Chapter 18.   The Entrepreneur

I was not acquainted with Greg Masterson, either at a personal level or through my business dealings as a slaver, but I knew of his activities as a very successful entrepreneur who had built an international business as a supplier of parts and subassemblies to the various automobile companies around the world.  He had been a pioneer in the development of the new GPS guided smart cars that could now be seen on most big city streets. These were the ones that could be given a destination and drive themselves, with no grid embedded in pavements, safely avoiding all obstacles.  His company was one of only two firms making the guidance and collision avoidance system for these cars.  He was widely known as a visionary, advocating that all smart cars eventually be equipped with magnetic levitation capability for use in those cities willing to make the investment in embedding maglev rails in their streets.

Last I heard his corporate empire spanned 4 continents, had more than 7,000 free employees worldwide and perhaps as many as 1,000 slaves located in Capitallia, the only nation where slavery was legal.  Many nations were courting his business and encouraging him to set up a plant in their country.  Through the grapevine I heard that two African countries, one Arab country in the mid east, and one banana republic in South America had even offered to “look the other way” if he wanted to use slave labor in such a plant.  But I had also heard he had declined to do business in such countries - preferring to use slave labor only in countries where it was 100% legal and above board.  For the present that meant only in Capitallia.  I had no way of knowing if he had rejected those other opportunities out of moral scruples or based on the pragmatic consideration of not wanting to be in a position where he would forever have to bribe local and national officials to continue ‘looking the other way’.

I wanted to see if Masterson would agree to a meeting with me.  I hoped the fact that I had been in the news as a proponent of the new legislation to promote the “kinder and gentler slavery”, and was also a well-known slaver in my own right, might be considerations that would intrigue him enough to meet with me.  Of course if I got such a meeting with him I would try to turn the conversation to the need to pursue further reforms to prevent unjust enslavements and to prevent inhumane conditions.  Maybe then I could lead into Stephanie’s situation and appeal to him for his help in reaching an amicable solution to her problem.

One thing I did know about Greg Masterson was that he was not the typical big corporation executive.  He had built his business from nothing - relying mainly on his technical skills as an inventor, hard work and also his entrepreneurial gifts.  As his business grew it began to demand professional management skills that were not his forte.  Accordingly he had brought in a series of General Manger CEO types to handle that for him, while retaining his own position as majority stockholder and Chairman of the Board.  According to news reports some fellow called Mel Zigler was his current CEO.  I did not know much about this man.

Mr. Masterson had reportedly been spending most of the last 6 months trying to negotiate for a new plant in one of the South American countries.  But I had heard an item in the news just yesterday that he was back in New York City.  So I rehearsed my approach and finally made the call.  He had indeed heard of me and of my activities and said he would be pleased to have a meeting to discuss the future of slavery in Capitallia.

The meeting was set for a restaurant he favored on the Upper East Side.  

I had an hour or so before the meeting and it was a beautiful fall day so I fancied a walk from my West Side office through Central Park to our appointed rendezvous.  After a time I was approaching a large open meadow where there was an amphitheater.  I could hear the sounds of maybe a few thousand people who had gathered there in the meadow and were listening to some fellow holding forth on the public address system.

“This meeting was called”, the agitated voice continued, “by ‘Residents for a Fair Jobs Policy’ to present our grievances to the Capitallian Federal Congress.  We know the bastards are rationing the total number of jobs that will be available for free workers!”

“Here Here!” someone in the audience shouted.  “Right on brother!”

I rounded the bend and could see much of the crowd now.  Many were carrying signs decrying the shortage of good jobs.  Others signs complained of low prevailing wages in many of the trades and crafts.  Still other signs decried the poverty and social ills - including child prostitution - that were caused by the job shortage and the low wage levels.

“Two years ago the Congress setup a Federal Labor Board that has the authority to decide on the total number of free employment jobs that we all can have, my good friends!  They don’t set a number that would let all of us work.  Oh no! They set a number that makes all of us scramble, covet our neighbor’s job and work for next to nothing just to have a job!  Are you with me brothers and sisters?”

