Powder

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Judson Brand, a powder manufacturer, is approached by the envoys of two warring nations, but before entering into a contract with Baron Von Halstyn, envoy for Gravonia, he sends his son, Marshall, to investigate the country's financial condition. Burghoff, Sashofen's envoy, is advised of a blockade and instructed to halt shipments of munitions to the enemy. Both envoys try to enlist the help of Jan Bernheim, a clever political exile from Gravonia. Out of revenge, she promises to aid Burghoff, but patriotism prevails and she goes over to Von Halstyn, although pretending to remain in the employ of Burghoff. Elinor, Brand's daughter, is engaged to Fosdick, a humanitarian propagandist, who opposes Brand's mercenary attitude in furnishing munitions. Burghoff allies himself with Fosdick, and together they hope to control the vote of the congressional committee against furnishing munitions. The committee is divided in opinion and the deciding vote is with Hayes, the chairman who favors the non-participating policy. Brand quarrels with Fosdick about the issue and forces Elinor, in sympathy with Fosdick, to break her engagement, when Fosdick refuses to renounce his principle. Jan induces Burghoff to give Fosdick a check for a thousand dollars "for charitable purposes." Jan secures the canceled check which the unsuspecting Fosdick has accepted, for evidence against him, and when Von Halstyn urges her to win over Hayes to their side, she does so by showing him the check, which she makes him believe was accepted as a bribe from Burghoff. Burghoff refuses to accept defeat and proposes to Fosdick the blowing up of the powder mills, but Fosdick refuses to listen, so Burghoff undertakes it alone unknown even to Jan. Brand's son, traveling through the war zone, finds their Brandite shells being used by both sides, and is so absorbed in commercialism that he is untouched by the evidence of suffering about him. Fosdick saves the life of a child belonging to one o£ the men employed by Burghoff to blow up the mills. Brand receives a favorable report from his son and he and Von Halstyn ride over to the mill to sign up the contract, accompanied by Elinor and Jan. Fosdick, in Burghoff's office waiting for him, answers the telephone and learns of the plot to destroy the mills within an hour. He tries to reach Brand only to find that he and Elinor have gone to the mill. Fosdick drives to the mills, and through his efforts the plan only partially succeeds; no one is hurt but Mason, the man who was on the job. Fosdick is found trying to put out the fuse and is accused by Brand of attempting to blow up the mill. Mason, however, clears him when he recovers and Von Halstyn and Jan are arrested by a secret service man who has been trailing them. Brand stubbornly insists that Fosdick is to blame for it all and vows he will sign the contract away. Then the final argument presents itself, his beloved son has been killed by a Brandite shell. Later Von Halstyn and Jan are deported. Burghoff flees the country and Fosdick and Elinor are united. Brand turns from the manufacture of ammunition to Red Cross work.