“Studying what?”
“Economics—the distribution of wealth. It's enough to upset anybody.”
“But I'm not upset,” she insisted, smiling in spite of herself at his comical concern.
“It's very exciting. I remember reading a book once on economics and such things, and I couldn't sleep for a week. It was called 'The Organization of Happiness,' I believe, and it described just how the world ought to be arranged—and isn't. I thought seriously of going to Washington and telling the President and Congress about it.”
“It wouldn't have done any good,” said Janet.
“No, I realized that.”
“The only thing that will do any good is to strike and keep on striking until the workers own the mills—take everything away from the capitalists.”
“It's very simple,” he agreed, “much simpler than the book I read. That's what they call syndicalism, isn't it?”
“Yes.” She was conscious of his friendliness, of the fact that his skepticism was not cynical, yet she felt a strong desire to convince him, to vindicate her new creed. “There's a man named Rolfe, an educated man who's lived in Italy and England, who explains it wonderfully. He's one of the I.W.W. leaders—you ought to hear him.”
“Rolfe converted you? I'll go to hear him.”