Summary
The World Aflame" thrusts us into the opulent, yet increasingly precarious, existence of Carson Burr, a magnate whose insulated world shatters under the weight of burgeoning social unrest. His personal sphere is first breached by the abrupt desertion of his domestic staff and then publicly affronted by a disdainful waiter, compelling him to political action. Ascending to the mayoral office on a platform of labor reform, Burr soon confronts the formidable machinations of "The Red Messenger" editor, who orchestrates a paralyzing general streetcar strike. With audacious resolve, Burr personally pilots a streetcar, flanked by armed guards, effectively dismantling the strike's immediate impact. The conflict escalates dramatically with the abduction of his son by anarchists, yet Burr's conviction remains unbroken. He convenes an assembly of industrial titans, proposing a visionary cooperative model designed to harmoniously integrate capital and labor, thereby precluding future industrial strife. This grand societal reconciliation finds its intimate echo in the burgeoning romance between Burr’s daughter and his diligent valet, now personal secretary, a poignant symbol of class divides bridged on a deeply human level.
Synopsis
Wealthy businessman Carson Burr discovers first-hand the problem of social unrest when he loses his cook and his chauffeur and he is insulted by a waiter. Burr runs for mayor to improve the labor situation and is elected. The editor of The Red Messenger organizes the streetcar drivers to begin a general strike, but Burr manages to break up the strike by personally running a streetcar and backing it up with armed guards. The anarchists capture his son, but Burr will not back down. He calls together leading businessmen and proposes a cooperative plan that brings together capital and labor and puts a stop to future strikes. Capital and labor are also brought together when Burr's daughter becomes romantically involved with his valet turned personal secretary.
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