Perth Amboy evening news., 1923-11-07
OPPORTUNITIES FOR AMERI.
CAN BOYS
nv Frederic Il. Haskin

chairman of the Northern Pacific
railroad, of New York; E. M, Herr,
president of the Westinghouse Elec-
trio and Manufacturing Co, of Pitts
burgh; William II. Nichols, chair
man of the Allied Chemical and Dye
Corporation, of New York; Henry ID.
Sharpe. of the Brown & Sharp Man
ufacturing Co., of Providence; A. II.
Rogers, of Rogers, Mayer & Ball, of
New York; and Prof. r. Fl. FernaId,
of the University of Pennsylvania.
The fact that big business in the
United States needs more trained
young men to direct 1t than the tech
nical schools are now supplying led
to the creation of this committee.
Youths who are being graduated
from college every June may think
that their talents and services are
not sought after as they should be,
but the truth of the matter is that
il they had the right kind of train
ing and are not afraid of work, they
can command better jobs, with bet
ter pay, and better prospects, than
have been available in the nations
history.
This is indicative not only of the
growth in American industry and of
the strides that are to be made
within the next few years, but also
of changed methods and conditions
of production. The creation of
great industrial establishments and
systems, the increasing use of ma
chinery, power and other labor-sav-
ing devices, and the development of
methods of control of production
and distribution are all important
factors in the situation. Mass pro-
duction adds greatly to the amount
of product per worker, and 1t like
wise requires a relatively larger in
crease in the proportion of planners
and administrators.
The committee says that the facts
and figures it has gathered demon
strate that both the normal progress
in industrial methods and the ap-
preaching new competitive condi-
tons will call for a more decided
change than eve before in the quail
ty and number of trained experts
and leaders.
The big problem, according to the
report, is to adapt the education of
those who are to direct industry to
the ever-changing conditions of in
dustry itself. The needs of the next
generation must be considered in the
educational plans of today.
The committee may be said to be
sounding a warning, as well as
broadcasting a message of opportun-
ity to young America. But through
it the leaders of industry are also
serving notice on their competitors
throughout the world that in the
coming decades struggle for indus
trial and commercial supremacy the
United States will marshal the
necessary army of 400, 900 trained
youths. The way will be found to
increase the nations facilities for
technical education no effort
will be spared to impress boys of the
proper age with the idea that their
big chance in life may be found in
industry.
In It's preliminary consideration of
the matter the joint committee has
reached eight conclusions which it
desires to have widely disseminated
and discussed. They are, in sum-
mary:
There is a rapidly growing need
for administrative and technical
ability in virtually all lines of ac-
tivity, especially in manufacturing
and mechanical industries.
There is an increasing demand for
graduates of engineering schools to
enter upon work that will fit them
for positions of administrative as
we'll as technical responsibility.
The demand for young men with
capacity for becoming administrative
or technical leaders is far greater
than the number of such men now
being graduated from engineering
schools.
II is equally as important that a
greater proportion of the graduates
of engineering schools be young men
of high quality as that the total
number of graduates be increased,
Therefore admission to these schools
should be based on ~selective tests.
h preparatory schools can per-
form a great service to industry as
well as to the student by evaluating
the advantages of an engineering
course and guiding toward the en-
cheering schools boys who have an
interest in producing things.
There is a growing opinion that
the engineering schools should pro-
vide a thorough grounding in fun
damentals of engineering and APP
piled sciences rather than special
lied training.
= . =
There should be more and better
training schools of courses in con
nection with industrial establish
ments to supplement the work OF
the colleges. Close coordination of
educational effort is therefore neces-
sary between industrialists and
educators.
No better illustration of the need
of industry for trained men could
be cited than the fact that it is
VIGOROUSLY difficult for the United
States government to retain in its
employ the experts whom it de-
velops in it's laboratories and other
scientific establishments. No sooner
does a man become a recognized
specialist in a given line than Uncle
Sam finds that private business is
bidding for the mans services. and
gradually Uncle Sam loses in the
competition.
Government salaries are low. the
opportunities for advancement are
mot esnacia11v a~ttraQfiva m n mbitfous