n't say about that. The men will be quiet enough for a
bit, if it's all right about the office men, you know.

GERALD. Probably. But have Barlow & Walsall's men any special grievance
apart from the rest of the miners?

JOB ARTHUR. I don't know. They've no liking for you, you know, sir.

GERALD. Why?

JOB ARTHUR. They think you've got a down on them.

GERALD. Why should they?

JOB ARTHUR. I don't know, sir; but they do.

GERALD. So they have a personal feeling against me? You don't think all
the colliers are the same, all over the country?

JOB ARTHUR. I think there's a good deal of feeling---

GERALD. Of wanting their own back?

JOB ARTHUR. That's it.

GERALD. But what can they do? I don't see what they can do. They can go
out on strike--but they've done that before, and the owners, at a pinch,
can stand it better than they can. As for the ruin of the industry,
if they do ruin it, it falls heaviest on them. In fact, it leaves them
destitute. There's nothing they can do, you know, that doesn't hit them
worse than it hits us.

JOB ARTHUR. I know there's something in that. But if they had a strong
man to lead them, you see---

GERALD. Yes, I've heard a lot about that strong man--but I've never come
across any signs of him, you know. I don't believe in one strong man
appearing out of so many little men. All men are pretty big in an age,
or in a movement, which produces a really big man. And Labour is a great
swarm of hopelessly little men. That's how I see it.

JOB ARTHUR. I'm not so sure about that.

GERALD. I am. Labour is a thing that can't have a head. It's a sort of
unwieldy monster that's bound to run its skull against the wall sooner
or later, and knock out what bit of brain it's got. You see, you need
wit and courage and real understanding if you're going to do anything
positive. And Labour has none of these things--certainly it shows no
signs of them.

JOB ARTHUR. Yes, when it has a chance, I think you'll see plenty of
courage and plenty of understanding.

GERALD. It always had a chance. And where one sees a bit of courage,
there's no understanding; and where there's some understanding, there's
absolutely no courage. It's hopeless, you know--it would be far best if
they'd all give it up, and try a new line.

JOB ARTHUR. I don't think they will.

GERALD. No, I don't, either. They'll make a mess and when they've made
it, they'll never get out of it. They can't--they're too stupid.

JOB ARTHU