New Britain herald. [microfilm reel] (New Britain, Conn.) 1890-1976, 1922-01-02
ROGER BABSON'S SERMON

ROGER BABSON's SERMON
The business man on Main street
smiles and takes with n grain of salt
generalities prophesying better times
for 1922 He does not laugh at them
but he cannot build up goncralities
coming from sources technically in
expert.
When, however, Roger Babson
leaves his cold figures and makes pre-
dictions those prophecies are based or
facts no matter what form they take,
Babson deals in facts; without facts
from those basic truths Roger Babson
would not be the high authority on
economic and business conditions he
Is today
A few sentences of his weekly re-
port published last Saturday, are sub
mitted for deeper consideration
Among the favorable points for 1922"
mentioned by him are THE congress
sional elections take place this year
and, in a moral and religious sense
the people are getting nearer to the
earth" Then he adds: Just word
concerning these last two points. There
going to do everything possible to
bolster up things and make everybody
Such process should work decided
stimuant into the situation later in
the year"
From this statement it may be seen
that this statistical expert, this man
into whose calculations there enters
no sentiment, gives to Happiness
q general happiness among the peo-
ple-an absolute economic value. That
he actually means happiness as the
word is ordinarily used, and not pros
perity" is shown by his adoption of
the word, using it instead of pros
porous in the sentence quoted. Pos
sibly for the first time in concise
business article of the nature of Mr..
Babson's the state of mind of a people
Is recognized as something to be con-
sidered as well as their material well
fare. 1t is true, of course, that happi-
ness often and perhaps usually fN-
lows prosperity, but the thought con-
tanned in this sentence of Mr.. Bah
sons is that prosperity will come to
q people unhappy and worried
Something of this thought may be
seen in the other comment noted
above. Certainly the thought of hap
piness'' permeates the following para
graph of the Babson article. Again
the awful wave of spending, high liv-
Ing, crime and irreligion incident to
1919 and 1920 is passing away. This
is fundamental to the whole business
fabric. When we get back to the old
fashioned virtues--thrift, honesty and
true religion-we can look for good
business.
Here are two bald statements Of
man who has gained his great roputd-
ton, his high standing in the economic
business and financial world through
his ability to state facts correctly and
to prophesy from those facts, to tell
of their influences upon practical ar
fairs. He asserts without qualifications
that better influences prevail in the
world. He asserts without qualification
that when the old-fashioned Virtues
return there will come good business
Business men and women who
would not build upon such statements
coming from a pulpit, made as they
might respect the speaker and his
GOSPEL. would do well to consider them
In the light of the reasoning OF this
financial and business expert, to be
cheered by the one statement to note
the other and to govern themselves
accordingly.
Roger Babson preached sermon
last Saturday