The Washington times., 1920-07-27
BETTER THAN $3.50


II often happens you know, that men who con-
ceive enterprises with big capitalization per-
fecty willing that you, the people, shall supply the
money to do the financing, but they take mighty
good to keep control in their own hands, just
the same.
Then, if success does not come, the organizers
have not lost any of their own money, and gen
orally speaking, they do not worry a great deal
about how much the public has lost
On the other hand, if success does come, then
those in control manage to take for themselves.
in one way or another the biggest part of the earn
ings, only distributing enough crumbs among
stockholders to keep them contented.
1t is something very much out of the ordinary,
therefore, for men to organize $15,OO0,OOO COM
pany and put into it their money in large
sums and then, after putting into it pretty nearly
all they possess find themselves owning minority
interest.
Only men who believe in playing square with
their fellows, and who believe also, that the rank
and file of the people play square. will invest
nearly their all in enterprise in which the
people, a group, may, if they wish, own 60 per
cent. of the common stOck-the only kind of stock
issued to anybody. There are no bonds, nor any
thing else just common stock.
60 per cent. of ownership is better than so per
cent. of ownership, therefore this proposition is
better than $3.50.
When l asked the president of the company why
he and his associates did not secure for themselves
at least 80 per cent. of the common stock, he an
swered: 1--WE bought, together, all the common
stock we could with the money we had; further
more, we have no wish to control; want the
people TO be real partners in this enterprise they
will insist square deal for everybody, which
is exactly what want and there is profit
enough for all if succeed, as l am 100 per
cent sure will"
can't tell you in this letter all i have learned
about the president and general manager of this
company, but will tell you something which may
make you eager to read what l wrote about him
long before either of had any idea that
would do business together.
met the president socially couple of months
ago. did not know that he was engaged in a
business that would lend itself to advertising l
heard him tell small group of friends some of
his experiences, which were most interesting. But
the thing about him that impressed me most was
his intense Americanism and the views he
pressed on the un-Americanism which is running
wild in this country to-day.
My business is advertisng-not writing stories
for newspapers-but presumed to write story
about this man, which thought might influence
many young men to realize the opportunities this
country offers them forwarded the story to sew
eral newspapers but it was printed in only very
few, because presumably, did not write it as a
trained newspaper writer would, and furthermore,
Tie IdCt uldt eHSdBcu Ill duNeIuSlHS WOTk un-
doubtedy influenced many managing editors to
believe that was trying to put over on them a
free publicity stunt of some kind Notwithstanding
was particular to state in my letter to them that
wrote the story solely in the hope that if printed,
it might have good influence on the youth of
the land
1t came to pass that the president of the COM
pany requested me to conduct modest advertis-
ing campaign in daily newspapers, which he
cards. as do, the most direct and most economical
way to place any proposition before the people.
He and his associates good enough to say
that they liked my frank way of telling things, and
said, furthermore: "Our proposition has secrets,
which we know appeals to you-so 60 to it and
tell the people all you know about us and do
in your own way"
If any of you care to read the story l wrote
about the president, will mail you copy, if you
will send me your name and address, c/o f. T.
Howard Company, Inc, III West 10th ST, New
York City.
But am going to unfold to you, in this news
paper, the whole story of the men and the COM
pany-and then when you have it before you, you
will be able to decide whether you want to travel