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Chapter 21
Andthemenofthetownsandofthesoftsuburbancountrygatheredtodefendthemselves;andtheyreassuredthemselvesthattheyweregoodandtheinvadersbad,asamanmustdobeforehefights.Theysaid,ThesegoddamnedOkiesaredirtyandignorant.They’redegenerate,sexualmaniacs.ThosegoddamnedOkiesarethieves.They’llstealanything.They’vegotnosenseofpropertyrights.
Andthelatterwastrue,forhowcanamanwithoutpropertyknowtheacheofownership?Andthedefendingpeoplesaid,Theybringdisease,they’refilthy.Wecan’thavethemintheschools.They’restrangers.How’dyouliketohaveyoursistergooutwithoneof’em?
Thelocalpeoplewhippedthemselvesintoamoldofcruelty.Thentheyformedunits,squads,andarmedthem—armedthemwithclubs,withgas,withguns.Weownthecountry.Wecan’tlettheseOkiesgetoutofhand.Andthemenwhowerearmeddidnotowntheland,buttheythoughttheydid.Andtheclerkswhodrilledatnightownednothing,andthelittlestorekeeperspossessedonlyadrawerfulofdebts.Butevenadebtissomething,evenajobissomething.Theclerkthought,Igetfifteendollarsaweek.S’poseagoddamnOkiewouldworkfortwelve?Andthelittlestorekeeperthought,HowcouldIcompetewithadebtlessman?
Andthemigrantsstreamedinonthehighwaysandtheirhungerwasintheireyes,andtheirneedwasintheireyes.Theyhadnoargument,nosystem,nothingbuttheirnumbersandtheirneeds.Whentherewasworkforaman,tenmenfoughtforit—foughtwithalowwage.
