CARPENTERS QUIT WORK 75 



to the ground if you would continue on until all 

 these jobs are finished. We can give you a lot 

 of work for the best part of the year. You are 

 sure of work and sure of pay if you stay with 

 us. That is all I have to say until you have 

 decided for yourselves what you will do if the 

 strike is ordered." 



I left the men for a short time, while they 

 talked things over. It did not take them long 

 to decide. 



"We must stand by the union," said the 

 spokesman, "but we'll be damned sorry to quit 

 this job. You see, sir, we can't do any other 

 way. We have to be in the union to get work, 

 and we have to do as the union says or we will 

 be kicked out. It is hard, sir, not to do a hit of 

 a hammer for weeks or months with a family on 

 one's hands and winter coming ; but what can a 

 man do ? . We don't see our way clear in this 

 matter, but we must do as the union says." 



" I see how you are fixed," said I, and I am 

 mighty sorry for you. I am not going to rail 

 against unions, for they may have done some 

 good ; but they work a serious wrong to the man 

 with a family, for he cannot follow them without 

 bringing hardships upon his dependent ones. It 

 is not fair to }^oke him up with a single man 

 who has no natural claims to satisfy, no mouth to 

 feed except his own ; but I will talk business. 



" You will be ordered out to-morrow or next 

 day, and you say you will obey the order. You 



