the iron puddler-第15节
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to educate the children of members killed in the mills。 When such a death happened； the union appointed a committee to stand at the office window on pay…day and ask every man to contribute something from his wages。 There is a charitable spirit among men who labor together and they always gave freely to any fund for the widow and orphans。 This spirit is the force that lifts man above the beasts and makes his civilization。 There is no mercy in brute nature。 The hawk eats the sparrow； the fox devours the young rabbit； the cat leaps from under a bush and kills the mother robin while the young are left to starve in the nest。 There is neither right nor wrong among the brutes because they have no moral sense。 They do not kill for revenge nor torture for the love of cruelty； as Comrade Bannerman would in praying that the train be wrecked and the rich men burned to death in the ruin。 The beasts can feel no pity； no sympathy； no regret； for nature gave them no conscience。 But man differs from all creation because he has a moral sense； he has a conscience。 My conscience has been a very present thing with me through all my life。 I am a praying man。 I never take a doubtful step until I have prayed for guidance。
〃You'll never get anywhere； Jim；〃 fellows have said to me； 〃as long as your conscience is so darn active。 To win in this world you have got to be slick。 What a man earns will keep him poor。 It's what he gains that makes him rich。〃 If this is so； the nation with the lowest morals will have the most wealth。 But the truth is just the opposite。 The richest nations are those that have the highest moral sense。
But this was a great problem for a young uneducated man。 To be told by some of my fellows that dishonesty was the only road to wealth； and to be shown in communist documents that the capitalists of America were stealing everything from the workers； put a mighty problem up to me。 And that's what made me pray for guidance。 I pray because I want an answer； and when it comes I recognize in it my own conscience。 Praying banishes all selfish thoughts from mind； and gives the voice of conscience a chance to be heard。 I pray for a higher moral sense； that which lifts man above beasts； and when my answer comes and I feel morally right； then all hell can't make me knuckle under。 For civilization is built on man's morals not on brute force （as Germany learned to her sorrow）； and I fight for the moral law as long as there is any fight left in me。
Nature planned that when the cat ate the mother robin； the young robins in the nest must starve。 Nature had other robins that would escape the enemy。 But among men it is wrong for the little ones to suffer when the hand that feeds them is destroyed。 For man has sympathy； which beasts have not。 Sympathy is the iron fiber in man that welds him to his fellows。 Envy is the sulphur that pollutes these bonds and makes them brittle。 Suppose some master puddler of humanity could gather thousands of men into a melting…pot； a fraternity whose purpose was to boil out the envy； greed and malice as much as possible； and purify the good metal of human sympathy。 How much greater the social value of these men would be。 Bound together by good fellowship and human sympathy these men could pool their charity and build a happy city where all the children of their stricken comrades could be sent to school together； there to learn that man is moral； that the strong do not destroy the weak； that the nestling is not left to fate； but that the fatherless are fathered by all men whose hearts have heard their cry。
This vision came to me in the darkest days of my life。 I had seen the children of my dead comrades scattered like leaves from a smitten tree never to meet again。 I had left my parents' roof to be buffeted about by strikes and unemployment； and I feared that our home would be lost and my brothers scattered forever。 The voice of hate was whispering that the 〃classes〃 would ride down the children of the poor； and with this gloomy thought I went to bed。 My couch was a bed of coal slack； and I was journeying to a mill town in a freight car。
As we rolled along； I saw in a vision train after train of lodge men going to some happy city。 They were miners and steel workers； as well as clerks and teachers； and they were banded together； not like Reds to overthrow the wage system； but to teach themselves and their children how to make the wage system shed its greatest blessings upon all。 The city they were going to was one they had built with their own hands。 And in that city was a school where every trade was taught to fatherless children； as my father taught his trade to me。 And with this trade each child received the liberal education that the rich man gives his son but which the poor man goes without。 This was the wildest fancy I had ever entertained。 It was born of my own need of knowledge。 It was a dream I feared I could not hope to realize。
