South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1915-05-28
PreS't Frederick S. Fish An
nOunCeS impending Charges
to be Made in Officers of
Studebaker Corporation.
A. R. ERSKINE WILL
BECOME PRESIDENT
Last Survivor of Five Founders
Will ReIinquiSh Chairman
ship of Board But Retain
Present Powers.

Several changes in the offices Of the
Stadebaker corporation are being con-
: templated according to a statement
given out Friday morning by Freder-
lex 5. Fish. president of the concern.
The most important of these will
perhaps be the election OF J. NJ. Stu
debaker as honorary president with
the same powers and duties that he
has now as chairman of the executive
board. t...
AIr. Fish made the announcement
Friday morning when he was asked
about a report that Mr.. Studebaker
was about to retire.
He gave out the following state
ment.
II was very much surprised at see
ing IN the Chicago mOrning papers in
timation OF contemplated changes in
the officers of the Studebaker cOrpor-
alton. / have had no interviews on
this subject. nor have I given out any
publicity connected Herewith, and L
am at "a loss TO know from what
source these published accounts have
emanated.
The changes contemplated are as
follows:
MIR. J. NJ. Studebaker to be elected
10 the position OF honorary president
OF the corporation with the same
powers and duties which ne now has.
II Will be chosen as chairman of
the board with the same authority. su-
pervision and control that / have at
the present time.
The ofhce of first vice president
viii be abolished, and a. r. Erskine
will be chosen as president OF the cor
poration.
Present Organization Best.
The present organization of this
corporation is the best il has ever had
in is history. which is proven by the
successes which have attended its ad-
ministratiou. The object OF the
changes is 20 perpetuate for the long
est time possible continuation of this
happy condition THis necessitates a
change in the charter. which it is eX-
pected Will be effected ON July at a
specially called stockholders meeting
for that purpose. the notice of which
special meeting containing the re-
Nised section of the charter and a
statement of the purpose of the chan
ges in "a letter over my signature, to-
getner with proxies are being mailed
TO the various stockholders in foreign
countries and viii also be mailed TO
those IN the United States in due
course
II may add that this is not a new
or sud len thought I have had ii in
mind ior nearly "a year. I have made
no secret during all OF that time of
the fact that as far as my power to
control the organization Of this cor
poratiOn was concerned, that / expect
Cd eventually 20 make Mr. Erskine
president of the corporation. because
I believe that he is the man for the
position and has proven himself not
only thoroughly trustworthy. but
thoroughly capable. About three
weeks ago I concluded that I would
present the matter Co some of my as
SoCiate directors with the suggestion
that the changes be made In the very
near future with the result that ]
brought the subject up at the last
meeting OF our board. I presented the
subject 10 them in writing, and after
full discussion. they cOncurred In
the plan all OF which. in every detail
and essential, is OF my own initiation
and suggestion. with the exception
that I made a confidant OF J. NJ Stu
debaker''