The Washington herald., 1918-04-22
men
FAVOR SCHWAB
Holland Says His Appoint
ment Meets with Uni
versal Approval.

there came from Washington an
nouncement that Charles NJ. Schwab
had been OF a sudden appointed
director general OF the Emergency
Fleet Corporation was this: 1T
sehwab can't do the thing, then IL
can not be DONE In the days that
have interviewed since that appoint
sment. the view that was taken by
all who know Mr.. Schwab person
OF his achievements, that he IL per-
maps the one man In the United
states who can achieve all that II
sought in the. ship-building pro-
gram. has been emphasized.
One of the gratifying features
associated with this sudden selec-
tion Of Mr.. Schwab as director gen
eral of the Emergency Fleet corpor-
alton n to be found In the evidence
furnished by the appointment that
there IL now thorough understand
ing Of the necessity. IL this govern
ment is to do big things in these
days Of war, that there must be
called to its assistance men who
nave achieved very greatly in in
dustry, and especially men who
have taken no more than a reason
able interest in political or partisan
activities
Has Executive Capacity.
Mr.. schwab demonstrated nearly
twenty years ago. when still a young
man. his executive capacity for hand
ling very great propositions. For from
one point of view and. relatively speak
ing II was as difficult a task satiSfAct-
orily to accomplish II the so-calied
billion-dollar United States Steel Cor
poration was to be quickly and ade-
auately organized. as is the PROPOSE
tion which Mr.. schwab now has con-
sSnted to undertake in behalf Of the
nation and for q salary OF 800 a
year. As President Of the United
States steel Corporation II was COM
monty understood that he received q
salary Of 10000 a year and there were
no accusations that he did not earn
the money.
He had as his FIRST business as pres
ident of the steel corporation, the CO.
ordination and cooperation Of vari-
Gus corporations. some OF them large.
which had been independent and
which as a whole represented all fea-
lures OF the iron and s,eel industry
OF the United States. II was almost
an original proposition. although II had
been in part worked out by the Fed
eral Steel Company OF Illinois. Trese
various corporations were established
in many cities and in several States.
Mr.. Schwab. with swift and unerrlng
Judgment and skillful administration,
thoroughly moboiliZed ali Of these
various subordinate corporations so
that in a few months the great ma
chine moved smoothly. without f-ic-
ton. and the many thousand en-
plOyes from the high-salaTied officers
down felt the spirit Of enthusiasm and
cooperation which the young pTesi-
dent was able to infuse into the en-
tire system
A. Director General
or course as Director General Of
the Emergency Fleet Corporation
/, Mr.. Schwab's responsibilities are
greater and in the aggregate the
work which he must do will be in
Nar larger proportion than was that
associated with the achievement in
speedily establishing upon a firm
foundation the United States Steel
Corporation. But he is to bring
to this national work precisely the
same executive qualities and that
unusual and almost mystic mental
equipment which distinguish him. 1t
is impossible to analyze the intel
lectual qualities which are the pos
session of men of extremely great
can be said than that these men ac-
complish this, that or the other
great thing. It can Furthermore be
said that they were masters of
strategic mental resources so that
there was constantly suggested TO
them as though by intuition or in
spiTation the way by which difh-
CuIties could be surmOunted.
That was the quality OF mind
which the late ]. P. Morgan posses
cd and in this respect Mr.. Schwab
has often been spoken of as re-
senbling that great organizer and
finanCier.
Another quality which Is essential
if there he the greatest executive
achievement. Is imagination. Mr..
Schwab possesses this quality. He Is
able to picture forth in his minds
eve what are to be visible results of
h great undertakings. He saw in an
= instant almost what the achievements
tf the United states Steel Corpora
ton were to be not only in our home
markets. but in a little while in the
worId markets. when he took hold
~ the Bethlehem steel Company he
saw as vividly with his naked eye as
he now sees with the eyes that read
what the flture Of this corporation
served him we'll since what he fore
saw some fifteen years ago is now an
established fact.
Possesses Tact.
Mr. Schwab Furthermore possesses
tact IN an unusual degree in dealing
with men and especially with men who
deem themselves to be Of high author
ity. He has the power Of persuasion.
roaa0Fa will - DOsaiblp for
him speedily to mobilize all Of the
various factors which enter into our
shipbuiIding proposition. 1t will be
only few days before Mr.. Schwab
knows where, how and when the diff
ferent materials which are required
for ship construction are to be found
and he will Furthermore formulate. in
tuitively perhaps. a plan by which
these material resources can be in the
best manner and also in the most
speedy way utilized for the construc-