The Washington herald., 1918-02-26

Special Correspondsnce The Washington Hsrsld-
New York, Feb. 3-He Is a quiet
studious chap and not 10 many years
ago Wall Street had never heard Of
him. Today he can beard any finan-
cial lion Ia his den and retreat with
Information that many would give
fortunes to possess.
Such is the power OF personality. 1t
can gain the ear Of a Rockefeller,
Schwab or Edis<n. B. c. Forbes is
Wall Streets interviewer de luxe. He
was a farm boy in Scotland before he
came unheralded to New York.
He had no money or friends. but he
had one a Natures gracious gifts
personality. He realized that most
big men are Just folks and that all OF
them came from all corners of the
earth to New York to rise or fall.
Forbes began to write about Wall
Street. He did not believe that every
man down there was a pirate. He
saw the human side-the struggle and
ambition of men who were no differ
ent, no better. nor worse than the
merchants along the main street OF
Hohokus.
He began dropping in to see them
in the same way that Bill Jenks drops
into the livery stable office to discuss
the new court house contract with
the proprietor. Editors began to
clamor for the Forbes slants on Wall
Street.
He became the financial editor Of a
New York newspapers and instead of
teedingfi his readers dry figures and
technical phrases OF the stock market
he dished out human interesting facts.
II a modern Midas liked Kelly pool
as diversion Forbes told he reason
why.
And now Forbes has started a mag
azine Of his own. 1t isn't q magazine
for the grasping investor to learn how
to make a ten dollar bill sprout where
one ought to grow. 1t is a magazine
that tells how the Wall Street giants
do their work. their rules for success.
what they wear. how they live and
their hobbies.
I have never met Forbes, but / hope
to some day. He interests ne because
readers frequently write to me that
they want to find a niche in New
York. Forbes is a concrete example
Of how a man can create a niche of
his own in this vast complex city.
The Rev. DR.. Charles a. Eaton IS
about the peppiest parson New York
has heard for some time. Usually he
breaches to a rich Fifth avenue con-
gregation, but last week ne talked to
the men who are building Uncle Sans
ships. Said he:
Germans? I say to hell with Ger
mans. A lot Of spies are going TO
come in among you. II You find a
man with a bomb don't ask him to
come out and pray. Don't slap MIN
on the wrist. Take him out in a
meadow, place his damned bomb on
his chest and then stand of and
watch him get blown to hell"
Amen. Parson. By Dam. Amen!
1t serves Irwin Cobb right for not
watching his calories and getting
beefy about the jowls. Recently the
governor OF Kentucky pointed Cobb
on his staff and the writer thus be-
comes Col Cobb. But in view Of the
present shortage in material, the Au-
thors' League has asked that Col.
Cobb be prevented from getting his
uniform until the men Of the second
draft at least have been equipepd.
Piaywrights are no longer born
such. Nor even made. They just hap
pen. For years you stride or waddle
along your patch of destiny. Prescrib-
ed drama courses are without your
sphere. You know no delving In dusty
tones. Then suddenly you wake one
day full Of a plot and dialogue. You
rid yourself of these strangers and
overnight you're reaping Broadway
royalties. Take Arthur Goodrich, who
is delivering heart-throbe to both
sexes in "Yes or No." He has been
a hardware salesman all his life.