Omaha daily bee., 1902-04-27
DEMAND FOR YOUNG BLOOD.
Two Remarkable Movements In BusI-
ness and Education.
Saturday Evening Post

Saturday Evening Post.
Two very remarkable movement are dis
cernible in the business and the education
Of the times; and yet, when we come to ex-
anime them, we find that the tendencies
have been clearly in view for more than a
decade. Six years ago the present writer
went to the president Of one OF the large
corporations of this country and asked him
to give employment to a man who had
turned his 4Sth year. There we're per-
sonal reasons why he should grant
such a request and the person for whom
the place was sought was entirely accepta-
BILE in character. ability and health. The
president replied: 81 want to do this, but It
is impossible. The age OF the young man
is crowding upon modern business so fast
that he will soon monopolize 1t. We take
no one who has passed 45-we cannot at
ford to do 1t. But / will tell you what l
will do. II this man has a son anywhere
from Is to 25 years old I'll find a position
for him at once" So far has this tend
ency already gone that the problem Of
getting rid of employees above a certain age
is now under discussion, and SO great has
been the uneasiness that several Of the
large concerns nave issued statements that
the old men will not be discharged.
n II hLuO llLnO PldSNACdlAy alA VI
are taking on only young men. and the de-
mand has made a profound impression upon
the highest colleges and universities OF the
country. 1t has been shown that II a
student goes through all the courses to the
postgraduate Specifications he is about
80 before he gets into active life-and mod
ern business needs him at least Ave years
before that time. 1t is not a mere senti-
ment but a real conviction which contends
that the years lost from work between
20 and 80 are in a measure stolen from the
lives Of the students, This may be an ex-
IRENE view, but many II not most Of our
leaders in industry and in the professions
believe Il is true. That there will come a
change-a compromise, perhaps-seems to
be one Of the certainties Of the near fu-
ture.
Along with the increasing hold OF the
young men comes the problem Of caring
for those who have passed into what is
sweepingly called old age. 1t is not fair
to set limits on any individual. So long as
he is able to do his work and do 1t ac-
ceptably he is entitled to every opportunity
and advantage. We do not refer, Of course,
to the old men OF signal ability and sue
cess, for the grave is the only stop 10 their
energies and usefulness, and II would be
easy to I'LL many columns with names Of
those who are past 10 who are holding
their own with the best that the
younger generation can show. But there
is an army Of millions Of wrinkled and
white haired veterans who have toiled
faithfully and well all their lives. and upon
whom others are dependent. Their welfare
brings into prominence the system OF old
age pensions which has been pursued in
Germany more successfully than anywhere
else, and which has been introduced by
several OF the important corporations In
the United States This may be the solu-
tion Of the other end OF the problem, while
the young men keep on crowding into the
ofices and workshops and accomplishing
the great things Of al advancing civiliza-
tion by their skill. Qulekness and en-
thuslasm.