HY. What's that? And never a word to me!

BERT (to TIMOTHY). Why wouldn't I join the union? I took out the card
this morning, when I see that that's the only way we'll get what's
coming to us. We ain't got a chance against the employers without the
union.

TIMOTHY. God help me, to think my son would join the union,--and he
going to be a soldier!

BERT (glancing at GEORGE). I guess there'll be other union men in the
trenches besides me.

ASHER. Soldier or no soldier, I'll never employ any man again who's
joined a union.

GEORGE (perturbed). Hold on, dad!

ASHER. I mean what I say, I don't care who he is.

BERT (who retains his self-possession). Excuse me, Mr. Pindar, but I'd
like to ask you a question--I've heard the men talking about this in
the shops. You don't like it if we go off to--fight, but if we join the
union you fire us, no matter how short-handed you are.

ASHER. It's a principle with me,--I won't have any outside agency
dictating to me.

BERT. But if it came to recognizing the union, or shutting down?

ASHER. I'd shut down tomorrow.

(GEORGE, who sees the point, makes a gesture as if about to
interrupt.)

BERT. That's what I'm getting at, Mr. Pindar. You say you'd shut down
for a principle, whether the government gets the machines or not.
And the men say they'd join the union for a principle, whether the
government gets the machines or not. It looks to me as if both was
hindering the war for a principle, and the question is, which principle
is it that agrees best with what we're fighting for?

ASHER. No man joins a union for a principle, but for extortion. I can't
discuss it,--I won't!

BERT. I'm sorry, sir.

(He turns to go out, lower right.)

GEORGE (overtaking him and grasping his hand). So long, Bert. I'll look
you up, over there!

BERT (gazing at him). All right, Mr. George.

GEORGE. Goodbye, Timothy. Don't worry about the boy.

TIMOTHY. It's proud I am to have him go. Mr. George,--but I can't think
why he'd be joining the union, and never telling me.

(He stands for a moment troubled, glancing at ASHER, torn between
loyalty to his employer and affection for his son. Then he goes out
slowly, upper right. All the while DR. JONATHAN has stood in the
rear of the room, occasionally glancing at GEORGE. He now comes
forward, unobtrusively, yet withal impressively.)

ASHER. I never expected to hear such talk from a son of Timothy
Farrell,--a boy I thought wa