t off the accelerator. He took them all for an excursion
along the 'Responsibility' line: personal responsibility, mutual
responsibility, community responsibility and every responsibility known
to the modern mind. And then when he had them eating out of his hand,
he offered them two alternatives: an Arbitration Committee as formerly
proposed, or a Conciliation Board under the Lemieux Act. My governor
says it was a great speech. He had 'em all jumping through the hoops."

"What DO you mean, Vic?" lamented Mrs. Templeton. "I have only the very
vaguest idea of what you have been saying all this time."

"So sorry, Mrs. Templeton. What I mean is the Padre delivered a most
effective speech."

"And did they settle anything?" inquired Patricia.

"I regret to say, Patricia, that your friend Rupert--"

"My friend, indeed!" cried Patricia.

"Who comforts you with bonbons," continued Vic, ignoring her words,
"and stays you with joy rides, interposed at this second psychological
crisis. He very cleverly moves a vote of thanks, bows out the
deputation, thanking them for their touching addresses, and promising
consideration. Thereupon, as the door closed, he proceeded to sound
the alarm once more, collected the scattered forces, flung the gage
of battle in the teeth of the enemy, dared them to do their worst, and
there you are."

"And nothing done?" cried Adrien. "What a shame."

"What I cannot understand is," said Hugh, "why the unions do not invoke
the Lemieux Act?"

"Aha!" said Vic. "Why? The same question rose to my lips."

"The Lemieux Act?" inquired Mrs. Templeton.

"Yes. You know, Mrs. Templeton, either party in dispute can ask for a
Board of Conciliation, not Arbitration, you understand. This Board has
power to investigate--bring out all the facts--and failing to effect
conciliation, makes public its decision in the case, leaving both
parties at the bar of public opinion."

"But I cannot understand why the unions do not ask for this Conciliation
Board."

"I fear, Hugh," said Victor in an awed and solemn voice, "that there is
an Ethiopian in the coal bin."

"What DOES he mean, Patricia?"

"He means that there is something very dark and mysterious, Mamma."

"So there is," said Hugh. "The unions will take an Arbitration
Committee, which the employers decline to give, but they will not ask
for a Conciliation Board."

"My governor says it's a bluff," said Vic. "The unions know quite
well that McGinnis et hoc g