The Pleasantville press. (Pleasantville, N.J.) 1912-1929, 1920-08-28

''S OF~'N
He Was Still Above Ground"-With
a Yearly Income Estimated at S.
100000 He Has No Other Pleasure
Outside Home, Garden and Library.
In the life story of George L. Moore,
of London whose gift of $750,0OO for a
recreation ground to be known as Vic
tory park, in memory of the triumph
of the allies, the latest of many gen.
erous gifts by him, is seer an ex-
ample of an immensely wealthy ideal
list who has devoted nearly every cent
of his millions to the welfare of his
fellow men.
For himself and his wife he retains
of all his possessions just sufficient
to provide a modest villa at Forest
Hill, one of those suburbs dear to the
heart of the bank clerk, the whole
sale dry goods salesman, the middle
man. His allowance for personal ex-
penses-if we except his splendid Ii
brary of 5000 books-is little more
thar that of the average well-paid me-
chanic of today. In pursuance of his
purpose he employs no servants, the
work of the ten-room house being
done by Mrs. Moore, who is in full
sympathy with her husband.
Speak of Mr.. Moore to any of his
business associates in any of the $50
corporations with which he is con-
nected and they will tell you that he
possesses the Midas touch. But, I'M
like the Phrygian king, he does not
battle in a stream of gold. Above all,
Mr.. Moore is happily free of the OBJ
jectiOnable characteristics which dis
tinguish the average self-made man,
his training and tastes being those of
the student and scholar.
From Lawyer to Spectator.
Born at Limavady, County Derry,
Ireland, he was graduated B. A. at
the Queens university, ranking first
nf his year in mathematics. Taking
up the profession of law, he for 20
years practiced in Belfast, and it was
there, as the legal representative of
various corporations, that he entered
upon s%peculations in oil.
With the first fruits of his success
he began to make liberal gifts to the
town and county In winch ne
born. Then he shifted his headq
tiers to London, where he gradt
developed into one of the largest oil
operators IN the world.
With a yearly income estimated at
$4,000 900, he has 10 pleasures outside
of his home, his garden and his IL
brary. His favorite authors are Ho-
mer, Virgil and Voltaire. In his col
lection are to be found several rare
first editions of printed works and
scripts.
Books are my only extravaganza"
he said to an interviewer. I'm all the
years of a busy life have never got
over my love of Greek, Latin and
French-the French of Voltaire. In
summer I get up about three o'clock
and from then until eight, when l go
to the city, I am with my books.
Hopes to Get Rid of 1t All.
"When I began to get away from
the routine of law practice and make
real money I determined that all my
wealth should be spent while l was
still above ground. | have always be-
lleved that God sends us wealth in
order that we may aid those who have
not been so fortunate, or who are not
blessed. or cursed, with the instinct
of mOney-getting. I have a great deal
more than | can ever use-more than
anyone could ever need, and instead
of hugging money to my heart and
waiting until my death to give 1t away.
I purpose to see men. ONE and chill
dren around me-above all, the chill
DEMONSTRATING my fortune before I am
called. l hope to have devoted every
penny I possess to a good purpose. In
pursuance of my plan, l employ no
secretaries. All my correspondence,
averaging 20 to 80 letters a day, is
handled by myself and a ste~nographer.
perhaps I hope to teach a lesson
to others-the rich people, who spend
their lives in pampered luxury and
self-indulgence, and who are a curse
to humanity. To their evil example
we owe the growth of the bolsheyist
spirit among the workers, as distin-
gnished from the true socialism of
which l am a follower. To the idle
rich we owe the gradual growth of
the spirit and the system under which
a b%ricklayer able to lay a thousand
bricks a day lays only a hundred. /
am anxious to see fair play for all,
employer and employed, and hope to
do all | can to assist my fellows"