The New York herald. [volume] (New York, N.Y.) 1920-1924, 1920-12-15
PERSONAL-But Not Confidential
This Letter Number One of Srie Written All of You,
in the Hope That You Will Read and Approve

leIleI. L llSlcllSQ W lliC liloii tdlh
for five hours.
While listening | quickly learned
that this man is very human-that
he is a man who thinks a lot about
what he can do to help others,
although never forgetting to help
himself, which he regards as the
first thing all Of us should do. He
thinks that not one Of us can be a
useful citizen or can do our full duty
in the world unless we keep our eX-
penses within our incomes and al
ways save money, no matter how
small the sum.
He thinks that every man and
woman, every boy and girl working
for a living should save something,
and he is sure every one can save
something if he or she will.
| learned that he lives on Bridge
street, not as a fad, but because it
is near his place of business, to and
from which he walks every day.
Besides, his home is very comfort
able and convenient to subways,
elevated roads and Broadway troll
leys, enabling him to get anywhere
quickly.
l think l discovered, although he
did not say so, that he is not in SYM
pathy with people who practice will
full and sensational eXtravagances.
| judged this because his success,
which has been unusual, has not
made him feel any differently than
when he sold newspapers as
welve-year-old boy to help his
mother keep the home together after
his fathers death. He can now live
anywhere he desires, and pay the
price, but he prefers the simple.
genuine things of life. He wants to
be in thought and act just like you
and me-mingling with us, under
standing us, liking us.
In the Bridge street section of
New York city this man comes in
personal contact with all kinds of
people that make up this great cos
mopolitan community, and this is as
helpful to him as it is to them. They
don't know him by name and he does
not know them by name, but he and
they meet and speak, and they get
along together in splendid way.
They tell him things that every man
ought to know, and as good citizen
he feels he ought to do his part in
correcting some of the misunder-
standings that exist and to help
bury hatreds and discomfort.
This man told me that on Armis-
tice Day, November IL, 1920, he and
his associates held meeting at
which it was unanimously decided
to go through with a plan which he
had been nursing in his mind for
several years, but which his associ-
ates had urged be postponed for a
more opportune time, although all of
them had been in full accord with
it from the beginning.
1t is significant that the decision
to go ahead was made on Armistice
Day, when all Of us just naturally
let our thoughts turn to the full
meaning of service.
The plan is to go to the people with
series of letters pointing out to them the
wisdom of saving money and showing
them how they may invest their money in
small amounts and have the same oppor-
tunity to realize good return on their
investments, as regular investors who have
larger sums to invest, and who heretofore
have had better chance to make money
In other. words, the plan is to make an
effort to establish DEMOCRACY OF
THRIFT.
This man and bis associates know that
the people will save their money more sys-
tematically if they can be shown that they
will have the same chance to make more
money, as people who have more money
than themselves.
Most people go along asking themselves
questions like these: Whats the use of
my saving so cents or 81, or So, So, 81
or SIS week? What chance have of
investing in good securities? How can
buy bond or preferred stock for $l0?"
The first hundred dollars is always the
hardest to save, but if those who save il
can be shown how to invest il in $40 sums
and be factor in the Gig enterprises of
the country, saving will become a habit
and pleasure.
s. Il
AT the Armistice Day meeting Of
this man and his associates the ques-
ton was asked: Whom shall we
get to write this series of letters to
the people?" They felt it was nee
essary to get somebody from the