The Birmingham age-herald., 1910-12-18


 of department none the less carefully. Possibly he gave as much time to the man as to his work, but he did this in such a manner, that not one of the of ficials realized how keen was the scru- tiny to which he was subjected.
 It was nearly week before the pres ident called the general manager in again.
 MT. Dodge" said he, "I have given to this report of yours as careful and earnest attention as I have given to any thing that has come before me in many years wanted to find how we'll you had judged the business merits and gen. eral qualities of each and every man on our staff. There Is one omission, how ever You have no report of yourself"
 The general manager smiled and there was a suspicion of a blush.
 ''It hardly would be seemly for me to report regarding myself" he said.
 T wanted it." replied the president. flor a particular reason. I desired to know how accurately you guaged your self. Let me explain something first. I have come here as president for a year wrong with this magnificent plant and organization and set 1t right. This Is one of the finest plants in America and by it's advantage of location, 1t should domi- inatei the whole field, east of the Mis- sissippi. The company makes money, but nothing compared with its possibilities, My concern in the west makes three times as much approximately and we have heavy handicaps and serious freight disadvantages to overcome. The trouble here is with you. MT. Dodge"
 With me-" exclaimed the general man ager.
 'Yes," replied the president dryly, you are an excellent type of the most unproitable men in the business world In your zeal you destroy. You do not build. You tear down. You wreck. And the sorrowful part of it is that you never know it. You think you are acting for the best. You never spare yourselves. You are fidelity personifed. Yet you are blight, an incubus to business.
 T would not talk so strongly to you. MT. Dodge, were 1t not that some men, under the cloak of business, commit mur- der
 The general manager, trembling and his face flushed, rose in anger.
 You are going too far, Mir. Leonard. he said, T did not come in here to be in- suited"
 Pray be seated" said the president, "and If after l tell you the story I have in mind you think my language unwar- ranted I will beg your forgiveness"
 The president motloned to the chair twice before the general manager decided to resume his seat and then the president began his story:
 MT. Dodge" said he, "I'll call the man in this story Smith. That wasn't his name, but 1t will serve. He was not of high ability. but he had an excellent position, his salary was equal to his needs and he was assured of retaining his job as long as he lived.
 "One day the head of competing con- cern, worrying because his company was not doing the business 1t should. con- ceived the idea that Smith would be q uSeIUl man. he OHly hHeW 0Hilln Dy general reputation, but he was aware Smiths brother-in-law was purchasing agent of the Great Eastern railroad and that Smith through family connections and old time associations controlled a fair amount of trade. So this man-let us call him Jones-Sought Smith and court ed him as earnestly as a youth courts a maid. He fiattered Smith on his sales manship, on his friendships, on his mem tality, on his taste in clothes, even. You understand Smith was not good sales man. He was fair, only fair. Under stand too he was vain and that Jones knew it. But Jones thought he saw pos abilities in Smith that his old firm never had discovered. so one day he put 1t up to Smith that if Smith would leave his old employers Jones would give him de- cided increase in pay. Smith declined. He hated to do so and he almost apol- ogized to Jones in doing so. He pointed out his long service with the firm, and how 1t would be like breaking up his home or giving up an. old friendship to leave the people with whom he had been associated all his business life. But Jones was insistent. He would not listen to Smiths protest that he was 53 years