“Getting order out of that awful chaos upstairs. There’s got to be a careful organization planned, routings for the work laid out and systems installed.” Johnathan shied at that word “organization.” It meant spending money, giving hard cash to indolent employees who “soldiered” the moment his back was turned. But in the end he capitulated. He had to capitulate. Nathan, with the high heart of youth eternal, set to work. The boy traded with his father until he made him promise on his honor not to cut the piece rate if Nathan cut the costs. On that promise the artist-imagination of the lad built soundly and swiftly. Johnathan was horrified at the number of girls and women Nathan set to work at the long tables. That they were being paid piece rates and if they failed to deliver, got no money, cut small figure. The great, stark, horrible fact remained that some of them were earning eight, ten, twelve, fourteen dollars a week. Money was running out like water, or blood from a wound in Johnathan’s side. So many boxes were being produced that it was taxing him to the utmost to get materials up to the benches. Not only were all booked orders being filled on schedule, but others had to be secured to keep the little plant running. All this was never once weighed against the money going out for pay rolls. One cow-like little girl, Milly Richards, had perfected a certain operation so deftly that she was drawing fifteen to eighteen dollars a week, and it could not continue! What mattered it if Nathan had used his imagination and inherent creative ability to cut corners and manage efficiently until the cost per box had dropped to less than a cent and a half? That Richards girl was drawing eighteen perfectly good dollars every Saturday noon. And it could not continue! Johnathan awoke in the night and agonized over it. Finally, while checking up the pay roll one week, the father threw down his pencil and banged an angry fist on the desk. “I’ll not pay that Richards girl eighteen dollars a week! I’ll not do it! This nonsense stops right here and now!” “She’s earned it!” “Before she came here she worked in the process works and was content with eight dollars. But you get her down here and the first thing I know, she’s run eight dollars up to eighteen. Eighteen dollars! For a woman! I’ll not pay it. You can go and tell her so.” “You mean you’ll cut the rate?” “I mean I won’t pay any female eighteen dollars for six days’ work! That’s what I mean and it stands!” “You made a bargain with me for three and a half cents a box. I get the cost down to a cent and a half and you want to break your promise.” “I’ll not pay any girl eighteen dollars for six days’ work!” This outrageous thing had become an obsession with Johnathan. “Why, you obstreperous young dolt, you’ve gone and gathered an organization here that’s making so much stuff I can’t get materials or orders to keep it going! And you want to pay one girl eighteen dollars a week!”