with the liberty of persons or the right of free
contract by determining the hours of labor in the occupation
of a baker."

"You run ahead too fast," O'Connor answered. "You don't know all the
ways out. There is another way out. We know what we're about. We're sick
of strikes. They've got us beaten that way to a frazzle. But I don't
think we'll ever need to call our men out again."

"What is your way out?" Ernest demanded bluntly.

O'Connor laughed and shook his head. "I can tell you this much: We've
not been asleep. And we're not dreaming now."

"There's nothing to be afraid of, or ashamed of, I hope," Ernest
challenged.

"I guess we know our business best," was the retort.

"It's a dark business, from the way you hide it," Ernest said with
growing anger.

"We've paid for our experience in sweat and blood, and we've earned all
that's coming to us," was the reply. "Charity begins at home."

"If you're afraid to tell me your way out, I'll tell it to you."
Ernest's blood was up. "You're going in for grab-sharing. You've made
terms with the enemy, that's what you've done. You've sold out the cause
of labor, of all labor. You are leaving the battle-field like cowards."

"I'm not saying anything," O'Connor answered sullenly. "Only I guess we
know what's best for us a little bit better than you do."

"And you don't care a cent for what is best for the rest of labor. You
kick it into the ditch."

"I'm not saying anything," O'Connor replied, "except that I'm president
of the Machinists' Association, and it's my business to consider the
interests of the men I represent, that's all."

And then, when the labor leaders had left, Ernest, with the calmness of
defeat, outlined to me the course of events to come.

"The socialists used to foretell with joy," he said, "the coming of the
day when organized labor, defeated on the industrial field, would come
over on to the political field. Well, the Iron Heel has defeated
the labor unions on the industrial field and driven them over to the
political field; and instead of this being joyful for us, it will be
a source of grief. The Iron Heel learned its lesson. We showed it our
power in the general strike. It has taken steps to prevent another
general strike."

"But how?" I asked.

"Simply by subsidizing the great unions. They won't join in the next
general strike. Therefore it won't be a general strike."

"But the Iron Heel can't maintain so costly a programme