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240 upon the said gentleman with a sickly grin said, “I think that’s all right, that’s quite constitutional.”

Minami lumbered in. He looked a real peasant, rough and fierce, as he drew Nagai aside and whispered to him, “Suzutani’s here, isn’t he? Now it’s all clear. Don’t hesitate any more!”

The twelve companies’ agreement! The plan for an alliance between the bosses of the twelve biggest printing works in Tokyo. … Wage-cuts for the workers, proposals for price-fixing, the abolition of special rates for night work, etc., etc. … During the last six months, while the workers were working for ten or fifteen hours a day, behind their backs the gentlemen of these twelve big companies had progressed with the agreement until now it was almost ready for signing.

“I see” Nagai nodded his head, as across his mind flashed the question, like words across the screen, “What gave the president such courage?”

By this time the mass of the workers had advanced on the office. Again their cries floated through the window, “Down with night-work!” “Down with the piecework system!” Then, without warning, there arose a wild chorus of yells, followed by what seemed to be a great pushing and jostling.

“What’s that?” Minami first, and then two or three others standing nearest the window turned and looked out. Below them a big fight had started, centring around fifty or sixty police who were trying to arrest someone.

“They’ve got no right!” Young Kondo, changing colour, made to rush out.