the iron puddler-第30章
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s 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 first year as director general I had not made one…tenth the progress I had hoped for。 Figuring on the rate of progress I was making； I saw that a lifetime would be too short to accomplish anything。 It was then that I would have despaired； if my Welsh blood had not been so stubborn。 I summoned new courage and went on with the work。 At the end of the fourth year I began to see results from my preliminary efforts。 The convention of 1910 showed that the membership was eighty thousand； distributed among three hundred and thirty…three lodges。 It was resolved to start the actual work of founding an educational institution。 A tax of two cents a week was laid on members and later increased to four cents。 Land was bought； a building erected and in 1913 the school was dedicated by Thomas R。 Marshall； Vice…President of the United States。 There were eleven children established in the home。 Soon the lodge membership increased enormously。 Having passed the hundred thousand mark it swept on to the half million goal。 The 〃Mooseheart idea；〃 as we called it； had caught the imagination of the men。 To…day the city of Mooseheart in the Fox River Valley； thirty…seven miles west of Chicago； is the home of more than a thousand fatherless children and one hundred and fifteen mothers who are there with their children； and several old men whose working days are over。 The dream of the Moose has come true。 In many ways the 〃City of Happy Childhood〃 is the most beautiful and the most wonderful city in the world。
CHAPTER XLV
THE DREAM COMES TRUE
What kind of school is Mooseheart？ That can not be answered by making comparisons； for it is the only school of its kind。 When the Moose committee met to decide what sort of school it would build； somebody suggested a normal school； a school to teach the young how to become teachers。
I objected。 〃The world is well supplied with teachers；〃 I said。 〃Everybody wants to teach the other fellow what to do； but nobody cares to do it。 Hand work will make a country rich and mouth work make it poor
