Muckraking author Frank Kenyon tries to convince his fiancée Marion of the deplorable conditions in the factory owned by her father, John D. Moore, but she is far more interested in putting on shows to aid the Belgian Relief Fund than in helping the working class. When factory conditions cause the death of Mina, a young girl, Frank jumps onstage during one of Marion's reviews and denounces her and her father, after which Marion breaks their engagement. Following his impromptu speech, Frank is elected to the legislature and works constantly for factory reform. Before the implementation of any of his measures, however, a factory fire kills Marion's father. As a result, Marion comes to understand the necessity for reform and, renewing her engagement to Frank, vows to help him fight for it. -AFI