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uch a charge。 The mayor protested against it。 He said I had done the right thing in protecting the honor of the city； and that the citizens would not permit my action to cost me money。 The local banker took up a collection to pay my fine in case a fine should be assessed against me。
My salary as city clerk was forty dollars a month。 My wages in the tin mill were seven dollars a day。 A week in the mill would have brought me more than a month's pay in the city office。 But I hoped the clerkship would lead to something better。
One incident that happened while I was city clerk I have already related。 The city attorney almost sent a man to jail because he couldn't understand the lawyer's questions。 I put the lawyer's language into simpler words； and the man then understood and quickly cleared himself of the charge against him。 At another time； the mill owners petitioned for the vacation of an alley because they wanted to build a railroad switch there to give access to a loading…out station of the mill。
〃I suppose；〃 their representative told me； 〃that since this would be a favor to the mill； and you were opposed by the mill owners； you will hand it to us in this matter。〃
〃Why should I？〃 I asked。 〃Don't you think you ought to have this alley？〃
〃Certainly we do； or we wouldn't have asked for it。〃
〃Do you think the city needs the alley worse than you do？〃
〃No。 It is an alley only on paper。 There are no residences there and nobody needs the alley but us。〃
〃But you think because I am a labor man and you are a mill owner； and you and I have had many hot fights over wage questions； that I will fight you on this just for spite？〃
〃Such things have been done。〃
〃Well； I am not spiteful。 Many a time I have made the men mad at me by being fair to you。 Spite and malice should have no place in dealings between employer and employee。 If you had a chance； would you give the men a dirty deal just for spite？〃
〃We're business men；〃 he said。 〃And we never act through malice； but we often expect it from the other side。〃
〃Well； don't expect it from me。 As a city official my whole duty is to the city。 If we give you that railroad switch it will help the mill and can't hurt the city。 Without your mills there would be no city here； and all the alleys would be vacated； with grass growing in them。 If I took advantage of my city job to oppress your mill business； I would be two kinds of a scoundrel； a public scoundrel and a private one。 I favor the vacation of the alley and when the council meets next Wednesday I am sure they will do this for you。〃
CHAPTER XLII
THE EVERLASTING MORALIZER
I played the game fair throughout my term of office。 I hate dishonesty instinctively。 I like the approval of my own conscience and the approval of men。 This is egotism； of course。 I claim nothing else for it。 I am no prophet。 I do not claim to be inspired。 The weaknesses that all flesh is heir to； I am not immune from。 I write this story not to vindicate my own wit nor to point out new paths for human thought to follow。 I am a follower of the old trails； an endorser of the old maxims。 I merely add my voice to the thousands who have testified before me that the old truths are the only truths； and they are all the guidance that we need。 I am an educator of the young； not an astounder of the old； and it is for the boys and girls who read my book that I thus point the morals that life's tale has taught me。
Had I proved unfaithful in my first office I could not have gone to higher offices。 My opponents would have 〃had something on me。〃 As secretary of labor； I am called on to settle strikes and to adjust disputes between employers and employee。 I could do nothing if either side distrusted me。 But since both sides believe me to be honest； they get right down to brass tacks and discuss the cases on their merits only。 Sometimes the employees ask too much； sometimes the employers。 When either side goes too far I feel free to oppose it。
I approach each problem not only from the economic but from the human angle。 I took my guidance from the words of President Harding； when he said：
〃The human element comes first。 I want the employers to understand the hopes and yearnings of the workers； and I want the wage earners to understand the burdens and anxieties of the wage payers； and all of them must understand their obligations to the people and to the republic。 Out of this understanding will come social justice which is so essential to the highest human happiness。〃
The Labor Department has been able to settle； after candid argument； thousands of disputes saving millions of dollars for workers and employers and relieving the public from the great loss and inconvenience that comes with strikes and industrial war。 I have but one aim； and that is justice。 I know but one policy； and that is honesty。 I am slow to reach decisions。 I must hear both sides。 I want the facts； and all the facts。 When all the facts are in my mind the arguing ends； the judgment begins。 I judge by conscience and am guided by the Golden Rule。 Decision comes； and it is as nearly right as God has given me power to see the right。
Out of four thousand disputes handled by the Department； three thousand six hundred were settled。 These directly involved approximately three and one…half million workers and indirectly many others。 At first seventy per cent。 of the cases were strikes before conciliation was requested。 Now； in a majority of the cases presented； strikes and lockouts are prevented or speedily adjusted through our efforts。
This was due to perfect candor in talking。 Honest opinions were honestly set forth。 Both sides took confidence in each other； and both sides accepted my suggestions； believing them sincere and fair。 And so I say to the young men that honesty is the best policy because it is the only policy that wins。 The communists tell the young that honesty is not the best policy。 They say that the rich man teaches the poor to be honest so that the rich can do all the stealing。 They say that the moral code is 〃dope〃 given by the strong to paralyze the 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