Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1917-09-14
A CITY THAT is
TOO MODEST
Comments on Some Phases of
Philadelphia Life-Cross-
Road Signs Needed
To the Editor of the Evening Ledger:


Sir-Philadelphia is too modest.
There has never been a question of our
conservatism. Any charges along that line
will not be denied. There is little bluff or
bluster about this city. But somehow or
other things are well done here. And yet
we sit quietly back in our big armchair. in
our own cozy little home. enjoying the
thought of 'the low descending sun" view
Ing something well done.
But we are too modest to tell our neigh
Dor what we have done. His approval is
unnecessary, and so his praise but either
or both may lead to our greater oppor-
tunlty and our own larger happiness and
that of our neighbor as well.
There are two very modest men I'm this
city whose patriotism and effort we may
all well emulate: Charles S. Calwell,
president of the Corn Exchange National
Bank. and Edward s. Cattel the genial
raconteur and statstician
hundred cities will smile at the men,
tion OF the jovial Cattells name, for they
Know him for his wit and his humor and
AT the same time for his earnestness in
singing the praises of his beloved Philadel-
phia; and it is no sweet paean of praise
ne sings, with rounded lyric meter. The
lines or his song are truths and the words
are facts; and, striking chord of sim
certify and honesty, they are carried awav
by his hearers to be hummed and whistled
L.
introduction and plenty of performers to
play 1t, good tune will become popular,
That Is the idea of Mr.. Cattell And so
ne travels through the country, dined nv
the big commercial organizations who fee,
nonoreo Dy his presence, just to tell them
now great, how wonderful, how. creative,
how hospitable and yet how modest Pbla
delpha is '''
Charles s. Calwell is another such man
Month after month he publishes that in
teresting little leafet. the Advance" Not
word in IT about himself save his name
very little In 1t about the Corn Exchange
National Bank usually a modest sentence
or two OF good advice and a short adver-
tisement such as might appear in any
newspaper. But nineteen-twentieths of the
material is about Philadelphia, its indus
tries. It's place In the commercial world, its
doings and its prospects.
These two men know Philadelphia and,
knowing have no fear in saying what they
know; for they are giving valuable truths
to the world OF benefit to us all, and not
only to themselves except as a part OF the
two millions Of US hereabouts. And it is
high time We have more volunteers to assist
them in this task II Is a worthy WORK.
Under their command, with the mental
slogan. praise Philadelphia" in mind. a
hundred thousand men should enlist in this
army. We cannot raise them fully trained
overnight. but we can at least prepare
for creating battaIions of minute-men who
will be ready upon short notice to follow
their lead.
The simplest statement of our own eX-
periences presents the proving argument
for Il Is almost trite to remark that we
only see our city and find out the valuable
and interesting facts about II when our
cousins and our customers come here to
! visit U.S. Replete as 1t is with historical
monuments, read about and revered
| throughout the world, few Of our citizens
know them or visit them until they are
| forced to act as guides for others, and
| then their intimate knowledge is appallingly
weak. That comparatively few of our resi-
dents have ever journeyed afoot through
| the marvellous textile district of Kensingtor
| is only too true. The shipyards along the
| Delaware might just as we'll be In Sar
| Francisco SO far as our visitations or first
| hand knowledge of them are concerned. Ant
vet we have travelled to Boston and in
sisted on going through the navy yard /; gone
| to a lot of trouble to be taken through the
| fort at Halifax; refused to pass through
| New Haven without being shown the
grounds and buildings Of Yale University
| Al Edinburgh II was the shipyards thai
attracted us I; at Nottingham the lace works
| at Manchester The steel mills. and sc
/ through England we visited the various in
i dustrial pants. plants which we can dupli
/ cate ana poeuibly surpaps right here Il
I: PR