Young Lonigan - James T. Farrell [441]
“Yes, sometimes. He’s a brainy man, even if he is a Republican. He got out just because he was too smart to let them give him the rap for these hard times.”
“I cut out one of his articles and saved it. I wanted to show it to you. He says in it just what’s what!” Mort said, drawing out a worn leather bill-fold and extracting a frayed clipping from it.
Lonigan took the clipping. A sudden hope arose in him. It would tell him what to do. He wanted it to tell him why, why he was being broken and ruined, why, why?
Faith without work is vain. But he had always worked, damn hard. Although many millions of people are enjoying record wages, there are others, who are unemployed, some of whom can live on their savings, while the rest will have to be supported directly or indirectly by those who work. If things went on as they did, it looked like he would have to be dependent on public charity.
People are out of work because the things they could produce are not being bought. True. True. The things he could do, people didn’t want. Too many buildings already, and owners couldn’t afford painting and decorating them. With all our wealth, why didn’t Coolidge tell the truth about our wealth, tell who was getting control of it? If he, Paddy Lonigan, knew, Coolidge must know, it is difficult to suppose that our consuming power has greatly diminished. It is not being exercised. It will help somewhat to increase public and private construction. Bully. Smart man. An increase in construction might give men like himself more business. Men like himself were the ones who needed a boost these days, the ones who deserved it. They were the real backbone of this country. And if he did get contracts, he would be spending money, buying supplies, hiring men. Smart man, Coolidge, even if he was a Republican. But the principal consuming power is in the people who have work. Unless they buy of the other fellow he cannot buy of them. He’d buy plenty if the bankers weren’t robbing him.
If those who are working and have the means would pay all their retail merchandise bills and in addition purchase what they need and can afford, if those owing him money, Morris at that Jew apartment hotel, Olson, that damn West-side Swede, if they would, a healthy commerce would quickly be created. Our nation has plenty of resources to support all its people comfortably through a mutual exchange of products if everyone will do his part. Goddamn it, he only wanted to do his part, and he had always done it. He would still be doing it only for those dirty, crooked bankers. And yes, he had always paid his bills. Those who have employment now run the risk of losing it by refraining from buying and paying within their means. No one who has the money can afford to defer settling his account. Golly, he’d like to show this piece to Morris and Olson.
Lonigan smiled.
“True, isn’t it?” Mort eagerly asked.
“Yes, and, Mort, I’d like my own debtors to see it.”
“Can’t you sue, Paddy?”
“I got to, but I’ll be lucky to get a nickel on the dollar. I got a letter today from the bank holding the mortgage on my building, telling me I got to pay up on the date. How am I going to? The bank with my own money in failed. How am I going to?”
“Paddy, my only wish is that I had the money to loan you,” Mort said.
“It ain’t right. It ain’t fair, Mort.”
Mort wagged his head sadly from side to side.
“Mort, I’m sorry I can’t help you out any more than this dollar,” Lonigan said, handing Mort a dollar bill, and then putting his panama hat on.
“I understand. Thank you, Paddy. I understand. And I always say that Paddy Lonigan’s a square-shooting man with a heart of gold when he has it.”
“Thank you, Mort. I’ve always tried to be fair. And I suppose that all we can do is to keep a stiff upper lip, grin and bear it, and try to hang on by the skin of our teeth until business gets better.”
“Yes, Paddy, that about hits the nail square.”
“We’ve gone through the mill, Mort, and both of us have known hard times before. But this depression looks like the worst we’ve