a directors' tables
doesn't it?

SALVATORE: What's this all about?

GIBSON: I want to ask you people if any of you ever knew me to break my
word to you?

FRANKEL: Oh, no, Mr. Gibson, we know you never break your agreements!

GIBSON: I want to ask you people: Haven't you found my word as good as
my bond?

CARTER: Why, yes, Mr. Gibson.

SIMPSON: Sure! We know you'll do what you say.

GIBSON: Do you all agree to that?

SALVATORE: Soit'nly! You're a gentleman.

RILEY: Sure, we agree to it!

SHOMBERG: Oh, well, prob'ly so.

GIBSON: All right! I'm going to do something you don't expect, and I
want you to know I mean it. But before I do it I want to tell you
something. Probably you won't understand it, but for a long time I had a
pride in this factory. Building up The Gibson Upright was really the
pride of my life. To do that I knew I had to have a loyal staff of
workmen, and for that reason if no other I have given you shorter hours
and more pay than the men get in any other factory of this kind that I
know of. I've done everything that can be done to make the shops healthy
and light and clean. I certainly haven't been unfriendly to you
personally. Any man in the factory was free to come in that door to talk
to me any time he wanted to. I've done my best and we've been called
the model factory. I've done my best but--it isn't enough. It never has
been enough. And I've been told it never will be enough [_with a glance
at_ NORA] until the wage system has been abolished--until capital has
been abolished and the parasite destroyed! I say I took a pride in the
factory for years! Now I am no longer able to. I can't take a pride in a
squabble, and that's all this factory has come to be. And I'll tell you
frankly--you men feel you'd like to get rid of me; well, I want to get
rid of you. And I intend to!

SHOMBERG [_fiercely_]: You goin' to close this factory down?

GIBSON: No; I'm going to give it to you!

SEVERAL WORKMEN: What!

GIBSON [_emphatically_]: I'm going to give it to you! I turn it over to
you, here and now. This property is mine, but the use of it is yours.
Don't you understand? You've said yourselves my word is as good as my
bond. Well, the factory is yours. I'm going to get away from it. You
take it and run it.

[_He gets his hat and coat._]

SIMPSON: What in thunder does he mean?

SALVATORE: Say, what's the game?

GIBSON: There it is! Take it and run it yourselves, for yourselves. It
be