The Morning Tulsa daily world. [volume] (Tulsa, Okla.) 1919-1927, 1921-09-11
by FORREST CRIssEY


throughout the land. In thousands
Of homes II sounds strangely like
a dirge, for II celebrates the passinf,
Of father from the job--the job
which he has held so long that to
his family and payroll associates
he has come to seem "A part OF II.
A few days ago overheard "A con-
versation between two travelling
statesmen who had been to head
quarters for session with tho man
aging head of the house and were
returning to their territories in
Ohio. one was man of 60 but
man. There was look OF pathetic
grimncss on the face of the older
man In marked contrast to the con-
fident, aggressive, almost cocky
glenm In the eye OF his companion.
well" inquired the young man
as they settled back in the car seat,
did the chief treat you rough ?"
moo" came the hcsitant
answer. but he gave me the cold
est conversational shower bath /
ever received. lie showed me the
AK, invited me to feel it's edge, and
then told me that ia come to him
suspiciousy like dead timber, and
that unless | corrected that impress
mighty short time. ia have to go.
You know how mild and quiet he is.
He was just the almc today-but his
temperature was below freezing and
he was az sparing of his words as
I've got to be OF my dollars"
\ Candidate for the Ak.
Did he make any suggeations?'
cautiously inquired the young man.
Yes that ] make sudden and
marked increase in my sales and my
percentages. or resign. So I'm going
to stand or fall on the results OF the
next few weeks. II can't put my
house and l can get little profit
I'm gone.
But don't blame the chief The
men who own the house have pri-
vate fortunes big enough to see
them through: they could liquidate
the concern. close its doors. and live
in the luxury to which they are ac-
customed without worry for the rest
Of their lives. But II they continue
the business they have only hard
work and worry ahead OF them. To
make a go OF 1t they're forced to cut
out every stick of dead timber.
Under present conditions that =
absolutely logical. We know that
the house has lost a big sum in the
last year--enough to swallow up all
its war-period profits, and then
some. And that statement applies
to every house In our line of trade
in America. Probably the firm we
work for is in better shape than
most others"
Because realized that his
description covered the situation in
hundreds of wholesale and jobblng
houses and that the conversation
which he reported Is being repeated
every day in head offices all over
the country, took considerable
pains to get the background OF this
man. His situation is thoroughly
typical of that In which thousands
of others are just now finding them
selves; the remedy which his house
Is attempting to apply Is the kind
of bitter medicine now being admin
istered by employers all over Amer
lea.
Here is what learned about this
salesman on the down grade of mid
die life: He has been with his house
for more than twenty years and has
long been accustomed TO see himself
in the honor squad of the topnotch
statesmen representing the house, He
has won the confidence OF the mer-
chants in his territory, both as to
his market judgment and personal
squarentss.
In the house he also has n good
reputation. Until quite recently he
has been received with marked de-
ference and attention on his visits
to headquarters. His accounts have
included relatively few trouble max =
ere and he has not been rated by the
department heads az contentious or
al. a. l. =
and reasonable" are the words in
which his methods and his attitude
have been most frequently sketched
by those In authority In the house.
The worst criticism brought against
him in the councils of the depart
ment heads has been that OF late he
has been growing to be "A bit slack
and easy going.
During the chaotic period OF the
war. when getting goods from the
house. not selling them to customers,
was the main problem which all
salesmen had to meet. he contrivcd
to get enough merchandise into the
stores of his customers to make an
excellent income and to maintain a
good salesmanship rank,
Those about him were making
easy money and plenty OF II. On the
road he met scores OF salcsmcn who
were dipping into things on the side
and making Killings But he held
aloof from speculative ventures
and invested his surplus--and also
his cxpectations--in "A farm, He as
sumed that his substantial income
was going to continue almost In
definitely. In his 20 years with the
house II had shown an almost uni
form increase from year to year;
why should he expect II to fall off?
And the farm, which was worked
by a share tenant under his own
general supervision, was increasing
! in value from season 10 season.
Sitting Very Pretty.
Altogether. he considered that he
was sitting very pretty; he was one
| OF the older statesmen of a house
which held . commanding position
| In the trade; he had long been
among the topnotchers on the
monthly roll OF honor; he was en-
titled TO retire on liberal pension
any moment he might 30 elect: the
respect and Difference with which
he was received at the house and
by the men who owned and con
trolled 1t indicated that he was re-
garded as At least a ta!r-slzed pos