"I have never been interviewed," he said.
"I am not here for an interview," said Ben. "Your men will go out Monday."
"Monday? How did you learn that?"
"My business takes me among the unions. What shall you do in the event of the strike?"
"And I have no desire to be interviewed."
"You read Mr. Warrington's letter. Perhaps, if I knew what stand you will take, I could talk to the men myself. I have averted three or four strikes in my time, simply because the boys know that I always speak the truth, the plain truth. In this case I feel that you have the right on your side. You haven't said anything yet. The union is practically trying to bluff you into coming to its terms: the discharge of the inventor, or a strike."
"Are you representing the union?"
"I am representing nobody but myself."
"I may tell you, then, that I shall not discharge the inventor. Nor will I, if the men go out, take a single one of them back."
"The men will not believe that. They never do. They've been so successful in Pennsylvania that they are attempting to repeat that success all over the Country. They have grown pig-headed. I feel sorry for the poor devils, who never realize when they are well off."