“When are we going to do something about it?”   A man in the third row yelled.

“We voiced our grievance last year and they still haven’t listened!”  Another voice in the fifth row cried out.

“What do we want!” the speaker on the podium called out.

“More jobs!”  A dozen or so voices responded.

“I can’t hear you!” the speaker called out at the top of his voice.  “Again, what do we want?”

“More jobs!”  A few hundred loud voices responded this time.

“Again, what do we want?” the speaker repeated.

“More jobs!” This time it was a roar of thousands gathered in the meadow.

“When do we want it?”  The speaker intoned.

“Now!” hundreds replied.

“I can’t hear you.  When do we want it?”

“Now” Was shouted by thousands.

“OK.  I think I have it now.  We have asked for a meeting with the Federal Labor Board.  So far they have not responded.  We need to keep up the pressure.  We are exercising one of the privileges in our Original Charter in seeking redress for what has become the greatest grievance of our time.  I don’t think they will be able to shut us down!”

“Right on!  Keep up the pressure!  Fight the good fight!” many yelled.  Then the crowd spontaneously broke into an old union solidarity song dating back to the twentieth century.  I could see TV cameras from more than one network covering this event.  Probably some of it would be shown on the evening news.  Everyone was feeling pretty hyped up and I could see sales of beer and pizza were doing very well.

What I had witnessed was the freedom of speech, freedom of assembly and freedom to seek redress of grievances that was guaranteed as a right to citizens of Capitallia and also extended, but more in the nature of a privilege, to the legal residents.

I kept on walking and the sounds of the crowd gradually faded away and I heard new sounds - those of taxicabs and horse drawn carriages on Fifth Avenue.  Soon I reached the Upper East Side restaurant for my fateful appointment.  When I came in I spotted Masterson at once and he interrupted the animated conversation he was having with the hatcheck girl to greet me warmly. 

“Mr. Steelforth”, he said, vigorously shaking my hand “We have heard so much about your efforts to reform labor standards. “ 

Then he excused himself for just a moment to finish the conversation with this woman he obviously knew well, inquiring about her family and other things in her life.  She was a non-citizen of course, and in a fairly low ranking job.  I was impressed that he treated her with the same openness and friendliness he might extend to someone more on his own social level. 

Soon the maitre d’ was ushering us to Masterson’s favorite table in a rear alcove of the restaurant.  As soon as we were seated he began again.

“Let me say that I value the slavery reform work that you have been doing, as do my business partners.  We all recognize how important it is to keep the system honest.”
 
“Thank you sir”, I replied “Actually that is more or less what I wanted to talk about”.

A pretty waitress in an extremely short skirt came to take our drink orders and left.  I could not help but admire her long lean legs that any dancer would envy.

“Mr. Masterson”, I began “there are some current …”

“Please! Call me Greg.  Let us talk of small things for a while and relax over our drinks for a bit before we get to the real purpose of this meeting.  I like to get a feel for where a man is coming from before I talk business.  Have you been to South America Bill?”

“I can’t say that I have sir.”

“I just came from Rio.  Fascinating country, Brazil!  I have been combining a certain amount of sightseeing with negotiations with various partners down there for a new site for a plant.”

“Are the labor and tax conditions favorable there?” I asked.

“Favorable enough, though of course I would prefer to have slave labor there as we do in our Capitallia plants.  But I think Brazil will eventually come around to that.  Taxes are higher than here but they seem willing to cut us some breaks for the first ten years.  Do you smoke Bill?”

As he asked this he was pulling out a couple of expensive cigars.

“Never started sir.  But you go right ahead.  A little cigar smoke never bothered me.”

Just as he was lighting up the waitress returned with our drinks and proceeded to take our dinner orders.  Masterson obviously knew the cuisine here so when he ordered the prime rib I indicated I would have the same.  As soon as she left he began again.

“Do you engage in any sports or outdoor activities Bill?”

“Well I do play tennis when I have the time.  And I have been known to go on mountain hikes and rock climbing trips in the Adirondacks from time to time.” I replied.

