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p failure should last long enough； as it does in China； millions of men would die。 If war lasts long enough； as it did in Austria； millions of citizens must starve。 If labor should try slacking； as it did in Russia； the economic state would starve to death and the workers die with it。
Men who have been through strikes and lockouts until they have been reduced to rags and hunger place no trust in the Russian theory that men can quit work and loaf their way to wealth。 We loafed our way to hunger； misery and peonage。 We saw that the whole world would come to our fate； if all should follow our example。 Luckily we won our point； so we went back to work and helped feed the starved social state； and in a few years America was rich again。 And America continued rich and fat until the World War wastage shrank her to skin and bones again。 Much of her muscle has disappeared （1921： five million workers are idle） and she must be nursed back by big crops； and big output by labor before she will be strong enough to reabsorb into her system every muscle in America。
That's my belief。 That's my gospel。 I did not make this gospel。 It is God's law and we can not alter it。 If I were asked to write the BIBLE OF LABOR； this chapter would be the law and the prophets。 And from these truths I would advise each man to write his own Ten Commandments。
CHAPTER XXX
BREAKING INTO THE TIN INDUSTRY
I decided to leave Birmingham as soon as my stomach had got used to regular meals and my pocket knew what real money felt like again。
The dry years had ended and once more the northern farms were yielding mammoth crops。 But the country was so sick that it couldn't sit up and eat as it ought to。 So the farmers were selling their crops at steadily falling prices。 This drove some of them frantic。 They couldn't pay interest on their mortgaged farms； and they were seeking to find 〃the way out〃 by issuing paper money； or money from some cheap metal with which they could repudiate their debts。 Banks could not collect their loans； merchants could not get money for their goods； manufacturers were swamped by their pay…rolls and had to discharge their men。 Coxey was raising a great army of idle men to march on Washington and demand that the government should feed and clothe the people。
All my savings had long since gone； and from the high life in the Pie Boarding…House I had descended to my days of bread and water。 All men were in a common misery。 If a hobo managed to get a steak and cook it in the bushes by the railroad track； the smell of it would draw a score of hungry men into the circle of his firelight。 It was a trying time； and it took all the fortitude I had to look hopefully forward toward a day when things would begin picking up and the wheels of industry would whirl again。 The idle men who had camped by the railroads had drunk their water from； and cooked their mulligan stews in； tomato cans。 The tin can had become the badge of hoboing。 The tin trade was new in America and I foresaw a future in the industry； for all kinds of food were now being put up in tin； whereas when I was a child a tin can was rarely seen。 I decided that two trades were better than one； and I would learn the tin plate trade。 I went to Elwood； Indiana； and found a place there in a tin mill。 My knowledge of puddling； heating and rolling； occasionally working in a sheet mill similar to a tin mill； prepared me for this new work。 In tin making a piece of wrought iron is rolled thin and then covered with a thinner coating of pure tin。 After this is done the plate remains soiled and discolored； and the next process is to remove the stain and polish the tin until it shines like silver。
To have a job and eat pie again made me happy。 Our union contained several hundred members； so I had a lot of prospective friends to get acquainted with。 I was then nearly twenty…one and a pretty good mixer； I liked men and enjoyed mingling with them and learning all I could from what they told me。 When they drifted into a saloon I went along for the company。 I did not care to drink； so I would join some impromptu quartet and we would sing popular songs while the other fellows cheered us with the best will in the world。 A drink of beer or two heightens a man's appreciation of music； and the way the boys applauded my singing makes me rather regret the Volstead Act。 It queered my act。 Since beer disappeared nobody has asked me to sing。 Prohibition may be good for the health but it is sure death to art。
