Stockton High School - Guard and Tackle Yearbook (Stockton, CA)

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q..........-..-...........-..-.....-..- - - - - .. - - - -..-.........-..-..-.......-....-..-............- - - - -..-..................-...................... What did Cordon do? l-le merely stepped forward and smiled one of those rare, winning smiles of his. After a few seconds he asked the mob's permission to question our leader. Having received this, he again called Stock- sky forward. His first question was, Are you a naturalized citizen? Gordon observed that the majority of the workers gave a great start and leaned forward in their seats to catch the answer. No, snarled the Russian. How long have you lived in America? next asked Dane. Four years, was the reply. How old are you? followed. Thirty-one years, was the answer. The next question seemed unnecessary to the audience: Are you or have you ever been married? A surly No. The men gasped as they heard Dane next say, Did you enlist in the army during the war? The Russian, his face darkening as he now perceived the intent of the question, refused to answer. Somebody away back in the audience volunteered the information that Stocksky had not enlisted, that in fact he had evaded the draft. Gordon observed that the attitude of many in the mob was changing toward the Russian. He turned to them and queried, Boys, how many of you served in the army? Nearly three-fourths of them signified that they had. How many of you that served are married men? About one-half of them raised their hands. That will do, said Dane. Stocksky, you may take your seat. ls there anybody else that wants to speak? Nobody came forward. Won't somebody please rise and tell us why we have declared a strike. Was it because our pay was not suHici- ent? Not a sound from the mob. Well then, said Gordon, if none of you will speak, I will. l will tell you why we struck. We were led on by a man that is not even an American-a man that, although he is unmarried, refused to serve in the U. S. army. l ob- serve that a big majority of us served in the army although we were married men. Are we, now, as Americans, going to be led on by a man who is a foreigner, a man who does not love our country, a man who would like to see America go to hell. The strikers began to get angry. A mighty roar of no swept forth from them. Well then, said Dane, l am an American. l am ready to lead you. Will you follow me? Once more Gordon smiled. You bet. We sure will. Yes, shouted the strikers. Dane Gordon was now the leader. All right then let's go back to our jobs. We have delayed long enough. l am leaving for the city in an hour, and l expect to ride on a regular train. ln concluding, finished Gordon, I will say that every man who goes back to his work this afternoon will find an additional check in his pay envelope on the first of the month. Amidst a mighty roar, Gordon left the hall. Needless to say he rode back to San Francisco on a train. However he was extremely sober for a man who had won such a victory. He knew that he would be requested to resign for overstepping his authority. But he meant to, forestall this by submitting a resignation he had just written. Over- come with sober refiection, just as the train was pulling into Oakland, he heard his name shouted. Looking up, he ob- served a messenger boy with a yellow envelope coming towards him. Cordon stopped the boy and took the envel- ope, which proved to be a telegram. He felt sure that this 1:1 :1:Y:: 3 I nz- 3:7 1 1 1 1 1 1..1u1.p1..1pp1p.1n1.g1n1..1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1u1n1n1.u-.nn-n1q1u1q1gq1q9-q1...-..1q1q

