The Washington herald., 1915-02-10
OPENS ALL DOORS.
BY oRIsoN SWEET MARDEN.

Author OF fuSnlng 10 the fTOnl, &C
Among the many gifts received by
certain young woman telephone operator
in New York hotel last Christmas, one
OF the most significant was from an old
gentleman. a patron of the hotel. The
gift was accompanied by the following
nattering letter:
Dear No. 17O6: / am sending very
cheerfully the enclosed s. to nameless
number. Whether you are Irish, French
or Dutch doesn't matter. II you look as
well as YOU talk, and are half as gener-
Gus as your voice is harmonious, you are
an aggregation Of superb qualities and
entitled to A very merry Christmas and a
young sweetheart, which l sincerly wish
for you
The writer had never even seen the girl
nor did he know her name, but he was
so impressed by her unfaiIing courtesy
and painstakng care in getting the num-
bersahe called for that ne felt bound to
show his appreciation. The letter was
handed to the operator by the hotel
superintendent OF telephone service.
The cheapest and the most valuable
capital with which to start out in life is
true courtesy. Nothing else will so
quickly open the door to opportunities, to
society, to the hearts OF all, as real heart
politeness, a kindly bearing and the
good will toward everybody attitude
The world always makes way for the
pleasing. cordial. magnetic personality.
No matter what ones ability or educa-
tiOn, If he has rude. gruff manner he
will repeI people, hearts and doors will
be closed against him. Rough, boorish
people have to push, by main force, ev-
cry step of their advancement because
they antagonize every one with whom
they come in contact People will not
get out of their way, will not stand aside
to let them pass as they do Fhen they
meet those Of pleasing, agreeable person
ality. Doors which fly open to the gra-
Cious, courteous man or woman must be
pried open by those of greater ability,
but with a disagreeable personality.
Il cannot too emphatically impress
upon young men," said Mr.. George Will
liams, who for many years was presi-
dent of the Chemical National Bank in
New York. the absolute indispensabnity
of pOliteness. If had twenty tongues |
would preach pOliteness with all of them
for my long experience has taught me
that it is the Aladdins lamp Of sue
cess"
Mr.. Williams made it an invarable rule
that the banks employees should use
courtesy and kindness to customers.
A young woman who began her career
with desk room in an office, to be paid
stenographic firm in New York which
employs forty first-class stenOgraphers,
attributes her success largely to the prac-
tice of this rule. When asked recently
what she considered as the chief factor in
the upbuilding of her business. her
prompt reply was "Civility to patrons.
No matter how well qualified a stenog-
rapher may be in other respects she will
not get a position in my establishment
unless she adds to her other qualifications
the charm of an agreeable, affable man
ner."
There is no better asset in life than
such manner And il Is merely the out
ward expression of that true heart cOur-
tesy, which is the only kind worth Culti-
waiting.
Yet there Is no charge so persistenly
brought against Americans by foreigners
as that of lack of manners. While giving
a nation many virtues and exalted quail
ties, even those who are most kindly dis
posed toward US invariably speak Of OVr
rudeness. recent writer who had been
professor in one of our leading universi-
ties for twenty years says that while in
most other countries civility is the rule;
in the United States it is the exception.
The Offhandedness of the servant" he
continues, the rudeness and shortncss Of
the shop girl the boorishness of the cas-
ual employe, the unCOnCern of the official
the familiarity of the COlOred porter in
the railways-aH these things strike him
Cthe EurOpeam as an offense against the
very foundations OF social life. Unques-
tionably rudeness and lack Of civility are
much in evidence in the ordinary inter
course of life in the United States"
1t is useless to deny the charge. We
can only plead in defense that our lack Of
good manners is not due to lack Of kind
ness, but Is largely the result of strenu-
Gus national life. We are too much in
hurry. The rapid American pace ruins
our poise. and destroys grace of de-
meanor. We are nervous, restless, hur-
rying people, rushing impetuOusly on our
way. never taking enough time to do
things quietly or properly. Everything Is
cut short. We do not take time even to
salute one another CouTteOusly.
One Of the reasons advanced by shrewd
level-headed American business men for
the mea gerness of our trade with South
America as compared with that of other
countries is our brusque manners. Our
young men who go there on business are
hot versed in the art Of pOliteness as are
their foreign competitors.
It is well for us to take stock Of our
selves now and then, and Ito see our
selves as others see us" IT is We'll to
remember, too, that courtesy is always a
winning card.
tCUirrght. Io;5l