Page:Emile Vandervelde - Three Aspects of the Russian Revolution - tr. Jean Elmslie Henderson Findlay (1918).djvu/61

 day shift, which would be replaced at that hour by the night shift, would be invited to attend. What was the speaker's surprise on arriving at the meeting-place at about a quarter to three to see the men of the day shift already waiting. The employer explained, without the slightest outward sign of annoyance, that to be quite sure not to miss the speaker's opening sentences the workmen had knocked off at 2.30.

The address was nearly ended, when towards 3.30 there was a commotion, and the men of the night shift, who, after having waited for the late-comers in the workshop, arrived to take part in the discussion. The employer, in the most unconcerned way, explained to the speaker what had taken place, and asked him to begin over again for the benefit of the new-comers.

Towards four o'clock the speech was concluded for the second time, but the audience did not disperse, and naturally the night shift did not return to work. This was because the most interesting part of the programme had just been reached, the speaker's replies to questions from the