"I don't believe it," he declared hotly. "It's the natural thing for people who work, and only want to do useful, honest work, to revolt against this kind of thing. This is a spontaneous labor movement, I tell you, Dick. Our working people and our farmers don't believe in playing with fire--when the fire means war. They know this selling to the Allies what the Allies wouldn't otherwise have is going to exasperate Germany and may drag us in. I tell you it's perfectly natural they should rise and protest and prepare to fight it out at the elections." "But, Ralph, who started this thing here? Where did it come from? The shops?" "Hanged if I know--started itself, I tell you. I don't care--it's the ideas. They're sound. I'm for them." "But if these ideas were being scattered and watered by the paid agents of Germany, how would you feel about it? You must know by this time that Germany has no sympathy for peace; that she believes in war. You must realize that she has no objection to selling munitions herself. Why, half the world gets its big guns from her. It's because she hopes to trap us into being unneutral--refusing for an illogical sentiment to sell her enemies munitions that she's working this thing up. It's part of her war program. Can't you see it, Ralph?" "I tell you there's nothing in your suspicion. Look at the men who've been here to speak for the party--as good labor men as the Federation has. You can't suspect them of pro-Germanism; they're for peace, I tell you, and putting an end to this infernal shell and powder making." Nor was it until Ralph had been in Washington to the famous August, 1915, meeting of the council and had himself heard the cynical reply of the precious rascal that was managing affairs, to the demand of honest working men for an explanation of the source of the funds that were being so lavishly used, "What if it is German money?"--that he yielded. "I've been a fool," he said to Dick quite frankly when he came back, and quite as frankly he told the story of his own connection with the party in the _Argus_.