SCANTLEBURY. Can't you persuade the men that their interests are the
same as ours?

HARNESS. [Turning, ironically.] I could persuade them of that, sir,
if they were.

WILDER. Come, Harness, you're a clever man, you don't believe all
the Socialistic claptrap that's talked nowadays. There 's no real
difference between their interests and ours.

HARNESS. There's just one very simple question I'd like to put to
you. Will you pay your men one penny more than they force you to pay
them?

[WILDER is silent.]

WANKLIN. [Chiming in.] I humbly thought that not to pay more than
was necessary was the A B C of commerce.

HARNESS. [With irony.] Yes, that seems to be the A B C of commerce,
sir; and the A B C of commerce is between your interests and the
men's.

SCANTLEBURY. [Whispering.] We ought to arrange something.

HARNESS. [Drily.] Am I to understand then, gentlemen, that your
Board is going to make no concessions?

[WANKLIN and WILDER bend forward as if to speak, but stop.]