The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1921-09-20

@S' ~ - O&s~o' poi "
many regulations and restrictions
were being imposed, he decided that
he would rather enter q field more
inviting to initiative and ambition
and enterprise. OF course, In
sense / was sorry not to have him
become interested in the things
am interested in, but l didn't feel
like persuading him to change his
mind. I'm not sure but what rather
admired his Judgment. He decided
to study admiralty law. He felt
liking for 1t, and he reasoned out
that the enormous growth OF our
mercantile marine would open up
vast possibilities for those who could
become real experts on admiralty
law"
Yesterday a young man called on
me to unload his troubles and per-
haps receive q suggestion. He told
me that he was with a large, old
esta blished shipping company. He
was making very satisfactory prog
ress before the shipping boom burst.
Despite wholesale reduction Of forces.
he had been kept on. Then he
added:
But business IL now terribly dull.
I don't believe shipping will be nor
mally active for nearly two years.
I have been worrying a great deal
over the thought Of having to waste
two very valuable years Of my life.
I like the shipping business all right.
but the outlook is disheartening. I'm
undecided as to whether to go into
some other line. l want to get on.
I don't want to stand still. What do
you think l should do?
What would you have told him ?
Would you have advised him to stay
or move?
Here's what I told him; you say
you like the shipping business?
Good. You have been kept on while
many others have been let go? Fine.
This indicates that you must have
been giving satisfactory service. You
are earning enough to live on, and
therefore are suffering no immediate
hardship. You're fortunate; II you
could see the procession of people
without jobs Of any kind you would
realize just how fortunate you are
to have congenial work that pays
you q living wage.
Youth is impatient" I tried to
impress upon him. when we're
young, and are working hard and
earnestly, trying to get on, we gen.
orally feel that things don't come
our way nearly fast enough. We
compare ourselves with others; we
Ns.ncll1da that tfu
we don't see why we're not getting
ahead as rapidly as some other fell
lows we know who don't strike us
as being any smarter than we are.
We feel that we must do something
to force the pace.
All this Is natural But, while
patience can be carried to the extent
Of becoming a vice, impotence often
is a mistake and, unless curbed.
brings failure. What's two years II
you feel that you are on the right
track and that this track is unusu.
ally broad and that 1t can lead to the
highest heights Of success? Mean.
while. you don't need to waste your
time. You surely don't feel that
you've learned all there is to learn
about shipping?'
He admitted very frankly that he
hadn't. I suggested that he utilize
every available moment to investi.
gate and study every angle of the
shipping business-financial, legal.
chartering, engineering, building, com.
missariat, and SO forth; also the inter.
national commercial movements Of
the world, foreign ports, foreign geo.
graphy, foreign history, the resources
and principal exports and imports of
all different countries, ETC.. etc.
took occasion to recount to him
the early careers of some of our INST
notable men Of affairs, men who
plugged along day and night, year
after year. in obscurity. laying founda.
lions before they were able to build
up anything that attracted attention.
also suggested that II he redoubled
his zeal and his effnrt to Improve his
knowledge, his skill at his work, and
his output, he probably wouldn't have
to stay exactly where he was for two
whole years. II shipping became
worse. the chances were that there
would be doubling up Of positions ana
that he, being a low-priced man, would
probably be asked to take on greater
responsibilities. Should business in.
crease, and more men have to be taken
on, he would likely have others put
under him.
Finally, related to him my talk
with the railroad president and add.
ed that I believed that the shipping
industry offered incalculable posi-
bilities for the right stamp Of intel
ligent, studious, ambitious, hard.work-
ing American.
As he got up to 20 he remarked:
when came in was depressed and
full of doubt I've already made my
decision, and will 60 back to my work
full Of determination"
Is It not tact that the line OF work
we choose to go into is Of less import
ance than the spirit with which we
got into it and the amount of brain