America 1929: John F. Kennedy, the Great Writer

Williams immediately called Arthur and told him the bad news:

"Arthur, something's happened. The city hall is coming to inspect our theater tomorrow morning at nine o'clock."

Arthur's heart sank, and he asked:

"What did they say they were checking?"

"Building safety, but I think that's just an excuse. They're probably trying to cause trouble and stop our premiere."

Arthur remained silent for a few seconds.

He knew this was Walker's counterattack, the same old trick, old but effective, intending to make him lose face in front of everyone at this crucial moment.

Arthur reassured Williams that he would handle it, but Williams was still a little worried and hung up the phone.

After hanging up, Arthur immediately called Isabella.

After Isabella's incident with the AFL, she studied the relevant laws in order to deal with today's unexpected situation.

They had discussed it beforehand and made contingency plans.

Sure enough, Isabella's answer was very calm:

"I'll contact Winston immediately, he'll handle it. Winston will accompany the inspectors tomorrow. If they try to cause trouble, he'll point out their illegal actions on the spot."

Isabella continued to elaborate on her plan:

"Furthermore, I will send reporters to the scene. If the city hall really wants to shut us down, we will make the whole process public."

Arthur felt even more confident after hearing Isabella's arrangements.

"Thank you, Isabella," Arthur said sincerely.

"You're welcome. This time, I won't let those bastards get away with it."

……

At 9:00 a.m. on December 12, three men in suits arrived at the Providencetown Theatre.

They identified themselves as officials from the "building safety inspection department" and carried some documents and measuring tools.

Williams greeted them at the door, saying, "Good morning, gentlemen, please come in."

The three men entered the theater and began their "inspection," making notes in their notebooks as they checked each area.

Williams stood to the side, growing increasingly uneasy. The expressions on these people's faces clearly indicated they were looking for trouble.

Just then, Attorney Winston walked in and said:

"Good morning, gentlemen. I am Attorney Winston, representing the Providence Theatre. What is the basis of your investigation?"

The three officials exchanged glances. One of them replied:

"We received reports that there are safety hazards here."

Winston pressed further: "A whistleblower report? Please show me the whistleblower report."

The official deflected the question, saying, "This is an internal document; I can't show it to you."

Winston did not back down:

"Then please show us your inspection authorization. According to Section 12 of the New York City Building Safety Ordinance, any inspection must be authorized in writing and the inspected party must be notified three days in advance."

The three officials exchanged another glance. One of them took a piece of paper from his briefcase and said:

"We have the authorization."

Winston took the paper, examined it carefully, and immediately pointed out the problem:

"This authorization was issued yesterday, and you came to inspect it today, which violates the requirement of giving three days' notice in advance."

He continued to retort:

"Furthermore, the reason given for the inspection on this authorization is 'a report received,' but it does not specify the details of the report. This does not comply with legal requirements."

The three officials' expressions changed, and one of them defended himself:

"Sir, we are just doing our job."

Winston's tone hardened: "Fulfilling your duties is fine, but you must do so in accordance with the law. If you continue with these inspections, I will apply to the court for an injunction to stop your illegal activities."

He paused, then emphasized, "Furthermore, I will sue you for abuse of power."

The three officials looked at each other, some of them hesitant.

Just then, a commotion arose outside the door. Several reporters walked in, carrying cameras and notebooks.

A reporter asked first, "Excuse me, are you here to inspect the theater?"

Other reporters also asked questions:

"Why did the city hall inspect the theater three days before the premiere?"

"Is this a crackdown on 'Yes, Mayor'?"

"Excuse me, is this related to Mr. George Bernard Shaw's upcoming attendance at the premiere?"

The three officials looked even more grim. They knew that if this matter were reported, they would be in a very passive position.

One of the officials tried to explain, "We...we were just doing a routine check."

The reporter immediately seized on the inconsistency and pressed, "Why is the timing of this routine inspection such a coincidence?"

The official was momentarily speechless: "We..."

Just then, perhaps feeling utterly humiliated, or perhaps eager to prove his authority, the leading prosecutor puffed out his chest and broke the awkward silence with an unquestionable tone:

"Listen, lawyer, and journalists. Nobody knows more about municipal law and building safety regulations than me. I say there's a safety hazard here, and there it is. Our procedures are completely compliant."

His words caused a moment of tension in the room. But Winston remained unfazed, calmly pulling another document from his briefcase.

"As luck would have it, sir, I have a complete record here of a similar safety inspection conducted by City Hall last year on the Broadway 'Regal Theatre'. Your behavior today is far from meeting the standards outlined in that record."

"If you insist, I would be happy to invite the judge and jury to the court to compare what truly constitutes a 'compliant procedure'."

His face flushed red, and he opened his mouth, but no sound came out. Under the watchful eyes of the reporters and the camera lenses, he ultimately couldn't say anything.

The three officials exchanged a quick glance, then one of them whispered:

"We...we won't be doing the check today. We'll reschedule."

After saying that, they left in a hurry.

Williams breathed a sigh of relief and said, "Thank you, Mr. Winston."

Winston waved his hand, turned to the reporters, and said:

"Ladies and gentlemen, I hope you will report this matter truthfully. The city hall's attempt to suppress a play through administrative means is an infringement on freedom of speech."

The reporters nodded and then left.

Arthur stood at the theater entrance, watching all this, feeling a lingering fear. Fortunately, Isabella had been prepared, otherwise the theater would have been in serious trouble.

Isabella walked to Arthur's side and whispered:

"See? We won this time."

Arthur nodded. "Yes, but this is just the beginning."

"I know, but at least we've proven one thing. The law can stand against power, as long as we know how to use it," Isabella said.

Arthur smiled and said something Isabella didn't understand:

"The law is essentially a slave to power, and can never be the master of power."