Hugh Allison (Walter Abel) is a lawyer with a reputation for putting gangsters in jail. He is tasked with breaking up the city's trucking rackets, which are led by John "Czar" Martin (Humphrey Bogart). Martin's men use brutal attacks on truckers to force them into joining their ranks. Skeets Wilson (Allen Jenkins) and Denny Jordan (George Brent) run a small trucking business of their own and resist joining Martin's organization. However, continued violent attacks and threats against them cause Skeets to sell out his share and Denny to send his pregnant wife, Nora (Gloria Dickson), out of the city. Denny steals money from Martin in order to pay for Nora to leave, and is in turn forced by Martin to join the racket. Meanwhile Allison's investigation goes nowhere because no one will testify against Martin for fear of reprisals. When Denny likewise refuses to testify, Allison sends him to jail, which leads to Martin starting a citywide strike that threatens the food supply. Denny realizes he must make a choice to earn back his wife's respect.
—Patrick Depew