonwhyweshouldnotfightforit。Menhavediedfightingfortheimpossiblebecausetheyknewitwasright，and，bydyingforit，theyhavebroughtittopass。“
“Farbeitfromme，McNish，todenythat。ButIamaskingyounow，againasmantoman，doyouknowofanyindustry，evenintheOldLand，wheretheclosedshopabsolutelyprevails，anddoyouthinkthatconditionsinBlackwatergiveyouthefaintesthopeofaclosedshophere？“
“Yes，“shoutedMcNish，springingtohisfeet，“thereishope。
ThereishopeeveninBlackwater。“
“Tut，tut，laddie，“saidhismother。“Dinnadeeveus。Whathascomeoweryethatyecannatalklikeareasonableman？Noo，Mr。
Matheson，ye’vehadenoughofthelabourmatters。A’llmakyeacupoftea。“
“Thankyou，Mrs。McNish，“saidtheministergravely，“butIcannotlinger。Ihavestillworktodoto-night。“Herosefromhischairandfoundhiscoat。Hismannerwasgravelysadandgaveevidenceofhisdisappointmentwiththeevening’sconversation。
“Dinnafashyerself，minister，“saidtheoldlady，helpinghimonwithhiscoat。“The’trouble’willblowower，adoot。It’lla’
comeootricht。“
“Mrs。McNish，whatIhaveseenandheardinthishouseto-night，“
saidtheministersolemnly，“givesmelittlehopethatitwillallcomeright，butrathergivesmegraveconcern。“Then，lookingstraightintotheeyesofherson，headded:“Icamehereexpectingtofindhelpandguidanceindiscoveringareasonablewayoutofaverygraveandseriousdifficulty。IconfessIhavebeendisappointed。“
“Mr。Matheson，“saidMcNish，“Iamalwaysgladtodiscussanymatterwithyouinareasonableandkindlyway。“
“Iamafraidmypresencehasnothelpedverymuch，Mrs。McNish，“
saidMaitland。“IamsorryIcametonight。Ididcomeearnestlydesiringandhopingthatwemightfindawayout。ItseemsIhavemadeamistake。“
“Youcameatmyrequest，Maitland，“saidtheminister。“Ifamistakehasbeenmade，itismine。Good-night，Mrs。McNish。Good-
night，Malcolm。Idon’tpretendtoknoworunderstandwhatisinyourheart，butIamgoingtosaytoyouasyourministerthatwherethereisevilpassiontherecanbenoclearthinking。Andfurther，letmesaythatuponyouwilldevolveaheavyresponsibilityfortheguidanceyougivethesemen。Good-nightagain。RememberthatOnewhomwebothacknowledgeasthesourceofalltruelightsaid:’Ifthelightthatisintheebedarkness，howgreatisthatdarkness。’“Heshookhandsfirstwiththemother，thenwiththeson，whoturnedawayfromhimwithacurt“Good-night“andnoddedtoMaitland。
Foramomentortwoneitherofthemenspoke。Theywerebothgrievouslydisappointedintheinterview。
“Ineversawhimlikethat，“saidtheReverendMurdoatlength。
“Whatcanbethematterwithhim？Withhimpassionisdarkeningcounsel。“
“Well，“saidMaitland，“IhavefoundoutonethingthatIwanted。“
“Andwhatisthat？“
“Thesemenclearlydonotwantwhattheyareaskingfor。Theywantchieflywar——atleast，McNishdoes。“
“IamdeeplydisappointedinMcNish，“repliedtheminister，“andI
confessIamanxious。McNish，aboveallothers，isthebrainsofthismovement，andinthatmoodthereislittlehopeofreasonfromhim。Ifearitwillbeasorefight，withadoubtfulissue。“
“Oh，Idon’tdespair，“saidMaitlandcheerily。“Ihaveanideahehasaquarrelwithme。Hewantstogetme。Butwecanbeathim。“
TheReverendMurdowaitedforafurtherexplanation，butwastoomuchofagentlemantopressthepointandkeptsilenttilltheyreachedhisdoor。
“Youwillnotdesertus，Mr。Matheson，“saidMaitlandearnestly。
“Desertyou？Itismyjob。Thesepeoplearemypeople。Wecannotdesertthem。“
“Rightyouare，“saidMaitland。“Cheerio。We’llcarryon。Heshookhandswarmlywiththeministerandwentoff，whistlingcheerily。
“Thatisamantofollow，“saidtheministertohimself。“Hegoeswhistlingintoafight。“