Page 261 of Fall of Giants (The Century 1)

So he was all the more eager to succeed in the next major task Wilson gave him. "The Buffalo Metal Works has been closed by a strike," the president said. "We have ships and planes and military vehicles stuck on production lines waiting for the propellers and fans they make. You come from Buffalo, go up there and get them back to work. "

On his first night back in his hometown, Gus went to dinner at the home of Chuck Dixon, once his rival for the affections of Olga Vyalov. Chuck and his new wife, Doris, had a Victorian mansion on Elmwood Avenue, which ran parallel to Delaware, and Chuck took the Belt Line railway every morning to work in his father's bank.

Doris was a pretty girl who looked a bit like Olga, and as Gus watched the newlyweds he wondered how much he would like this life of domesticity. He had once dreamed of waking up every morning next to Olga, but that was two years ago, and now that her enchantment had worn off he thought he might prefer his bachelor apartment on Sixteenth Street in Washington.

When they sat down to their steaks and mashed potatoes, Doris said: "What happened to President Wilson's promise to keep us out of the war?"

"You have to give him credit," Gus said mildly. "For three years he's been campaigning for peace. They just wouldn't listen. "

"That doesn't mean we have to join in the fighting. "

Chuck said impatiently: "Honey, the Germans are sinking American ships!"

"Then tell American ships to stay out of the war zone!" Doris looked cross, and Gus guessed they had had this argument before. No doubt her anger was fueled by the fear that Chuck would be conscripted.

To Gus, these issues were too nuanced for passionate declarations of right and wrong. He said gently: "Okay, that's an alternative, and the president considered it. But it means accepting Germany's power to tell us where American ships can and can't go. "

Chuck said indignantly: "We can't be pushed around that way by Germany or anyone else!"

Doris was adamant. "If it saves lives, why not?"

Gus said: "Most Americans seem to feel the way Chuck does. "

"That doesn't make it right. "

"Wilson believes a president must treat public opinion the way a sailing ship treats the wind, using it but never going directly against it. "

"Then why must we have conscription? That makes slaves of American men. "

Chuck chipped in again. "Don't you think it's fair that we should all be equally responsible for fighting for our country?"

"We have a professional army. At least those men joined voluntarily. "

Gus said: "We have an army of a hundred and thirty thousand men. That's nothing in this war. We're going to need at least a million. "

"A lot more men to die," Doris said.

Chuck said: "We're damn glad at the bank, I can tell you. We have a lot of money out on loan to American companies supplying the Allies. If the Germans win, and the Brits and the Froggies can't pay their debts, we're in trouble. "

Doris looked thoughtful. "I didn't know that. "

Chuck patted her hand. "Don't worry about it, honey. It's not going to happen. The Alli

es are going to win, especially with the U. S. of A. helping out. "

Gus said: "There's another reason for us to fight. When the war is over, the U. S. will be able to take part as an equal in the postwar settlement. That may not sound very important, but Wilson's dream is to set up a league of nations to resolve future conflicts without us killing one another. " He looked at Doris. "You must be in favor of that, I guess. "

"Certainly. "

Chuck changed the subject. "What brings you home, Gus? Apart from the desire to explain the president's decisions to us common folk. "

He told them about the strike. He spoke lightly, as this was dinner-party talk, but in truth he was worried. The Buffalo Metal Works was vital to the war effort, and he was not sure how to get the men back to work. Wilson had settled a national rail strike shortly before his reelection and seemed to think that intervention in industrial disputes was a natural element of political life. Gus found it a heavy responsibility.

"You know who owns that place, don't you?" said Chuck.

Gus had checked. "Vyalov. "

"And who runs it for him?"

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