Evening journal., 1921-12-10


to him. SO l am here tonight to
point out to you, to the best OF my
ability. the need for. and the oppor-
tunity OF accounting" trained men
and women in business.
''rhe definition / believe most ap-
propriate is that which desaribes
science as "organized knowledge"
The science OF business management
rests upon organized knowledge Of
the facts OF the business. The sue
cess Of business management is a
measure OF the extent to which use
has been made OF that organized
knowledge OF the facts OF the busi-
ness
"Accounting-the science OF &C
counting. IL you please-supplies the
organized knowledge OF the facts or
the business on which business man
agement must depend for its de-
cisions, and without which the
executive. no matter how much abil-
ity he may possess as an admins
traitor, Is Handicapped hopelessly in
Ant proper NOHuuiA VI INC dAANAAn VI
his enterprise. Ignorance OF the
facts Of business results in lack Of
planning and lack of control.
Accounting then. in modern bus
mess is OF great and ever-increasing
importance. II is the one important
tool OF executive control. The con-
start cry OF business men is for
facts, for IL is only in the light Of
facts as presented by the account
ant from accurate records, that they
can be armed with reliable data with
which to approach their business
problems.
"The man who can analyze and
study intelligently the statistical
records. and from them determine
the business trends and tendencies,
locate inefiiciencies and wastes, and
their causes. is the accountant with
the broad practical point OF view.
He is the man who can place in the
hands OF the business executive the
information that enables him at all
times to have before him a birds
eye view OF every activity OF the bus
mess. The accountant who can do
this himself becomes qualified to
take up executive work, the possibil-
tiles OF which are greatly increased
because he can apply a knowledge
OF accounting in the control OF ac-
tivities for which he is responsible.
A famus executive once said: The
language OF business is figures The
trained accountant understands the
language of business.
zone OF the greatest burdens un-
der which business is staggering to-
day, and which is probably more re-
spOnsble for business conditions
than is any other one thing, is that
OF taxes. Every move in corporate
management has linked with it a tax
problem. II is the outgrowth OF the
war; It is an accounting problem.
Not that the business man has any
desire to dodge his just share OF
taxation, but when he decides on a
policy, he should know with reason
able certainty all OF the factors
working for or against the success
OF the undertaking. With the chang
ing revenue laws and regulations OF
the Treasury Department now so
hopelessly complicated and incon-
sistent. II is all but impossible for
the executive, without a knowledge
OF accounting. intelligently to make
decisions. And today, he Is learn
ing to his sorrow that decisions
which he made, and actions taker
several years ago, are bringing the
, tax collector to his door. with a little
blue slip at the top OF which is print
ed. Additional Assessment II
, many cases this might have beef
avoided had the decision made, o
the action taken. been looked upol
at the time from the viewpoint o
the accountant
During the war, and even since
the war the public has begun tC
awake to the fact that the account.
ant Is not merely a necessity, but
also a blessing to the body polite
and commercial. Accountants have
been appointed to positions OF great
trust and responsibility in govern
mental. financial and industrial un-
ertakings-positions whose duties
did not seem TO be solely or even
chiefly associated with questions OF
accounts. The modern accountant
has become financial advisor, not
only to business men, but to govern
ments. In other words, business
men in the last few years have come
TO appreciate the value OF account
ing knowledge. by a realization o
their own handicaps through lacl
OF 1t.
b 80 the executive today is comini
4 60 he a ~
countant. and It Is the accountan
. who is more and more being place.
g in executive control. Business need
4 the accountant. and the opportunit
y in business for the accountant
e limited only by his own capacity &
2 assume responsibility.
e "As a business man. speaking Z
n business men and women. IL I wer
IS called upon tonight to propose
IS toast. could think OF none NOR
Is appropriate than that quotatio
y from Shakespeare. TO business tina
N we love. we rise betimes and go to
p with delight"
IL This plain. busnesslike and II
spring address by Mr.. Elason ms
he with much favor from his audienC
ly which accorded TO him generous AZ
ir plause.
er President Gunby then introduce
Id as the next and the chief speake
er Harry c. Spillman. OF New Yor
I'd manager Of the school departmei
'u of the Remington Typewriter Con
Id pany. His subject was. "Countir
of Your Friends"
when Mrs. Browning ask
re Charles Kingsley the secret Of
IL -..-.... - NJ Cnifiuoan cafd bo =