94 ADVENTURES IN IDEALISM 



A few days later in a ten-page letter to Dr. Goldman, 

 he said, among other things: 



"I have experienced another grave disappointment. 

 I called a meeting of all the farmers in the factory, 

 and showed them how ridiculous and unjust their 

 demands are, how ruinous it will be to them to 

 cling to their ring-leaders (and all the ring-leaders 

 were present on the occasion). I came to them ready 

 to forgive and forget all, eager only to create a golden 

 bridge of reconciliation, bringing words of harmony. 

 Instead of taking my advances in the true spirit, their 

 ring-leaders explained my move as weakness. I am 

 afraid now that only by exercising our rights to the 

 full extent shall we move them from this demoralizing 

 and misleading stand of theirs." 



The trouble-maker sent one article after another to 

 the press, depicting my husband as the "man ruling 

 Woodbine like the Czar of Russia." We all know that 

 even the best of men have enemies who prick up their 

 ears, ready to listen to the charges of a scandalmonger. 

 My husband never replied to these attacks. He felt 

 that he was above such slander. Several newspapers 

 offered, for certain sums of money, to publish favor- 

 able reports of him and of his work. He closed his 

 door on their agents as an answer. 



My husband still labored in the interest of the 

 farmers, having to deal with jealousies that arose not 

 only among co-workers, as in the rumor of careless 

 bookkeeping, but from other sources as well. The 

 stubborn dissatisfaction of the farmers hurt him in- 



