Атлант расправил плечи
Account Overdrawn
Butwhatheasked,andheaskedithastily,was,"You’renotimplyingthatIwouldplacemypersonalinterestsabovethepublicwelfare,areyou?"
"No,ofcoursenot,"saidMr.Weatherby,withalookthatwasalmostasmile."Certainlynot.Notyou,Jim.Yourpublic-spiritedattitude—andunderstanding—aretoowellknown.That’swhyWesleyexpectsyoutoseeeverysideofthepicture."
"Yes,ofcourse,"saidTaggart,trapped.
"Well,considertheunions’sideofit.Maybeyoucan’taffordtogivethemaraise,buthowcantheyaffordtoexistwhenthecostoflivinghasshotsky-high?They’vegottoeat,don’tthey?Thatcomesfirst,railroadornorailroad."Mr.Weatherby’stonehadakindofplacidrighteousness,asifhewererecitingaformularequiredtoconveyanothermeaning,cleartoallofthem;hewaslookingstraightatTaggart,inspecialemphasisoftheunstated."Therearealmostamillionmembersintherailwayunions.Withfamilies,dependentsandpoorrelatives—andwhohasn’tgotpoorrelativesthesedays?—itamountstoaboutfivemillionvotes.Persons,Imean.Wesleyhastobearthatinmind.Hehastothinkoftheirpsychology.Andthen,considerthepublic.Theratesyou’rechargingwereestablishedatatimewheneverybodywasmakingmoney.Butthewaythingsarenow,thecostoftransportationhasbecomeaburdennobodycanafford.Peoplearescreamingaboutitalloverthecountry.
