The Duluth rip-saw. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1917-19??, 1917-06-23

NUM- DUCKS ana cOLSlutItu CuC
directors men of too large calibre
to take such course, thereby put
ting the onus on Col. Eva. But in
vestigation tends to show that the
board of directors acted advisedly,
thereby keeping the record
straight and putting the law
breaking responsibility on COM
missioner Silberstein.
When that 17-inch letter struck
the city hall, the commissioners
rallied around the dear old flag,
their faces registering great indig-
nation. They seemed to fear that
Col. Eva and the Old Guard at
the Commercial Club were trying
to defeat the success Of the Lib
erty Loan in the entire nation as
well as in Duluth.
Commissioner Silberstein i'm
mediately sought safety behind
that great defense, Silberstein
Prestige. By his manner he said,
"Hieraus NIT der Duluth Comical
Club" Figuratively speaking, he
took the role of Barbara Fritchie
in pants and dared them to tear
those Tapping banners down.
The Commercial Club seems to
have been logical and consistent.
The safety commissioner refused
to give in. The battle probably
may be considered a draw.
The average citizen and bust
ness man along the street hardly
can credit the fact that Col. Eva
has been getting $4,000 year
as secretary. They consider that
ample proof that the organization
is wrongly named and that the
proper name should be, "'The Du-
luth Comical Club Of course
some of these critics are rank out
siders but many Of them are pay
ing members of the Duluth Com
mercial Club. They declare that
Col. Eva never had training or
experience that warranted such a
salary. They declare that expert
executives and business builders,
such men as Rochester, N. Y, has
employed, for example, can be
had for about the same salary.
Brains of mighty high grade are
comparatively cheap, they say.
Capital is the expensive stuff.
If there be any real foundation
for the feeling that Col. Eva has
not been the best man obtainable
for $4,000 a year, the fact that he
has found fat pickings in the Du-
luth Commercial Club must, pri-
marily, be charged up to that
potent stuff, Silberstein Prestige.
In the early days of the Duluth
Commercial Club, Mr.. Eva held
much lower military rank than
now and, in the business world,
he occupied the quite humble posi-
ton of bookkeeper for the SLIDER
stein store at $25 a week, 500
a month, or 81, 200 a year.
About that time, too, Edward
A. Silberstein returned from Den
yer, Salt Lake City and other far
western points where he had been
making history in the fields of
law and finance. He wished to
settle down in the paternal bust
ness but there was not room for
him and the bookkeeper under
business conditions at that time.
To make a place for his son,
Mr.. Silberstein shunted Mr.. Eva
onto the Duluth Commercial Club
as secretary, at a salary Of about
81, 800 a year, perhaps.
Since then, Mr.. Eva has
watered, cultivated and protected
his job until it has reached an
annual production of $4,000 a
year. These facts are not known
to even many members Of the Du-
| luth Commercial Club.
1t cannot be honestly denied
that the Duluth Commercial Club
lacks full confidence of the citi-
zens of the city. In some way,
for some reason, it has failed to
fully meet it's mission. The writer
Is not now member, therefore
feels a delicacy in even trying to
meet requests of members and
non-members to diagnose the con-
dition Of the organization.
The writer once was a member
Of the Duluth Commercial Club.
He paid special assessment to
buy the soft cushions, leather up
holstery and other accessories in
the furnishings of the club rooms.