CHAPTER XXIV
JOE THE POOR BRAKEMAN
A brakeman stuck his head in the end window of the box car and shouted at me：
〃Where're you going？〃
〃Birmingham；〃 I answered。
〃What have you got to go on？〃
I had some money in my belt； but I would need that for the boarding…house keeper in the Alabama iron town。 So I drew something from my vest pocket and said：
〃This is all I've got left。〃
The trainman examined it by the dim light at the window。 His eye told him that it was a fine gold watch。 〃All right；〃 he said as be pocketed it and went away。 I never knew whether I cheated the brakeman or the brakeman cheated me。 The watch wasn't worth as much as the ride； but the ride wasn't his to sell。
I had bought the watch in Cincinnati。 A fake auction in a pawnshop attracted my attention as I walked along a street near the depot。 The auctioneer was offering a 〃solid gold； Swiss movement； eighteen jeweled watch〃 to the highest bidder。 〃This watch belongs to my friend Joe Coupling；〃 he said； 〃a brakeman on the B。 & O。 He was in a wreck and is now in the hospital。 Everybody knows that one of the best things a railroader has is his watch。 He only parts with it as a matter of life and death。 Joe has got to sell his watch and somebody is going to get a bargain。 This watch cost eighty…five dollars and you couldn't buy the like of it to…day for one hundred。 How much am I offered？〃 Some one bid five dollars； and the bidding continued until it was up to twenty…five dollars。 At that price the watch was declared sold； and I strolled on； thinking the matter over。 I figured that the story of Joe the injured brakeman must be false。 If he had an eighty…five…dollar watch he could borrow forty on it。 Why should his 〃friend〃 have sold it outright for twenty…five？ The fakery of it was plain to any one who stopped to think。 Who then would be fool enough to pay twenty…five dollars for a fake watch at a side auction？ Not I。 I was too wise。 〃How easy it is；〃 I said to myself； 〃to solve a skin game。〃
The next day I happened to pass the place again and they were selling the same watch。 I listened for the second time to the sad story of Joe the brakeman。 He was still in the hospital and still willing to sacrifice his eighty…five…dollar gold watch to the highest bidder。 Just for fun I started off the bidding at two dollars。 The auctioneer at once knocked down the watch to me and took my money。 The speed of it dazed me； and I stumbled along the street like a fool。 What was the game？ I held the glittering watch in my hand and gazed at it like a hypnotized bird。 I came to another pawnshop and went in。 〃What will you give me on this watch？〃 I asked。 The pawnbroker glanced at it and said he couldn't give me anything but advice。
〃I can buy these watches for three dollars a dozen。 They are made to be sold at auction。 The case is not gold and the works won't run。〃
I had been caught in the game after all。 The whole show had been put on for me。 The men who did the bidding the first day were 〃with the show。〃 Their scheme was to get a real bid from me。 When I failed to bite； they rung down the curtain and waited for the next come…on。 The show was staged again for me the following day； and that time they got me。 I had the 〃brakeman's watch〃 and he had the laugh on me。 In the next wreck that Brakeman Joe got into I wished him the same luck Comrade Bannerman wished for the trainload of plutocrats。 〃If I should meet Joe now；〃 I said； 〃I'd gladly give him back the timepiece that he prizes so。〃 Let us hope that the brakeman I gave the watch to down in Alabama was Brakeman Joe。
There was much to think of in that auction incident。 Experience will often give the lie to theory。 My theory of the game was good enough for me。 I acted on my theory； and they got my money。 Perhaps the theory of Bannerman was wrong。 He claimed he knew just how the capitalists were robbing labor。 Suppose we backed his theory with some money and got stung？ I was now theory shy and I have stayed away from theories ever since。
If you know the facts； no swindle can deceive you。 I spend my life in getting facts。 I now have seen enough to know that capitalism is not a swindle。 If all hands labored hard and honestly the system would enrich us all。 Some workers are dishonest and they gouge the employers。 Some employers are dishonest and t
