The Americans Part 74

In Egerton, you mean? Ain't it the strain Of breaking with his family?

(_Harry Egerton starts toward them, but Dicey keeps after him, the men following_)

BUCK BENTLEY.

(_To Anderson, who has turned aside and half pulled from his inside pocket a legal looking doc.u.ment_)

What----

HARVEY ANDERSON.

His will.

HARRY EGERTON.

(_To Dicey_)

It's a new day, my friend, a glorious day.

VOICE.

(_Back in the mill_)

'Twill soon be night!

HARRY EGERTON.

Try to forget the past And everything except that we are men Working together for the good of all.

WES DICEY.

That ain't the point though, Mr. Egerton.

SAM WILLIAMS.

You've got your vote, Wes, same as we have ours, You and your friends have. Why ain't that enough?

Or is it that you think the few should rule?

WES DICEY.

There's got to be good feelin' all around If it's to hold together as you say; It's got to be plumbed well. And I don't see, If it's to be a workers' commonwealth, How you can keep the mine out. Course it's yours And in a way you can do as you please, That is, if you was like most men you could; But bein' different, standin' for the right, We don't just see how you can say 'We'll keep The mine out and devote it to the Cause.'

If the boys ain't the Cause, tell us what is.

Maybe it's as we're ignorant and don't know.

HARRY EGERTON.

Please do not put things in this bitter way.

The Cause is what you've fought for all these years, A chance to live a freer, larger life.

But in this struggle are you men alone?

And shall we as we climb to better things Reach down no help to others, but hold fast To all we get?

SEVERAL.

No! No!

HARRY EGERTON.

Would that be right?

WES DICEY.

Another point. For years and years we've had A Union here, and when the fight came on, 'Twas as a Union that we made the fight.

And Sam knows this is true, 'twas not so much The cut in wages, though, that took our strength, As 'twas their breakin' of the Union up As made us say 'By G.o.d, we'll fight or die.'

Ain't that true, boys?

TWO OR THREE.

That's true.

WES DICEY.

And then you come And took the stand you did as they'd no right To make slaves of us, closin' of the gates To make us knuckle down. And you said 'Come,'

And the boys followed you, and here they are.

And many of 'em, if I sound 'em right, Are wonderin' what we're here for. I'll ask Sam If he's in favor of the Open Shop.

SAM WILLIAMS.

We formed our Union, Wes, when we were slaves, Same as in war times armies are called out.

But when the war is over they go back.

WES DICEY.

'Go back.'

SAM WILLIAMS.

We're free men now.

CHRIS KNUDSON.

We've no foe now Except ourselves.

WES DICEY.

All of which means you'll vote In favor of admittin' every man To full rights here.

HARVEY ANDERSON.