Those were happy days。 But just when all my troubles seemed ended and the rainbow of promise in the sky； a new cloud appeared； black and threatening。 In fact it swept down like a tornado。 The men decided to strike。
A strike！ Of all things！ We owned about the only jobs in Indiana。 Our strike wouldn't last longfor the mills。 For us it would last forever。 The day we walked out； others would walk in。 And it would be so small a part of Coxey's army that the main body would march on and never miss it。 I had just gone through that long； soul…killing period of idleness and had barely managed to find a job before I collapsed。 Now that we were to strike I would have to push that job aside and sink back into the abyss。
In reaching Elwood； I had tramped from Muncie； Indiana； to Anderson； a long weary walk for one whose feet； like mine； were not accustomed to it。 From Anderson I tramped to Frankton； and there I caught a freight and rode the bumpers to Elwood。 The train took me right into the mill。 It was summer and the mill had been shut down by the hard times。 The boss was there looking over the machinery。 They were getting ready to start up。 I faced him and he said： 〃Do you want a job？〃
〃Yes；〃 I said。
〃What at？ Greasing up to…night；〃 he said。 Weary and hungry as I was from my hoboing； I went right to work； and all night I； with a few others； greased the bearings。 The next day he gave me a job as a catcher。 A catcher is one who seizes the rolled plate as it comes out and throws it back to the roller。 It has to be rolled many times。 The boss who gave me this much…wanted job was Daniel G。 Reid； who afterward became one of the big men in the tin industry。
After I became Secretary of Labor I was a dinner guest at the White House。 When I arrived the President said： 〃Here's an old friend of yours。〃 To my surprise and keen pleasure President Harding led forward my old boss； Daniel G。 Reid。 There was much laughing and old…time talk between us。 〃Do you recall；〃 said Mr。 Reid； 〃how during the tin strike of '96； you steered to the lodge room and unionized men who came to take the place of the strikers？〃 Mr。 Reid thought this was a great joke。 He had always been favorable to ending the strike and signing the men's agreement； but for a long time had been deterred by his partners。 Mr。 Reid in nearly every conference was selected for chairman； and this was considered by the employers a very fine tribute of respect and confidence。 Turning to the president； Mr。 Reid said： 〃If Jim is as industrious in your service as he was in the Elwood tin mill you have got a good secretary。 Jim knew more about the tin plate business when he was a worker than any other man in America。 I wanted to get him to join our sales department but he declined my offer！〃
When the matter of the Elwood strike was referred to the next regular meeting I had been working only three weeks。 I wrote to my father in Sharon asking for his counsel on the subject。 He wrote back： 〃In as much as it isn't a question of wages or rules； I'd vote to stay on the job and wait for my pay。 There's no pay out here to be had even by waiting。 The mill is down； and if we hadn't raised a big potato crop we wouldn't know where to look for our next meal。〃
CHAPTER XXXI
UNACCUSTOMED AS I AM TO PUBLIC SPEAKING
With father's warning on my mind I went to the meeting where the strike was to be voted。 Nobody had opposed the strike； for the cause was plainly a just one。 The men wanted their pay to be issued to them every week； and they were entitled to it。 The only question in my mind was one of expediency。 Could we hope to win a strike at a time like that when the mills were on the verge of closing because of bad business？
While the speakers were presenting the reasons for the strike I noticed that not a man examined or discussed the dangers in it。 The mind of the meeting was made up。 I was talking to the fellow who sat beside me； and I told him what my father had written me。
〃I agree；〃 he said。 〃A strike at a time like this doesn't seem to be the right thing to do。〃
〃If you don't think it a wise move；〃 I said； 〃why don't you get up and say so。 For this meeting is going to vote strike in the next two minutes； sure as fate。〃
〃I can't make a speech；〃 he said。 〃You do it。〃
The men were paid monthly checks and had never heard any complaint from their landlords and grocerymen who were willing to wait for their pay。 The complaint had been made by a few outsiders who wanted to see money circulate faster in town and thus boom things up a bit。 They had aroused the strike spirit of the men by speeches like this：
〃The bosses own you body and soul。 They regard you as slaves。 Your work makes them rich and yet they won't pay for your work。 While they are pili