Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1918-02-21
NVIII

NVITI
I HAD lunch with KILLER TODAY lie
seis In the china and glass depart
ment. He asked me 10 20 home with
MN this evening and promised I
would
Lets drop into Slaytons." said Ril-
'er 'Siayton's Is department store
near ours. IT does almost as big busl-
ness as we dol
WHY I asked.
JUST 10 see how the other fellow
ooes H. It's worth while watching YOUR
coIhpeutors' methods. You often get
some good pointers from them" he
we strolled around the main floor and
iuller remarks showed he was taking
everything in.
Look at that girl at the candy
booth he said
(which one?" I oucried
Inc walking model for the hair
dresser" he replied.
lie pointed to a good-looking little
chicken with slathers of hair piled high
on her little head. I watched her for
minute and noticed that. she was con-
tlhuaiIy poking and pulling at her hair.
Sne ran her fingers through IL and fluffed
II out bit. and then afterward grabbed
handful of candy for a customer. While
was watching | saw two women leave
without buying. both apparently not nnd-
ing what they wanted.
Notice that" said Rillcr. That girl
evidently does not know that she is
driving people away from the candy
booth Just because they won't buy candy
that's handled by a girl who Keeps her
fingers In her hair"
only crab would object to that"
said. such kicks arc unreasonable"
IT may he unreasonable" Riller re-
piled. "bllt then we have TO take people
as we find them. and Il doesn't pay to
reason with customers unreasonable
moss. Notice that young fellow by the
| silk counter"
what OF hlm?'
Hes been In every store in Boston
and many other cities. guess, and he
always keeps losing his job"
What's the reason?"
| ~ think" said Killer, its because
he's just satisfied to get by instead
of trying to get on. Business today in
n case of get on or get out. Look at
the way he's standing now"
lie was leaning lazily against the
counter. gazing around abscntmndedy.
| WHlle "a tuHlOIleI WAS loOhlHS at SoHle
bolts OF silk. Not a comment of any
kind did he offer. The customer asked
for something else, which he mediately
brought out. but again no attempt TO
help the customer to arrive at decision.
'I've met that fellow once or twice"
Riller went on, "and he firmly believes
that there is a conspiracy among busi-
ness houses to keep him down. lie says
that just because he won't lick the boots
of the big fellows they won't give him
a SQUARE deal, and he's all the time com
planning and grumbling himself out OF
a job.
wondered II he was limiting at me
for ] had been doing the same thing
only yesterday. but then / was justified
in my case. | don't say that I'm per-
fect--rm not but think that Benton
would fire me at once and make room
for some relative IL 1t wasn't for dad.
/ happened to remark to Riller after
ward that we've got to soft-soap the
heads OF business houses to get on.
"I'll tell you why ] don't think so,
he answered Take an organization
like ours. We have got millions of dol.
lars tied up In stock and equipment
and such like, and the money invested In
that business has got to pay a dividend
10 its stockholders. Now, IL the man.
ayers gave jobs to people who fattered
them, they would merely get a lot OF
inefficient people In control and they
would very quickly run the business tc
the bow-wows. They don't take any
stock in the flatterer--or soft-soaper as
you call him. The man they want Is the