Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1917-01-21
DETROIT BUSINESS MAN
IN BRITISH CABINET
Sir Albert Stanley, New Minister of
Commerce, Born and Reared
In America.
ENrERT IN STREET RAILWAYS
After Twenty-Five Years Expert
cnce at Home, lie Takes Charge
Of Lonlon's Transportation Sys-
eni-NlanHgcment Improves.

All traditions and appointed SIR AL :
bert STANLEY as Minister Of conmcrcc
and president or the Hoard Of Trad. in
tifn new cabinet
The title Sir Albert sounds quite
English. but is owner IS about as
Nhcfi'ah as man can well be
hrousht UP as boy at Detroit. Mich,
educated III the public schools there
getting his iiIat JOB" on the Detroit
street Railways ana gradually rising
~ Ia" management of that large con
rr'n: then becoming manager Of the
New Jersey Public Service Corportion
ana, incidentally. cnlistinG AS 81 sailor
~ the United states Naval Reserve
where he served through the Spanish
War On board the United States aux
iiiary cruiser Yosemite
This crowded twcnty-nyc Gears Of
very active American experience into
Inc life of Albert Stanlcy-the pair,
name by which he was kno,vn at the
old Dufield School. AT Beforehand
huSned WITH his SUCCESSES. he canc to
england 20 put his American training
!" practical use IN the business world
mere, Decorating manager of that vast
system Of surface and underground
'raHic ia London-the greatest in the
Woriu--khown rs the London CDnsoli-
GATED Underground ana General Motor
BUS Association. Limited His title
came TO him later. ara now the greater
honor has come-thc first man Of
american business trimming ever to en-
Ter the British Cabinet;
9ir Albert was in his Office ut the
f'oard OF Trade when representative
81 the Associated Press called by an.
po'ntncnt 10 learn something OF his
american experience. Tho Board Of
trade Is huge establishment in
Mhitc Han, Immediately opposite the
Foreign once, with Sir Albcr,'s ctf,rc
Just across from 10 Downing Street
where the new Prime Minister. LLOYD
''corSe. iinparts his Btrcnuoug person
'iity tn all the branches OF the new
regime.
Sir Alber,'s long life in America has
given him the look Of an American
business man. lie speaks like a man
from the Middle West-with n CON
staht strain % good nature and good
humor. particularly when he recalls
the hard knocks nc received when hc
was gaining his American experience
AMERICAN EXPERIENCE
Is s GREAT ASSET
American experience IS II grca, as
set TO any one" said Sir Albert Ira
vel and experience. Those are the
only means OF getting an actual In
light into the real character and
methods OF Il country. |; can't be
done by reading books IL is not u
'natterjo theory, but OF practice You
must go 10 "a country II you want to
understand il; live in 1t and grow up
in IT,
And This led Sir Albert, in reply to
INQUIRIES rs 10 how Ne lad lived and
@rowngup in America. To relate some
OF the ups aud downs Of starting on
an Ainerican business career.
IT'S Strang" thing" said Sir Al
rert how nearly became a minister
~ the Gosp.! instead or a cabinet
minister. Tina, WAS in the days when
we were living in Detroit over on
the East Side. on Joseph CuInpan Ave-
nuc ! had already wanted TO 20 into
the street railway business, ana had
asked lhe minister at our church. Rev.
John Munday. for letter to Strathcrn
ilcndrie, secretary OF the Detroit City
hallway. Eut the good minister and
myfarrily thought was better suited
fortthe; church. and I've thought lately
how close ! came tn being II minister
1T Detroit instead OF 1T London. But
worked out the otter ,:ay and |
.iuaUy gotta letter 10 S,r.thcrn Hen
drie.
II remember going to present that
letter to ilendrie. stopped or the
way and sal down on bench In the
Snial, park. Grand Circus Park in
tho center Of The city. ~ sat there
the street cars went joltnc and jing-
ling past for those were tho days Of
tho oid@.rorse cars. bcfor" Pingrcc and
rom johnson had come OH The scene.
And as sui the bench looking at
the ramslacliic cars going by. and felt
IN my pockcl the letter to Hcndrie, |
said TO myself right there: 'Ey Jove,
I'm going TO get on top Of that con
Germ.
LAUGHS Al AIDACIT,
or HIS FIRST PROJECT
oh. yes, I've never lacked self
confidence and egotisn.' added Sir Al
bert, as he laughed at the audacity
of his first project to get on Top" of
the big street railway plant ii, De-
troit
e when the letter was presented
Strathcrn nendric gave me my first
jog but really believe the idea was
~ make ii so hard would tire out
~, thin month and go back to school
~ was put out in the stables at the
end OF the branch line out Woodward
Avenue. Work II was the ardest
kind nf work. had 10 get up "a, i
o'clock in the morning. travcl clear
across the city To the branch terminus
start work ut 730 il the morning and
keep 1T il until 10 o'clock at hight
II was counting the money brought
IN by conductors one day while on that
first job" Sir Albcrt> went on when
suddenly one of the ear horses ran
amuck and dashed UP TO the window
where ! sat counting the cash The
first knew. the two big front hoofs
of the horse crashed through the glass
My first impulse was misrepresentation
and so ] beat basty retreat until
The frightened animal was brought un-
der control. But that didn't satisfy
the "uperintendcnt OF the line He
said never should have quit the cash
even with Il runaway horse after me
The superintendent was very positive
and rather excited. and IL looked as
though I WAS going 10 be DISCHARGED
there and then. If I'd been discharged
il might have brought my American
experience to Il rather sudden end
But wasn't discharged. and that
night the *upcrintcndents wife came
ana explained TO me that her hus-
bands strong language was due to cx-
citcnlent over the runaway.
Later on Tom johnson took holj of
lie street railway situation. There was
AT that time well-known local All
tator named Jim Grant. who had great
influence In stirring up the conductors
and drivers. So Tom Johnson devised
The plan OF hiring Grant. giving him
a good position, and thus Keeping him
under control. Grant was made suncr