The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1914-08-16
SEND FOR FELIX"

concerning the date and other details
OF the first use OF labor saving de
vice that the corporation had patented
The device has entered largely into the
prosperity OF the concern. The in
qury was made first of the superln-
tendent OF the work division that used
the device.
He scratched hhs head, smiled rather
sheepshly and finally acknowledged
that although he had been in the en-
ploy OF the corporation many years
he had never been interested
enough to inquire about the early
days Of the device which had meant
20 much He suggested that the gem
eral manager would. without doubt. be
abe to give the information.
The general manager was mighty
busy man--so the word was sent by
his clerk--but he'd give the questioner
Ave minutes In about Ave minutes.
After this wait the same question was
put to him. The general man
ager looked aggrleved. No, he
didn't remember when the device
was first put In operation, although
he had taken part in the work con-
nected with its attachment. Nor could
he recall anything connected with It's
first workings. What was the use OF
knowing IT, anyway? What difference
did 1t make? II was doing the trick.
and life was too short to bother about
II. Other things demanded attention.
IL the caller must have the information,
why, the old Man could tell al about
1t. The Old Man? He was the presi-
dent OF the corporation, and he came
down only from 10 to l2 o'clock every
day.
The next day the seeker after in
formation asked the old man. lie was
eighty odd years old, but his eye
frightened and flashed when the caller
preached his inquiry. lie thought and
Thought. but couldn't recall what 1t
was desired TO know, much as he wished
to. He hunted in his desk for old time
memoranda but couldn't bring any to
light. At last he turned to his caller
and with twinkle in his shrewd old
eyes said
go down to the shipping department.
saying you come direct from me. Tell
them to send for Felix! He'll tell you,
you may be bound. I'd bring him here
only he'd get tongue tied standing be-
fore me and being questioned"
To the shipping department head the
inquirer went 1t was explained what
was desired, and as a matter Of course.
the boss of the room called out. send
for Felix" In moment IN came Felix.
Who do you think this important man
was. or rather what do you think he
was? Why, he was the porter OF the
shipping department room. For thirty
five years he had swept the place out
and kept things tidy, besides lending n
hand wherever needed. He received
small wage and was held to possess no
more intellect than his wage paid for.
| But Felix knew more about that device
than the superintendent. the general
manager and the president OF the cor
poration, singly or combined.
Felix heard the question. looked at
the ceiling a moment. gave the day and
date the device was applied first. told
who was in charge Of the job, how
many men were dispensed with through
the operation Of the patented contriv-
ance and how many OF the devices were
in use in the place at that moment.
He ratified off the information In
way that made you think he deserved
{ little credit, because you put him down
for a freak on dates and figures. But
when other questions We're asked his
| interest shone in sparkling eyes and
animated gestures. He dclyed into the
/ accomplishments o. the device and
/ dllated upon its beautiful mechanism
He wound up by saying: And they
don't take half the care Of them they
! should. They're too nice piece OF
machinery to hurt, and besides we're
| out money by abusing machinery I've
! told them go
| Here was a porter who knew more
about an important end OF the business
| than anybody else in a big factory
| They said the reason why he had never
been advanced was that he became over
/ nervous when the slightest little re-
| sponslbility was placed upon him. And
yet he fairly dreamed OF the business
! and studied and remembered all he saw
| and heard. But the remarkable thing
! is not why the porter was not promoted
at least not In this story-but rather
WHY Il was that three high officials OF
a corporation did not know as much as
| he about matters in which they were
| daily concerned.
Further inquiry, suggested by this in
/ cident, revealed no end OF Felixes. \
visit to n we'll known hat establish
ment for the purpose OF getting infor-
nation about the significance OF style
changes during the last two or three
decades disclosed about the same state
Of affairs. Nobody seemed to know
when G hat made by the firm was first
placed before the public, or what was
Its exact shape, or its cost or compost
ton. The man who could tell, after
| the questioner was passed along from
one boss to another, was not named
Felix. but he was "a Felix IN the way
he handled the topic.
He was a little weakened man, press
ing hats. in a rear room. He talked
while he 1roned, and what he told made
about 900 words in ten minutes. There
was nn.hng he didn't know about the
particular detail asked, When the caller
marve!led that the big bosses, who had
been Their, years, should be unable "a
give the same Information the little
man paused just second with his
ironing, lifted his eyes sidcwise and
upward and said dryly, They don't
know anything"
There are FellXes in publishing
houses They can name you the sue