“Great activities.  All that fresh air clears the mind wonderfully don’t you agree?”

“Absolutely sir!”

“Please!  No more of that ‘sir’ business.  My name is Greg.”

“Very well then Greg.  I saw quite a protest assembly going on in Central Park as I was walking over here a while ago.”

“How so?”

“My impression”, I continued, “was that there were a couple thousand there protesting the rationing of jobs by the new Labor Board.  They say the number of jobs allowed is always set deliberately less than the number of workers so as to cause undue competition among workers and keep wages low.”

“I would say they have a legitimate beef” Masterson replied.  “Their wages are being kept somewhat low and the number of jobs arbitrarily limited.  As a businessman I don’t care much for this system because I am always opening new plants and I can’t freely hire as many workers as I really need to operate efficiently.  What I save on the low wages I lose by not being able to grow and get new plants quickly into production.”

“Then why does our government do this?” I asked.

“Because some of our citizens seem to think the non-citizens need to be kept in their place.” He responded. “Some of them think the non-citizen will get too uppity if he is making too much money.”

“But don’t we always encourage people to try to improve themselves and eventually become citizens through hard work?” I said.

“Our society has always had that as a long run goal, and I think that idea will win out in the end.  Those folks you saw in the park will probably have to do an economic boycott of some of our products to keep public attention focused on their cause.”

He indicated by a gesture that he wanted to move on to some other topic.

“I just read a fascinating new book about the life of George Eastman”, he continued.  “He was way ahead of his time when he introduced roll film to replace the glass sheets photographers had been using.  Vastly speeded up the rate at which multiple pictures could be snapped.  The man was quite a philanthropist too.  Do you read biographies of the great entrepreneurs Bill?”

“I just finished a new one on the life of Samuel Goldwyn last month.  Founded MGM Motion Picture Studio.  I have enjoyed others - one on Edison and the founding of the General Electric Company.  One on Henry Ford and his relationship both to Edison and the auto industry.”

“Good.  Very good.  I always find inspiration in stories like that!  What was it you wanted to talk about Bill?”

“There are some difficult problems in enslavement law that might interest you Greg.  After all, you are one of the major users of slave labor in your industry.”

“Go on Bill.”  He leaned forward and looked at me more intensely.  I felt I had his interest.”

“First”, I said, “there is the matter of unjust enslavements.  I have reason to believe some men and women are being enslaved on trumped up charges or falsified debts.  As an ethical businessman I am sure you know that does not help the image of slavery with the public.”

“I have heard some reports of that.  What would you suggest as a remedy?” 
 
“Well, Greg, in the case of public criminal prosecutions I think a case could be made that public money be made available on a much more generous basis to assure a competent defense - including not only a good legal team but also money for necessary investigative work the defense lawyers might need to support their efforts.  Perhaps even funds for a jury consultant.  After all enslaving a human being for a term of many years is a very serious matter.”

“I don’t take any issue with your point, Bill.  Is there more?”

“Yes.  I think in the case of private enslavements for debt, or in the case of private criminal prosecutions, that the plaintiff should be required to furnish a low income defendant with as much money to defend the case as they are spending to prosecute it - to assure good defense lawyers and all necessary investigative support, as with public prosecutions.”

“I need to think about that one”, he replied.  “For private criminal prosecutions I certainly agree.  That would help to dissuade frivolous criminal cases.  But in the case of debt enslavements I have a concern it might place too heavy a burden on the businessman - which would effectively deny business the remedy the law was intended to provide.  Doubling the legal costs could certainly discourage men like myself from pursuing even some of the most flagrant cases of people living beyond their means.”

“Let’s agree to set that one aside for now then”, I rejoined, “and move on to another controversial issue - whether simply owing more than $10,000 and being unable to make an acceptable payment arrangement should be the sole criteria for enslaving someone, as it is now.  Many would say, and I agree with them, that something needs to be added to the law that would put a burden on the plaintiff to show that there was either some sort of willful misconduct or reckless disregard on the part of the debtor.”

“What would you call ‘willful misconduct’?”

