Black Legion Page #5

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- Look at it, ain't it a pip?

- It's not ours?

You bet it is. Pop just bought it.

Boy, look how she shines.

Oh, darling, a new car.

Oh, you shouldn't have.

- Oh, no?

- Oh, Frank.

Oh, now, now, wait a minute, lady,

and that ain't all.

Here you are, son.

Try this out on Muggy.

Oh, boy. A Louisville slugger.

And here's that vacuum cleaner

I was talking to you about.

- Ruth, he's the original Santa Claus.

- That's a man for you.

For goodness sake, what is all this?

Have you been betting on the races?

I ain't betting on the races,

and nobody died and left me money.

They just got around to making me

foreman of the shop.

Oh, honey, that's wonderful.

Oh, boy. Wait until I tell Muggy about this.

And am I gonna tell him.

Foreman?

Wasn't that Joe Dombrowski's job?

Well, yeah. Sure.

Take this in the house. Give me a hand.

Come over after supper,

I'll give you a drive.

Okay, Mr. Taylor.

Zowie! Bam!

A three bagger. Oh, boy.

"Are we in for another reign of terror

by a new Ku Klux Klan?

That is asked in the face of the toll

of floggings, beatings and burnings...

...here and in our

neighboring states.

We have hoodlums riding

through the night with whip and torch...

...spreading terror and violence.

Who are these new marauders?

By what distorted ideals

are they inspired?

- What do they hope to accomplish...?"

- Wouldn't they like to know?

- "Who are their leaders...?"

- Turn that off, get to business.

Where were we on that statement?

I was giving the gross receipts

on membership dues.

"Seven-thousand, 163 members

at 10 cents a month: $ 716.30."

What? Less than a grand?

Are you crazy?

You misunderstand me.

Those are just the figures

from General Moffat's brigade.

"Total income from all brigades:

$5891.10."

That's more like it.

What's the gross on other stuff?

"Sale of uniforms and regalia after deducting

regional commanders' commissions...

...sale of Black Legion special revolvers

with ammunition...

...making a grand total of $221,499.58."

- It's only chicken feed.

We gotta get this on a national basis

so we can go to town.

I wouldn't be too optimistic.

Don't forget the millions

we were to make on oil...

...before the attorney started sniffing.

- Let him sniff to his content.

We're producing. Pure patriotism.

Yes, but of a rather low specific gravity.

But of a high cash content.

This country needs

bigger and better patriots.

At so much a head.

Hey, get this order out

to all brigades immediately.

- Yes, sir.

- The Black Legion must go forward.

Although our enemies are already crying

in consternation, our battle is not yet won.

We must press on relentlessly,

redoubling our efforts...

...strengthening our forces.

- Got that?

- Yes, sir.

It is imperative that each member

personally secure...

...the enlistment of two new recruits

within the next 10 days.

Underline the "two. "

Hey, Cliff?

- Yeah?

- Weld this.

Sure.

- Oh, hello, Ted.

- Hello, boss.

- Yeah, I wanna talk to you a minute.

- All right.

- Watch this, Jake.

- Okay.

- Smoke?

- Why, it's against the rules, ain't it?

- Yeah, but it's all right. Go ahead.

- Well, thank you, sir.

- Where are you from, Ted?

- Texas, sir.

Yeah? Heh.

What church you go to?

Heh. The fact is I don't go much

to any of them.

Seems like I kind of got out

of the church-going habit.

You like your job here?

Yes, sir. This is about the best job

I ever had.

I suppose you'd like to keep it then.

Yes, sir. I sure would.

Well, I wanna keep you.

You've been doing good work.

But nowadays, that ain't always enough.

Well, I ain't sure I quite understand,

Mr. Taylor.

- I mean, are you willing to protect your job?

- Oh, you bet, sir.

I'm glad to hear that because we got

a pretty bad problem in this state.

It's full of foreigners

trying to chisel jobs...

...out of Americans like you and me.

Well, I certainly am obliged to you

for telling me, Mr. Taylor.

The first one of them that comes around

my job's gonna find himself in trouble.

It ain't gonna be one, Metcalf.

You gotta fight all of them.

They stick together.

They'll knife you in the back...

...before you even know who they are.

An American alone ain't got a chance.

- Doggone, that's awful.

- Yeah, that's pretty bad.

But we got a way to protect ourselves.

I want you to meet a bunch of fellas

that feel the same about this as you and I.

- Where's Ted?

- He's out in the washroom with Taylor.

- Leave that machine alone till I get back.

What'd you do to it?

They're kicking the American ideals...

...and the sacred things

that your forefather and my forefather...

Oh, hello, Tommy.

- Go on back to work.

- Yes, sir.

And put that cigarette out.

- What's the big idea, Frank?

- What idea?

Taking one of your men

to come in here and smoke.

It's tough when a foreman

can't take a minute to get acquainted.

An expensive minute.

While you were getting acquainted,

his helper stripped every gear off.

- They're still picking up the pieces.

- Wasn't anything I could have done...

...unless I happened to be there.

Accidents happen.

This one wouldn't have

if Metcalf had been where he belonged.

He wasn't tending to his job

and you weren't tending to yours.

Yeah, I know.

It won't happen again.

Say, listen, Tommy, you can cover me up

just this once, can't you?

I'm not so sure.

Mike, this is wonderful.

I'm proud of you.

Thanks, Nora.

I'm glad you're pleased.

What's the matter? You're acting

as sober as if this was bad news.

Well, it ain't all good news.

- Why not? It's what you've always wanted.

- Oh, sure. I wanted the job, all right.

But not enough for them

to take it from Frank Taylor.

You don't mean to say

that they fired him?

No, no, not fired.

He just had a little trouble at the shop...

...and they put him back on a machine.

Oh, I feel terrible about that.

That's a shame. Ruth was so proud

of his being made foreman.

It's no picnic for Frank either.

- What happened, Ed?

- Oh, nothing.

Oh, just a little mix-up at the shop.

It didn't amount to anything.

You know, I tried to talk to Frank about it,

but he wouldn't even talk to me.

Seemed like he was sore at me.

Say, I hope that boy don't think

I was trying to take his job away from him.

Oh, no, Frank's not like that.

Sure, he's taking it hard, can't blame him.

Just leave him alone, he'll be all right.

Well, I hope so.

Sure, I wouldn't do anything

to hurt Frank or Ruth.

Who's there?

Mr. Grogan?

- Yeah.

Telegram.

That ought to give the Irish

something to remember us by.

Thank you, Mrs. Reilly.

Yes, heaven be praised.

The doctor says he's out of danger.

How could we know who did it?

Mike hasn't an enemy in the world.

You're right, Mrs. Reilly.

To think that such a thing

could happen in this country and today.

Dad certainly liked your soup, Ruth.

He wants some more.

Oh, fine. I'm gonna make him

some custard this afternoon.

You are not.

You've been here practically all week.

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