The Gibson Upright | Page 4

white.
CARTER: Well, I was kind o' foggy about the overtime.
GIBSON: The agreement was that you were to have time and a half for
overtime. What was foggy about that?
CARTER: Well, I don't say you didn't give us what we was askin' right
then; but things have changed since then.
GIBSON: What's changed in eleven days?
FRANKEL [hotly]: What's changed? How about them men in the
finishin' department that do piecework?
GIBSON: Well, what's changed about them?
FRANKEL: Well, something is goin' to change over there.
GIBSON: We're talking about your department not understanding the
agreement. What's the finishing department got to do with that?
FRANKEL: Well, they're kickin', too, you bet!
GIBSON: I'm dealing with your kick now.
CARTER: Well, o' course we got to stand with them; if they do

piecework overtime they don't get no more for it.
GIBSON: I'll deal with them separately.
FRANKEL: My goodness, Mr. Gibson, you got to deal with us, too!
Not a one of us understood what our last agreement with you was. It's
just agreements and agreements and agreements--you might think we
was living just on agreements! By rights we ought to have double time
instead of time and a half!
GIBSON: Time and a half eleven days ago; now you strike for double
time! Where does this thing stop? You want double time for overtime;
your working day has been reduced; it won't be long till you want that
cut down again.
FRANKEL: Sure! We want it cut down right now!
CARTER: Yes, Mr. Gibson; that was another point they told us to
bring up before we walk out.
GIBSON [with growing exasperation]: I suppose you want a six-hour
day so you'll have more overtime to double on me! Then you'll want a
four-hour day, won't you?
MIFFLIN [beaming and nodding]: Well, why not, Mr. Gibson?
GIBSON: What?
NORA: Why shouldn't they?
GIBSON: Why shouldn't they? But what's their limit?
NORA [oratorically]: When the workman shall own his tools!
MIFFLIN: Of course that means all the tools, Mr. Gibson. You may
not know our phrase: "The workman shall own his tools." It means not
only the carpenter's bench, the plane and the saw, the adze and the
auger, but the shop itself. It means that the workmen shall own the
factory. It means the elimination of everything and everyone who

stands between him and the purchaser, to take toll and unearned profit
from the worker, who is really the sole producer of wealth.
NORA: It means the elimination of capital and the capitalist!
MIFFLIN: It means that not only should the worker own tools and
factory but should sit here in the persons of his chosen and elected
fellow workers, as arbiter of his own destiny.
GIBSON: That is to say, it means the elimination of me.
MIFFLIN [jovially]: Precisely! Precisely!
GIBSON [as another workingman strides into the room]: What do you
want, Shomberg?
SHOMBERG: Them new windows in the assembling room--they're no
good.
GIBSON: We've just spent twelve hundred dollars fixing them as you
said you wanted them. What's the matter with them?
SHOMBERG: They don't give no light.
MIFFLIN: None at all?
SHOMBERG: It's right next to none at all! The men are goin' to lay off
if they got to work in that room. They're goin' out anyway at twelve
o'clock.
FRANKEL: Now look here, Mr. Gibson, if I was running this factory--
GIBSON: You're not, Frankel!
SHOMBERG: Well, why can't you listen to him? Don't we even get no
hearing? I guess if I was running this factory once, the first thing I'd do
I'd anyhow try to listen what the troubles is and make my men
contented.

GIBSON: What would you do if you were running the factory, Carter?
You haven't said.
CARTER: I ain't had the chance to say. Now what I'd do, first I'd settle
all the grievances so there wouldn't be no more complaints.
GIBSON: Well, here's one coming I might leave to you on that basis.
[Enter SIMPSON, an elderly worker in overalls and jumper; and
SALVATORE, a New Yorkized Italian type, a formerly lighted
cigarette dangling from his lips.]
SALVATORE: Our department's goin' to walk out at twelve, noon, Mr.
Gibson. We ain't satisfied.
GIBSON: Why not?
SALVATORE: Well, we ain't satisfied, Mr. Gibson; we ain't satisfied
at all.
GIBSON: You got every demand answered yesterday, Salvatore.
SALVATORE: Oh, I ain't talkin' about no demands. If all them other
departments walks out we're going to stand by 'em! We got plenty to do
with our time. Workin' all the time ain't so enjoyable.
GIBSON: So you people are going out again, are you?
SIMPSON: I guess it's a general strike, Mr. Gibson. I'm afraid if you
don't give the boys satisfactory answers the place will close down at
noon.
GIBSON: