George.  And he knew what he was going to fight for.

Asher.  What?

George.  I thought I knew, this morning.  Now I’m not so sure.

Asher.  You say that, when Germany intended to come over here and crush us, when she got through with the Allies.

George.  No, it’s not so simple as that, dad, it’s bigger than that.

Asher.  Who’s been talking to you?  Jonathan Pindar?  I wish to God he’d never come to Foxon Falls!  I might have known what his opinions would be, with his inheritance. (Reproachfully.) I didn’t suppose you could be so easily influenced by sentimentalism, George, I’d hoped you’d got over that.

George.  Are you sure it’s sentimentalism, dad?  Dr. Jonathan didn’t say much, but I’ll admit he started me thinking.  I’ve begun to realize a few things—­

Asher.  What things?

George (glancing at the clock on the mantel).  I haven’t got time to tell you,—­I’m afraid I couldn’t make it clear, anyway,—­it isn’t clear in my own mind yet.  But,—­go slow with this labour business, dad, there’s dynamite in it.

Asher.  Dynamite?

George.  Human dynamite.  They’re full of it,—­we’re full of it, too, I guess.  They’re not so different from you and me, though I’ll admit that many of them are ignorant, prejudiced and bitter.  But this row isn’t just the result of restlessness and discontent,—­that’s the smoke, but the fire’s there, too.  I’ve heard enough this morning to be convinced that they’re struggling for something fundamental, that has to do with human progress,—­the issue behind the war.  It’s obscured now, in the smoke.  Now if that’s so you can’t ignore it, dad, you can’t suppress it, the only thing to do is to sit down with them and try to understand it.  If they’ve got a case, if the union has come to stay, recognize it and deal with it.

Asher.  You—­you, my son, are not advising me to recognize the union!  To give our employees a voice in our private affairs!

George (courageously).  But is the war our private affair, dad?  Hasn’t it changed things already?

   (Asher makes a gesture of pain, of repudiation.  George approaches
   him appealingly.)

Dad, you know how much we’ve always been to each other, I’d hate to have any misunderstanding between us,—­especially today.  I’ve always accepted your judgment.  But I’m over twenty one, I’m going to fight this war, I’ve got to make up my own mind about it.

Asher (extending his arms and putting his hands on George’s shoulders).  Something’s upset you today, my boy,—­you don’t know what you’re saying.  When you get over there and take command of your men you’ll see things in a truer proportion.

George.  No, I can’t leave it this way, dad.  I’ve come to feel this thing, it’s got hold of me now, I shan’t change.  And I’ll be thinking of it over there, all the time, if we don’t talk it out.