Hillman.  We don’t want to do nothin’ to obstruct the war, but we’ve got to have our rights.

Dr. Jonathan.  Can you get your rights now, without obstructing the war?

Rench (aggressively).  I get what you’re driving at, doctor.  You’re going to say that we’ve just reached quantity production on these here machines, and if labour gets from under now, the Huns win.  But tell me this,—­where’ll labour be if America wins and our Junkers (he pronounces the J) come out on top?—­as they callate to.

Dr. Jonathan (smiling).  When a building with dry rot catches fire,
Rench, can you put limit to how much of it will burn?

Rench (after a pause).  Maybe not.  I get you—­but—­

Dr. Jonathan.  No nation, no set of men in any nation can quench that fire or make the world that is coming out of this war.  They may think they can, but they can’t.

Hillman.  That’s so!

Dr. Jonathan.  Germany will be beaten, because it is the temper of the nation, the temper of the times—­your temper.  You don’t want Germany to win, Rench?

Rench.  No, I guess not.

Dr. Jonathan.  And if you don’t work here, you’ll go off to work somewhere else.

Rench.  Where they recognize the union.

Dr. Jonathan.  A good many of your friends have enlisted, haven’t they? 
(Rench nods.) And what do you suppose they are fighting for?

Rench.  For the same thing as we want, a square deal.

Dr. Jonathan.  And what do you think George Pindar is fighting for?

Rench.  I ain’t got nothing to say against him.

Dr. Jonathan.  If you close down the Pindar Shops, won’t it mean that a few more of your friends will lose their lives?  These men are fighting for something they don’t yet understand, but when they come back they’ll know more about it.  Why not wait until George Pindar comes back?

Rench.  He mayn’t never come back.

Dr. Jonathan.  Give him the opportunity.

Rench.  I like George,—­he’s always been friendly—­what we call a common man up here in New England—­naturally democratic.  But at bottom employers is all alike.  What makes you think he won’t take his ideas about labour from the old man?

Dr. Jonathan.  Because he belongs to the generation that fights this war.

Hillman (shuffling).  It ain’t no use, doctor.  Unless you can bring Mr.
Pindar ’round, the shops’ll close down.

Dr. Jonathan.  I can’t, but something else can.

Hillman.  What?

Dr. Jonathan.  Circumstances.  No man can swim up stream very long in these days, Hillman.  Wait a while, and see.

Rench (rising).  We’ve voted to put this strike through, and by God, we’ll do it.