The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1918-07-29

ehC NohPddy - ploSpCSls
ptimistic as to the latter.
| them that they could all have been as
simulated and it would sit up and beg
| for more.
Ideas from Germany.
Perhaps DR.. Rumely called in too many
tconsrltants. One of the fixed beliefs he
brought back from Germany with hin,
was the belief in the trained expert. 1t
is typical of the German mind to believe
in the trained expert. The whole Ger
man system is a system of trained ex-
perts in government, in military science,
in the arts, in the industries and in affairs
generally, imposing their methodically
worked out rules and systems upon pop
uIace trained through generations to
supine and credulous submission to the
dictation of the expert. Any student Of
the German character must at times be
puzzled to determine which is its most
amazing manifestation. the overbearing
arrogance of its experts or the cringing
Icredulity of the rest of the population.
Even the German expert is credulous
where another experts speciality is under
consideration. He is a German scientist
and therefore he must be right, is the
apparent formula.
SO DR.. Rumely called in experts of all
sorts and every kind. There were expert
accountants and expert office boys, ex-
pert publicity men and expert letter
writers. Early in his career in the
Rumely Company's management he
formulated this definition of manage
ment;-
Get a good man, give him a definite
job, let him alone"
/ have no knowledge of the extent t.
which this formula was ever put into
effect in the affairs of the NJ. Rumelv
Company. Perhaps the doctor attributed
the company's failure to this rule. Al
any rate, he had definitely abandoned it
when he took over the Evening Mail
Experts and Non-Experts.
Besides all the experts who were
turned loose on the NJ. Rumely Company
there were expert efficiency engineers
to tell the other experts how to co-ordi
nate their work. and then there was the
expert picker of experts TO determine by
a process of psycho-phreno-p hysio-g gene
alogy just what sort of an expert each
particular employc of the company really
was. Perhaps it was a perfectly gooC
system. Perhaps the reason business
hop cl- II
| was simply because it was too new fol
them to grasp suddenly. I do not know
however Of any way in which I can bet
ter elucidate the opinions of those who
were in position to observe closely the
operations of the NJ. Rumely Company
under Dr. Rumely's management and al
the same time round out and terminate
| to quote brief report from the New
YORK HERALD of May IS, 1913, which
| follows:-
$50 you want a job as confidential
secretary with NJ. Rumely & Co, dc
you? Take off your hat. Brush back
| you hair. Turn around. M-m-m, no; you
won't do. Skull broad behind the ears
pdQ or lat udCk OF your eyes SiSul VIC
preston over the right ear.
"'You're too talkative for a confiden
tial agent That dent means you DOM
believe the truth ought to be told all the
time if it is likely to become monotonous
the pads back of the eyes mean you like
music and gayety You're a natura
salesman, my boy; you're no confidential
secretary
This, slightly exaggerated was the
method many applicants for jobs in the
Laporte Und.) agricultural implement
factory, which has asked Clarence S
Funk. general manager of the Interna
tional Harvester Company, to be its
president, met under the efficiency
system installed by DR.. Edward A
Rumely. the progressive president O
the concern. His 'progressiveness
proved too progressive for the financia
affairs of the company. it is said, ant
brought upon it the financial hacker!
with a demand for a new management.
| katherine Blackford, a physician OF
the staff of Harrington Emerson. eff
ficiency expert, was the founder of DR.
Rumely's plan to hire men by the shape
of their heads and by their family his
tories. DIR. Rumely considered it re
markable system. Men asking for ad
vances in the concerns offices or fac
tories and applicants for new jobs wer
confronted by list of thirty-two ques
) tons seeking more complete famil!
history than those asked by an insurance
examiner.
"Then DR.. Blackford looked over tn
: mans head, sized up his ears and notet