(Sections I through IV)
- The mayoral election comes up for Zenith, and the left-wing lawyer Seneca Doane is running. That means that Babbitt and his pro-business brotherhood need to fire up their election machine and get anyone other than Doane into office. They promote a candidate named Lucas Prout and Babbitt goes around giving speeches in support of Prout.
- Ultimately, Babbitt's efforts are able to get Lucas Prout elected mayor. The business community survives another big scare from organized labor.
- Now that he has an established reputation as a speechmaker, Babbitt is invited to all sorts of functions to give speeches about business and about the glory of Zenith. One of the main points in his speeches is that state universities should fire all professors who preach liberal or socialist views.
- As his star continues to rise in Zenith's social circles, Babbitt wonders how he ever could have doubted the joys of being a solid citizen.