Because of her dexterity and quickness, we are able to make the following public announcement: 

We are raising the wages of every woman in our factory one dollar a day; and we are reducing the price of our bearings ten per cent.

These changes go into effect immediately.

Josiah Spencer & son, Inc. 
Mary Spencer, President.

“There!” said Mary, sitting up in bed and making a gesture to the world outside.  “That’s what women can do! ...  Are you going to boycott us now?”

CHAPTER XXXI

If you can imagine a smiling, dreamy-eyed bombshell that explodes in silence, aimed at men’s minds instead of their bodies, rocking fixed ideas upon their foundations and shaking innumerable old notions upon their pedestals until it is hard to tell whether or not they are going to fall, perhaps you can get an idea of the first effect of Mary’s advertisement.  Wherever skilled workmen gathered together her announcement was discussed, and nowhere with greater interest than in her own home town.

“Seems to me this thing may spread,” said a thoughtful looking striker in Repetti’s pool-room.  “Looks to me as though we had started something that’s going to be powerful hard to stop.”

“What makes you think it’s going to spread?” asked another.

“Stands to reason.  If women can make bearings cheaper than men, the other bearing companies have got to hire women, too, or else go out of business.  And you can bet your life they won’t go out of business without giving the other thing a try.”

“Hang it all, there ought to be a law against women working,” said a third.

“You mean working for wages?”

“Sure I mean working for wages.”

“How are you going to pass a law like that when women can vote?” impatiently demanded a fourth.

“Bill’s right,” said another.  “We’ve started something here that’s going to be hard to stop.”

“And the next thing you know,” continued Bill, looking more thoughtful than ever, “some manufacturer in another line of business—­say automobiles—­is going to get the idea of cutting his costs and lowering his prices—­and pretty soon you’ll see women making automobiles, too.  You can go to sleep at some of those tools in a motor shop.  Pie for the ladies!”

“What are us men going to do after a while?” complained another.  “Wash the dishes?  Or sweep the streets?  Or what?”

“Search me.  I guess it’ll come out all right in the end; but, believe me, we certainly pulled a bonehead play when we went on strike because of those four women.”

“I was against it from the first, myself,” said another.

“So was I. I voted against the strike.”

“So did I!”

“So did I!”

It was a conversation that would have pleased Mary if she could have heard it, especially when it became apparent that those who had caused the strike were becoming so hard to find.  But however much they might now regret the first cause, the effect was growing more irresistible with every passing hour.