The Birmingham age-herald., 1918-04-28

With power, some of the greatest buSl- ness forces of the United States who are also men of integrity. Bernard Ba ruch, for instance, master hand in one department of American activities, possesses power now to enforce those things which he deems wise. Charles M. Schwab is to have a supreme power as director general of all the activities which ares needed in order to furnish the gov ernment with all the ships that are re- quired So, also, MT Stettinius finds power at his hands through his appoint ment as assistant secretary of war, and this power has the authority which is to be found in the statute law, and not merely delegated power.
 It may be worth while in referring to MT. Stettinius to report some things associated with his career of which. until now, there has been no public record made The impression that com monly prevails is that after J. P. Nor gan & Co. was selected by Great Brit ain as the purchasing agent in the Uni ted States, for Great Britain, that house borrowed. so to speak, from an industrial corporation, it's president, .dr Stettin- ius. He was to serve as the representa- tive of J. P Morgan & Go. with full power so far as British purchases in the United States were concerned.
 This statement. however, is not en- tiiely well founded. There was an in- dustrial corporation whose output was a fertilizing material which found a large market with farmers. This corporation bought of the Tennessee Copper company acid in large amount, this being a by product of the copper plant. It is one of the clements made use of in the prana a tjop of fartilizarS Thara arOca certain financial embarrassments. It was deemed essential that some one of great executive ability should be called in in order to smooth out these difficulties. Choice was, made of Mr. Stetinius and so rapidly and successfully did he work that the embarrassment was removed in the course of a few weeks. This service fixed the attention of J. P. Morgan x Co. upon MT. Stettinius, although he had already established high reputation with that house. He was, therefore, asked to take charge of the purchase by Great Britain of supplies through the house of J. F. Morgan & Go.
 Within a few days he had with won derful skill mobilzed and ordinated the various methods needed in order satisfactorily to make these purchases. Therefore, being abundantly supplied with information rapidly gained and in- stantly utilized, he was able in some instances to cut down the prices which had before been charged Great Britain for supplies by as much as 50 per ceni and still to leave a reasonable marg'i of profit fo. those who manufactured these supplies. Soon it was discovere that a man of power. of resources and of tact combined With tirmness and all amazing capacity to grasp details had heen placed in charge of this purchasing department Thereby. he demonstrated himself to be one of the very great execu- tive business forces of the United States. and in recognition of that he was made a partner in the house of J. F. Morgan X Go.
 Precisely the qualities which made it possible for him so thoroughly to sue ceed in the purchase of supplies for
 Great Britain. involving the absolutely honest payment of hundreds of millions of dollars. are the qualities which are to make him of very great avail to the government and to the people, now that he has been placed in a position where his word goes and his power is recog- nized and acknowledged. Other very great leaders in business are being rapid ly brought into the service of the govern ment, many of them with no larger remuneration than that which is paid to Charles M. Schwab-only sl a year.