The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1921-06-03
ADVERTISING RATES.
EDITORIALS
[ HAVE LOST A FRIEND.

The death of Karl G. Reobling at
Spring Lake last Sunday has taken
one of the finest noblemen of the
earth. As the head the John A. Roeb-
lng's Sons Company, a business that
extends all the way around the world,
the world has lost an executive of ex-
ceptional ability. But the world at
large has lost more. For. Karl G. Roeb-
ling was not only business executive
of worldwide interests, but he was
a rare specimen of manhood seldom
found in the rigid realms of business
Trenton papers have said that he
was man of few intimates. That is
true He was retiring by nature and
not easily given to making friends at
random. That was not because of any
snobbishness, but was due to modesty
and reserve. To those who knew him
well he was the embodiment of unself-
ishness and sympathy No need was
too small to gain his attention. No
cause of worthiness, but secured his
aid.
In the summer of 1918, after being
invalided home from France with
very little promise of life, and with
the future problematical and discour-
againg, he was the first to offer a
genuine sympathy and understanding.
Being among the first to return from
the other side, l was naturally in de-
mand as a speaker before the many
organizations doing war work Among
these l addressed a gathering at the
Essex and Sussex Hotel in Spring
Lake for the interest of the Red
Cross. Mr.. and Mrs Roebling were
in the audience. l was presented to
them afterward. Something l must
have said about the problems that
confronted the men returning from
France prompted him to offer his as
sistance should | ever need it.
Thus, early in 1919, having regain
ed my health, l went into his employ
upon leaving the service. The task
he assigned me was one never be-
fore attempted by. the John A. Roeb-
ling's Sons Company, and necessarily
one that demanded study and consider
alton. Mr. Roebling sent me to other
industries to study methods suitable
for his own organization. This was in
keeping with his broad outlook and
keen business dscernment. 1t demand
ed the expenditure of thousands of
dollars. Many times made blunders.
But l always found him sympathetic
and keen to understand.
An instance of his unselfish SYM
pathy was his desire to know my per-
sonal responsibilities and problems. Ny
advent into his employ was accom-
panied by financial assistance that
would not have been dreamed of by
any other employer When I had plan
ed to leave the Company to go into
the work for which had training and
natural aptitude, it was with his SYM
pathetic advise and financial assis-
lance.
say these things in tribute. I am
revealing my intimate experience in
an effort to make the memory of
Karl G. Roebling as beloved to you
as it is to me. He was a man of a mil |
lion, big in soul as well as big in sta
tue l knew him as few of his eight
thousand employees knew him. I hon
or him. And yet no man of the eight
thousand but mourn his death. He was
never too preoccuped to speak to the
lowest workman who seemed TO want
to speak. The remark of an Italian la
Dor, overheard just after Mr.. Roeb-
ling had passed and spoken to him,
may be taken as a key to the regard
borne for him by his men. 'Meester
Robbling, he-a vera much-a fine-a
man. He always spick to everabod."
His mere speaking to his men is not
what endeared him to them. 1t was
the splendid personality he had. He
was a man, every inch Of him. He
was worker, as few men work. He
was quick to understand, slow to con-
denim, anxious to help.
l say have lost friend. And I
have The world has lost a business
executive, His family has lost loved
one. But I have lost a friend. And
friends are so few, it hurts when one
50 fine as he is gone. There is no con-
ISOLATION I can offer the members of
his family so sincere and so fine as
as to say that his memory will be big
and fine and splendid.