[Pointing.

Ours.  I tell you, they’ve smelt blood.

[From a distance, faintly, but growing louder, boys are heard calling, “Extra!  Extra!"

GROSVENOR

[Excitedly.

Extra!  I wonder—­

CONROY

[Going to the balcony, and calling down.

Here, boy!

POLLEN

[Laughing softly.

There you go.

[He presses a bell-button on the wall, bends over the writing-desk and writes a line which he encloses in an envelope.

You’re easy.  And there are a hundred million like you.  When it comes to war, reason goes to sleep.  You both of you knew perfectly well that I had absolutely no later news than you, but you let yourself be hypnotized like children.  I can do anything I want with you.

[Enter PAGE.

PAGE

Ring, sir?

POLLEN

Take this to the news-stand in the hall.

PAGE

Yes, sir.

[Exit.

POLLEN

[At the window again.

The edition is going like hotcakes.  It has Maynard’s speech in it.  Did either of you hear it?

CONROY

Yes.  Damned rot, but effective.

POLLEN

He keeps the patriotism hot.

GROSVENOR

[Proudly.

I trained that young man in patriotism.

[Enter REPRESENTATIVE MAYNARD, left; a young man, conceited and with a swagger.

MAYNARD

Good evening, gentlemen.

GROSVENOR

Maynard!

CONROY

Great boy!

[They all clap him on the shoulder and shake his hand.

POLLEN

A wonderful speech, my boy.  We’re playing you up for Governor of the
State in tonight’s late editions.

MAYNARD

I’ll sweep the State.  It’s patriotism, it’s the flag, that gets the rubes.  You should have seen the whiskers of the rural sections waving in the wind!

[Shouts of newsboys outside:  “Bulletin!  War!  All about the war!"

CONROY