the boys really want this strike. The demand for it originated outside
our ranks. Who started it? Wasn't it started by fellows who want us to
get our pay quicker so they can get it quicker? They're the ones that
worked up this strike. They tell us that the bosses are robbing us
because they hold our pay till the end of the month. They say we ought
to have it in the bank. They know we wouldn't put it in the bank. You
know we wouldn't put it in the bank. We don't want to put it in the
bank, and you bet your boots they don't want us to put it in the bank.
They're liars when they say they're boosting for the banks. They're
boosting for their own pockets.

"But we've really got our money in a bank--or what's good as a bank. The
mill keeps our money for us just the way a bank would. No bank in town
pays interest on checking accounts, you know that. Then why take our
money out of the mill office and put it in a bank? It's just as safe in
the mill office. And you've got the right to draw on it if you really
need money in the middle of the month. Only in case of death or accident
does a man need money in the middle of the month. And he can go to the
pay window and get it when he needs it. The doctor doesn't send his bill
till the end of the month. The landlord doesn't collect the rent till
the end of the month. The grocer and butcher let you run a bill till the
end of the month. Some of us are really better off getting our pay at
the end of the month. For it's all there for us and we can pay our bills
promptly and hold up our heads as men. If we didn't leave our money in
the office until the end of the month, we might blow it in at a bar, and
when the wife wanted money to pay the rent and food bill we would have
to tell her we were broke and she would have to hang her head. When the
landlord and butcher came for the money she would have to try to stand
them off. Do we want to let the rent go unpaid until the landlord cusses
us out? Is that what we are striking for? If the landlord and butcher
are willing to wait till we draw our pay, we ought to be willing too.
Isn't it better to wait a month for pay than to wait a year? I'm right
here to tell you that after this strike we'll wait for our pay until
hell freezes over and the devil goes skating.

"Let us make no mistake. We are calling this strike not of our own free
will, but were shoved into it by a lot of slick talkers that are in
business and are not workers. They have hoodwin