“Choosing to live beyond one’s means.  Entering into a mortgage contract knowing full well that one cannot make the required payments.  Or entering into a contract to provide services knowing full well that one cannot provide the services for which one is accepting payment in advance.”

“If I get your drift Bill”, he rejoined “you are saying that the debtor who has become insolvent, for example, as the result of necessary and catastrophic medical expenses, or as the result of losing his job through no fault of his own - that debtor should get a free pass?  That the creditor shouldn’t be able to touch him?”

“I would say, Greg, that long term enslavement is too severe a remedy for such a case.  Instead let the debtor be required to perform services for the creditor directly for, say, 40 to 50 hours a week while working out of his own home and being allowed to retain his dignity and family life.”

“Have there been some concrete proposals put forward by the reform organizations?  Something I could review with my attorneys?”

“I will have something faxed over to your office this afternoon.”

Just then our dinners arrived and we put aside talk of business while enjoying the excellent food.  After the dinners were finished and cleared, our coffees were brought and conversation turned to business again.

“When you started talking about controversial issues”, Bill, “I was sure you were going to lecture me about more humane conditions for slaves in the workplace.  I do try to provide decent working conditions for the slaves in my plants, but the do-gooders are never satisfied!”

“I was just getting to that!  I think we would all agree that while forced sex and some degree of humiliation are often necessary aspects of modern slavery, the idea of the “kinder and gentler slavery” movement is to eliminate not only physical brutality but also all unnecessary or gratuitous psychological traumas.  Thus vindictive rape should be outlawed as should deliberately inflicted humiliation for the sake of humiliation.”

“As far as I am concerned, any employer in this city who is allowing his people to vindictively rape a slave should be drawn and quartered!”

“With all due respect sir, that could be you!”

“Explain that Bill, before I lose my cool!”

“Greg, I was personally involved in enslaving a young woman for debt.  I did this for one of my old clients, Richmond Slendabond.”

“Oh yes! Morgan Richmond, someone I have relied on for years!”

“Mr. Richmond informed me that this was a special order enslavement requested by your firm, and that she is now owned by you.  Her name is Stephanie Glenn.”

“Can’t say I have heard that name before.  I was not personally involved.  Still you say she was raped vindictively by one of my people?”

“Not only that but there is evidence she was unjustly enslaved based on forged documents!” I added.

“And you know this, how?” He replied.

“I ran into her backstage at the ballet where she was loaned out to work with the lighting director there.  She pleaded with me that she had been framed and would I please look into it.”

I was not about to mention the phoned whistleblower tip I had received from the Masterson psychologist.  There was no need to mention him and possibly endanger his position with the company.

“So what happened?” he persisted.

“Since I had all her personal and business records I was able to satisfy myself of the truth of her claim.  I could plainly see the forgeries.”  I replied.

“Could you determine who might have falsified these documents?”

“That is where I called on Morgan Richmond.  He was shocked at what I told him about this case.  He put his people on it and determined that all the falsified documents had come from one of your employees.”

“Is someone officially representing Ms. Glenn’s interests in all this?”

“Yes, that would be her attorney Michael Green.  You will be getting a letter from him shortly.  I just thought that maybe if we met informally that some amicable arrangement could be worked out that all of us could live with.  We all have a stake in this.”

“Very thoughtful of you Bill.  I do want to do the right thing by this young lady.  If all you say checks out I will set her free.  But I also have a business to run.  I did not build my business up to where it is now only to see it ruined by some scandal.  The last thing I need now is to have one or more of my employees criminally prosecuted for wrongful enslavement.  Surely you can understand that Bill?”

“I can understand it Greg.  The question is what will satisfy the young lady.”

“Have her attorney send me a letter outlining his position.  I will review this with my management team and my attorneys and give him a quick response.”

“I can’t ask for more than that.”

With that our conversation turned back to small talk, we had our coffees and went our separate ways.  I knew that soon enough Michael Green, Morgan and I would be sitting down with Stephanie and explaining to her Mr. Masterson’s position, and her chance to regain her freedom.

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