"Sit down, Brother Kessler, we must proceed regularly. The Pretzel-Painters' Union has a constitution. We will proceed according to its constitution. The constitution of the Pretzel-Painters' Union says that when a motion is put before the house, it is first voted upon before any amendments are discussed. Does anybody want to speak on the motion?"
"Then, I propose that the motion be voted upon without debates because it is late and they will soon put out the lights in the house," said Kessler.
"Politics, politics," the Portuguese group cried. "Traitor, traitor," came from another group. But when Kessler's proposal was voted upon he had a majority. The Russian group voted with him. And so it happened that the nineteen officers of the Pretzel-Painters' Union were shifted around.
The chairman became the treasurer and so forth. But when it came to vote upon the secretaryship, Kessler, who had hitherto been the twentieth of the Union, the only member who had been without an office, was elected Secretary of the Pretzel-Painters' Union, because he was backed by the Russian group.
The following evening Kessler was the first to appear at the local of the Union. A little later the dethroned official appeared. They did not even greet one another. Kirshen, the organizer, was the third man to come.
"Brother Grumberg," he said to the former secretary, "would you please give over the books to brother Kessler and show him what he has to do?"
Grumberg took out from a drawer the two books of the Union and was ready to explain the work.
"But by God! In God's name! What do you want me to do with these books?" Kessler cried.
"Record the meetings, brother Kessler, write down what takes place," Grumberg said.
"What?" the new Secretary called out horror-stricken. "I—write? How should I write? I don't write—I don't know how to write—never did. What do you want with my life—what?"