The Gibson Upright Part 17

RILEY [_pounding the table_]: That's the stuff! We're the original owners! Any money made on them wops' wages is ours. We'll tend to business with them!

[_The noise outside has increased deafeningly; there is a loud hammering on the door, which is now flung open, and_ POLENSKI _in patched overalls, a wrench in his hand, enters fiercely, slamming the door behind him. He begins an oration at the door._]

POLENSKI: Don't we git a _hearing_? We got to take direct action in this rotten factory before we even get a word in. [_Shouts from the committee: "Get out of here, you wop!" "You ain't got no business here!"

"This a committee meeting!"_] Committee meeting, my nose! [_Shakes his fist at_ FRANKEL.] Do you know what you're up against? You're up against the arm of labour! You monkey with labour a little more the way you have, and you'll be glad if it's only a little nitroglycerin that gits you. Hired us for two and a half, did you?

FRANKEL: My goodness, I rose you to three this morning!

POLENSKI: Yes; rose us to three! What do we care you rose us to four, to five, to six. Look what the rest you loafers here at this table is gittin'!

SALVATORE: Here, don't you bring us in this!

POLENSKI [_half screaming_]: I won't? Every one of you is in his cla.s.s.

[_Points at_ FRANKEL.] You sit up here and call yourself a committee, dividin' up the money and runnin' this factory that belongs just as much to us men he hired as it does to you! It belongs to us _more_--because we're the real workin'men! [_Beats his chest._] My G.o.d! Don't the toilers' wrongs _never_ git avenged? Are we _always_ goin' to be wage slaves? We demand simple justice. We been workin' here two dollars and a half a day, now we want the wage scale abolished and double profits for each of us for every day we worked here before we found out what was goin' on, with you sittin' up here like kings in your robes, tellin' the poor man he should have only two dollars and a half a day--sittin' up here in your pomp with your feet on the neck of labour! [_To_ CARTER]: _You_, in your fine broadcloth, ridin' up and down the avenues in limousines with never a thought for the toiler! Don't think for a minute we deal with this little vampire here. You're all in the same boat, and the toiling ma.s.ses will hold every single one of you just as responsible as it does him, you--you capitalists!

[_Instantly upon this the door is opened enough to admit the heads of two wops very similar to_ POLENSKI.]

FIRST WOP: Parasites!

SECOND WOP: Bloodsuckers!

POLENSKI: Capitalists, parasites, bloodsuckers, bourgeoisie! Do you think we expect any justice out of _you_? Do you think I come in this room ever dreaming you'd grant our demands? No! We knew you! And if we do a.s.sert our rights, what do you do? You set your h.e.l.lhounds of police on us! Haven't we been agitatin' for our rights among you for days?

We've got our answer from you, but you look out for ours, because as sure as there is a h.e.l.l waitin' for all parasites, we'll send you there, and your factory, too! [_Looks up at the clock._] My G.o.d, is that clock right? [_He runs out at top speed._]

SIMPSON: They don't seem to know their place!

s...o...b..RG: Them fellers think they own the earth.

RILEY: Next, they'll be thinkin' they own our factory!

CARTER [_solemnly_]: Well, sir, I wonder what this country is coming to!

[_Here there is a m.u.f.fled explosion in the sample piano, which rocks with the jar, at the same time emitting a few curls of smoke. General exclamations of horror and fright as all of the committee break for shelter._]

s...o...b..RG [_his voice rising over the others_]: Send for the police!

SALVATORE [_shouting_]: Wait! We ain't divided up the money!

NORA: It's over; it hasn't done any harm!

FRANKEL [_on his hands and knees under the table_]: It was in that piano. [NORA _goes across to the piano._] Look out, he's probably got another one in there.

[MIFFLIN _helps_ NORA _to take off the front of the piano, which is still mildly smoking; a wreckage of wires is seen._]

MIFFLIN [_smiling_]: It must have been an accident!

FRANKEL AND MRS. SIMPSON [_coming out from under the table_]: Accident!

MIFFLIN: Of course it's unfortunate, because it might be misconstrued.

RILEY: Yes, it might.

MIFFLIN [_confidently_]: Let me go talk to these new comrades!

RILEY: Comrades? Frankel's wops? Ha, ha!

SALVATORE: Aw, them ain't comrades; them's just Frankel's hired workers.

MIFFLIN: They are comrades in the best sense of the word. I am in touch with all the groups. A moment's reasoning from one they know to be sympathetic--

[_He goes out into the factory._]

SALVATORE: Hey, let's get that stuff divided up. I got an engagement.

FRANKEL: Yes; let's hurry. You can't tell _what_ they got planted round here.

CARTER [_rapping_]: The meeting will please come to--

SALVATORE: Here, cut that out! We ain't got no time to--

s...o...b..RG: No. Come to business; come to business!

NORA: The only way, comrades, to know how much we have gained since the last division is to read the bookkeeper's report.

FRANKEL: Well, for heaven's sakes, go on--read it!

CARTER: Well, I did want to a long while ago, when we first set down and begun the meeting. I says then, I report on my committee and--

VARIOUS MEMBERS: Oh, for heaven's sake! Go ahead! Cut it out!

CARTER [_picking up the sheets_]: On the first page is says Soomary.

RILEY: What's that mean?

MRS. SIMPSON: Oh, my goodness!

FRANKEL: Git to the figures!

CARTER: Well, here, on one side it says gross receipts--

s...o...b..RG [_rubbing his hands_]: Ah!

CARTER: What?

SIMPSON [_shouting_]: Read it!

CARTER: Gross receipts $2,162.43. On the other side it says: "Cash paid out $19,461.53."