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,.1n1..g1...1qp1l.igp.1n1u-.l.- 1. 1 - .- 1. 1 1 1 1. 1 .- - 1 'I' ...,...,.....-M.- .. -.......-...-..- - - - - ........................-..........-.......-nl, the strike. At eleven-twenty he was told that the vice-pres- ident of the company had declined the presidency tendered him by the Board of Directors because he feared for his life. Gordon quickly realized that if the strike could be broken in Sacramento, it would take the backbone out of the general strike all over the state. He also realized that delay would be fatal. Not waiting for the election of a new president, he decided to go at once to Sacramento. Rush- ing to the elevator, he quickly descended to the street, jumped into his car, and drove up Market Street at a reck- less pace. He headed straight for Ingleside Beach. Arriv- ing there, he jumped out of his machine and ran to the office of the aeroplane company. Yes, he intended to fly to Sacramento. He took less than ten minutes to make the necessary arrangements, to get a plane and a pilot, to get the air-ship started, to skim swiftly over the ground, to take off into the air, and get on his way. Gordon knew exactly how he was going to handle the men if he could get to Sacramento in time. He intended to call a general mass meeting and simply talk to the men. He felt confident that there were one or two radicals at the bottom of the whole affair, and that if they could be exposed, the strike would be ended. This was not what bothered him. What really worried him was that he was overstepping his authority by a long way. He felt sure that it would cost him his position, but, nevertheless, he deter- mined to do what he thought right, let come what would. At exactly one o'clock, one hour and ten minutes after he left the city, he was at the office of the company in Sacramento. The place was surrounded by a crowd of angry strikers, most of whom Gordon observed to be Amer- icans. Among them he recognized an old employee of the company who had been faithful for many years. Calling him to one side Dane learned the facts of the case. It seemed as though they were being stirred up by one man, Stocksky, who was of socialistic tendencies. That was all Gordon wished to know. He retired from the mob, jumped into his car, and rushed for the nearest printing office. Here he had printed, in record time, a number of hand bills, announcing a big meeting of the strikers at the Council of Labor Hall for four o'clock that afternoon. Returning to the scene of the mob, he managed to get ,these posters distributed among them. Although it was only three o'clock, the mob began to dis- perse and start for the hall. By ten minutes to four the place was crowded to overflowing. At exactly four o'clock, Dane Gordon mounted the stage, walked very quietly to the center of it, and stood before a table which he had had placed there. He looked over the crowd for fully a minute before he spoke. Then he said, My fellow employees, we are met here today to discuss the present strike. As we all know the existing con- ditions, it will not be necessary to delay by summing up the situation. l will merely call on our leader, Mr. Stocksky, to set forth our grievances. The strikers were dumfounded for a moment, because word had got round that the man who called them fellow employees and spoke so earnestly was the General Manager of the company. After a few seconds, however, Mr. Stock- sky came forward. It was evident, however, that the men did not care to have him called our leader. Stocksky started his speech at once, beginning by a harangue on capitalists and existing social conditions. He ended by denouncing all forms of capital and urging the men to burn the railroad yards. When he had finished, a mighty cheer for him rang out from the strikers. It was, indeed, a critical moment for Gordon. lt appeared as though the meeting had merely provided a place for the men to be urged on to greater vio- lence. 4... .,..................-..,...................-..-..-......-.... ... .. .. .. - -............-..- - .. .. - .. .. - - ft- - .. -1. ,- X.- - 3,31 . Y 34,

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W Y ui hi 4.-1 Y- 7- :-11111: rr m- ' T ' ' was a summons to the office of the newly appointed presi- dent, whoever he was. Dane realized what the result would be. However he knew that he could tender his resignation and leave the place with the clear conscience of one who has done what he thinks is right. Mechanically he opened the envelope and read the mes- sage. At first he could not comprehend what it meant- and then? Well, he simply smiled! This was the message: Dane Gordon, This is to notify you Board of Trustees elected you Pres- ident of S. C. Co. Congratulations on way you handled strike. Dean White, Chairman of Board. And so President Gordon still had use, though a differ- ent one than he had expected, for the resignation which he had penned fromi- the General Managership. -William Wright, '20. THE PRICELESS JEWEL Girls, don't you think it is awful the way Mary Everett does parade in those new pearls of hers? asked Marjorie as she passed a cup of cocoa to her chum who reclined com- fortably on the window seat among the cushions, and made a face at Ellen in a similar position on the sofa. Awful is no name for it. l shall never wear pearls again after last night, promised Nell. I certainly don't envy her any. Now if I had them, I shouldn't want to show them off so, Ellen offered, as she grimaced at her sugarless cocoa. I shouldn't want pearls. They are not worn any more. What I should like to have is that new kind of jewel. lt is perfectly wonderful, don't you think? And it is so fright- fully expensive too. Goodness! I just suggested it to Dad for my birthday Cyou know this is my birthday? and he gg, -Y .,.-Y 1-0111: M, ni. ,. wanted to know if I thought he was a mint. ,So I know there is no hope from that direction, said Marjorie. lf one of us just had one, wouldn't Miss Mary sit up and take notice? Oh, boy! exulted Ellen. That night Marjorie waited for Jack. She wondered what his present to her would be. He always gave her something nice. She vaguely hoped it would be the jewel she coveted but discarded the thought and determined to be pleased with whatever it might be, for Jack's sake, be- cause she-well-didn't exactly hate jack. She did not wait long before Jack entered. Hello, Marjorie, come here and see what I have for you. Marjorie took the little package and removed the wrap- ping. She unclasped the cover and stood speechless with surprise. Don't you like it? jack asked anxiously. Like it! you dear boy! lt's just what I wanted. lsn't it wonderfull For there, lying in a bed of satin, was the most priceless jewel mortal eyes could then gaze upon, the jewel of her dreams,1a small cube of white sugar! -Lois Gadbury, '20. THE GREAT STONE Below the Great Stone stood a small urchin smoking a charred, black pipe. His hands were thrust deep in his pockets, and in his small face was expressed the wisdom and experience that can be obtained only in the squalid, sordid conditions of the slum life from which he had come. l Ie was peering up through a tuft of hair at the strange inscriptions carved on the stone. As his eyes wandered fur- ther up, he noticed, almost at the top, the name of George Washington, below it, also, were carved the names of sev- eral others of the world's great men. As the little waif Y W f -xl: -n-at mfr'-fini: mis glg- 3-Q-:gn I 11:71:14 is If: C: -ff -r