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weak and keep them down。 It is not so。 Honesty is the power that lifts men and nations up to greatness。 It is a law of nature just as surely as gravity is a natural law。 But one is physical nature and the other moral nature。 A fool can see that physical laws are eternal and unbreakable。 The wise can see that the moral law is just as powerful and as everlasting。
Had I not won the people's confidence while I was city clerk of Elwood； Indiana； my public career would have ended there。 But after four years in that office I aspired to be county recorder。 The employers who once had feared that I would be unfair； now said； 〃Davis is the man for the job；〃 and so I got their vote as well as the vote of the workers； and I was elected to that higher office by a great majority。
CHAPTER XLIII
FROM TIN WORKER TO SMALL CAPITALIST
During my term as county recorder at Anderson； Indiana； I saved money。 I was unmarried and had no dissipations but books； and books cost little。 I had lent money to several fellows who wanted to get a business education。 By the year 1906； or ten years after I quit the mill； the money I had lent to men for their education in business colleges had all come back to me with interest。 All my brothers had grown up and left home； and mother wrote that I ought not to send so much money to her as she had no use for it。 Although unmarried； I had bought a house； and still had several thousand dollars of capital。 So from time to time when some friend saw an opportunity to start a business in a small way； I backed him with a thousand dollars。 My security in these cases was my knowledge of the man's character。 Some of these ventures were in oil leases in which my chance of profits was good and they ranged from novelty manufacture down to weekly newspapers in which no great profit was possible。 So many of the ventures thrived； that by the time I was forty I was rated as a prosperous young man。 This gave me a great confidence in myself and in the institutions of this country。 A land where a boy can enter the mills at eleven； learn two trades； acquire a sound business education and make a competence in his thirties is not such a bad country as the hot…headed Reds would have us believe。 I was now launched on a business career and my investments were paying me much larger revenues than I could earn at my trade。 It was a rule of the union that when a man ceased to work in the iron； steel or tin trades he forfeited his membership。 However； the boys thought that Mahlon M。 Garlanda puddler who went to Congressand myself had done noteworthy service to the labor cause； and they passed a resolution permitting us to remain in the organization。 Mr。 Garland served six years in Congress and died during his term of office。 I still carry my membership and pay my dues。
I was in France when the great Hindenburg offensive in the spring of 1916 overwhelmed the Allies。 The French soldiers I met were worried and asked what word I brought them from America。 I said： 〃I am an iron worker and can speak for the workers。 Their hearts are in this cause。 They will work as one man until all the iron in the mountains of America is hurled into the belly of the Huns。〃
The war was an iron war。 The kaiser had the steel and the coal that move armies。 France lacked these； and the Germans thought she was doomed。 They cut the French railroads that would have brought the troops and munitions to defend Verdun。 Then the Germans attacked this point in overwhelming numbers。 But the French troops went to Verdun without the aid of railroads。 The Germans did not dream that such a thing was possible。 But America had given the world a new form of transportation； trains that run without rails and with…out coal。 Motor…trucks； driven by gasoline； carried the troops and munitions to Verdun。 And so； after all； the genius of America was there smiting the crown prince to his ruin long before the first American doughboy could set foot in France。
For years the names of oil king and iron master have been a hissing and a byword among the hot…heads in America。 Yet oil king and iron master filled a world with motor lorries。 The blessings these have brought to every man are more than he can measure。 We mention this as one： They stopped the Germans at Verdun and saved our civilization。 It was an iron war and our iron won。
My days were spent at forge and puddling furnace。 The iron that I made is civilization's tools。 I ride by night in metal bedrooms。 I hear the bridges rumble underneath the wheels； and they are part of me。 I see tall cities looking down from out the sky and know that I have given a rib to make those giants。 I am a part of all I see； and life takes on an epic grandeur。 I have done the best I could to build America。
If God has given it to the great captains to do more than the privates to make the plan and shout the order； shall I feel thankless for my share of glory？ Shall I be envious and turn traitor and want to crucify the leaders that have blessed mankind？
I am content to occupy my secondary station； to do the things that I can do； and never to feel embittered because other men have gifts far surpassing mine。
CHAPTER XLIV
A CHANCE TO REALIZE A DREAM
On October 27； 1906； I joined the Loyal Order of Moose at Crawfordsville； Indiana； and a new chapter in my life began。 The purpose of the Order was merely social； but its vast possibilities took my imagination by storm。 For I believed that man's instinct for fraternity was a great reservoir of social energy which； if harnessed aright； could lift our civilization nearer to perfection。
On the night of my election and initiation to membership； the Supreme Lodge was in convention and they requested me to make a talk。 I suggested a scheme to save the wastage of child life resulting from the death of parents and the scattering of their babies； and also to provide for the widows and aged。 This problem had haunted me from boyhood when； as I have told； I was the bearer of death news to the widows and orphans of the mill town。 I felt that the Loyal Order of Moose could cope with this problem。 They elected me supreme organizer and put me in charge of the organization work； and after several years I showed so much zeal that the office of director general was created and I was put in full charge。
The Order was then nineteen years old； having been founded in St。 Louis as chartered in 1888； in Louisville； Kentucky。 It had thrived for a while and then dwindled。 At the time I joined there were only two lodges surviving； with a total roll of some two hundred and forty…six members。 I set to work with great enthusiasm； hoping to enroll a half million men。 This would make the Order strong enough to insure a home and an education for all children left destitute by the death of members。 In fancy I again beheld the vision of long trains of lodge men going to their yearly meeting； but this time； in a city of their own building； and over the gateway to this red…roofed town I saw the legend：
THE CITY OF HAPPY CHILDREN
But alas for dreams！ Any one can have them； but their realization is not always possible。 The men in the Moose before me had fought vainly for these high ideals。 At the end of my fir