"Either the country recovers from the depression, or it doesn't. If it doesn't. we're all sunk. If it does we're going to see the biggest economic boom in the history of the world and I plan for Pride to be ready to help it along," Green liked to talk along these lines with Lafe, although it was a point on which they were in fundamental agreement.

Lafe was aware that much of what Green had him doing, traveling all over the country, was laying the groundwork for that bright future. There was a dark side to it also, to which Lafe always returned in these conversations. "We've got to be ready for a possible tight squeeze before we get to that bright day. We're still too tied to Europe for our own good. It's liable to explode over there again."

"The Germans are too smart to start anything big. They have too much too lose now. If they do start something, they'll win this time. Too bad we don't have a man like Hitler in this country."