The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1920-12-24
EDITORIALS
AN INVESTMENT IN CIVIL
ZATION


in a new enterprise just started in
that town. The promoter was run
ming over' with statistics and inform
alton about the towns industries and
resources. He enthusiastically con-
Quoted the financier thru its banks
and factories and stores, dilating on
their prosperity and industry.
The financier took everything in
and listened attentively to it all. Then
he said to the promoter: "Show me
the schools and the library"
A town may be as rich as Croesus
and as resourceful as Aladin's Lamp,
but the lasting foundations of all in
dustry and progress must be laid to
education and knowledge. ~
The financier saw easily enough
that the town had business and bust
ness resources. But he wanted to
know if that business was build on
sound foundations, and if it was go
ing to be supplied in the future with
brains as well as Drawn.
Modern business methods are fast
getting away from doing things by
.main strength and awkwardness."
The multiplicity of labor saving de-
vices in every profession is proof of
the fact that mans brains are more
valuable than his Drawn. Every Job
is done better when it is done intelli-
gently The perfection of a product
is more quickly and more surely
accomplished if the maker knows its
origin and its use.
The story is told that great rail
road company gave a banquet to it's
oldest employees. During the banquet
speech-makers eulogized these faith
full employees. One of them was re-
ferred to as having been in the service
for sixty years. One of the railroad
officials found he was sitting next to
this old man. He turned to him and
asked him what had been his job
The man replied: 81 taps the boxes
O. the car wheels when the trains stop
in the station"
The official tried to remember what
this was for. He couldn't. So he
turned again to the man and asked
him. why do you tap the wheels 2"
81 don't know" said the man. 81
just taps EN-"
| stopped in one of the wire mills
of the famous John A. Roeblingys
Sons Co. one day watching the steel
being drawn out into wire.
| had for several days followed the
process of this steel from the con-
glomerate ores and scraps in the
steel yard, thru the steel furnaces,
the blooming mills, the rolling mills
and the wire mills, until the finely
drawn steel strands were made into
the cables that have made Roebhng's
famous all over the world. It is a
fascinating process.
And as | watched the man at his
task of drawing the wire thru dies,
| remarked how varied was the life
of the steel, from molten mass into
finely tempered strands. The man
looked at me as if he thought l were
a fool.
'Wha'd Y mean molten mass ?"
he asked specifically.
/ explained to him that referred
to the number of materials that had
been melted together to make that
steel the proper quality.
To make long story short, that
man did not know, and had never
known that steel had to be made thru
molten processes from a mixture of
various ores and metals. He thought
that steel was dug out of the ground
in chunks and then rolled into rods
in the mills.
And yet he had been doing that
job for years.
Later it was found that there was
lot of wire being rejected because
it "brittled" on the edges and broke.
1t was discovered that this was be-
cause it was not passing true" thru
the dies Iron wire would not have been
affected that way But tempered steel
had to be d/.wn exact.
If this man had had any knowledge
of steel he would have known that
certain imperfections would blemish
his wiresif it were not drawn out.
Every man can do his job better
when he does it intelligently. The
educated man or woman can do any
thing, no matter what it is, with
greater efficiency than an uneducated
man or woman.
The town or community which pro-
vides for the education and enlighten-
ment of it's children and citizens will
have its stores better served, its fac
tories better worked, its industries
better managed
Schools are provided for the edu-
cation of children. Libraries are pro-
vided for The education and enlight-
eminent of both children and adults.
The man or woman who makes regu-
lar use of q libary card is always able
to discuss any issue or question of the
day with greater intelligence than
those who consider that Il have forgot
ten more than some other people will
ever know"
A movement has been started to
furnish new books for the Lambert
vile Library (and incidentally l in
sist that a public town library that
has to be supported by the town and
its citizens should be called by the
name Of the town.. This movement
takes shape in a benefit to be given
in st. Andrews Hall on Monday even
ing, January 3rd. 1t offers for the
entertainment and enlightenment of
this community one of the leading
dramatic impersonators of the coun-
try. 1t charges an admission of only
so cents. The proceeds go to buying
books for the library.
The local library is sadly in need
of new books. The lack of these
books has caused a depreciation of
callers at the library rooms. Many
people in Lambertyille, either indi-
rectly or directly, secure books from
the Trenton Public Library. 1t is
an Indictment against the industry
and public spirit Of the town that
there should mot -be a library build
ing filed WITH the best and latest
books for the use of the community.
The city has been contributing from
the treasury $500 yearly to the pres