Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1923-01-11
NEW ARMOUR CO.
HEAD STARTED AS
S18 A WEEK CLERK
BY MARGARET NORRIS.
Oeased Wire Service to The Journal J
Copyright, 1921

CHICAGO, Jan. 10.-"I hate to
smash popular idols but never kill
ed steers for a living" Edison White,
newlS-elected president of Armour
and company, sat in his luxuriously
equipped rose mahogany office,
whose windows overlook the pens
and slaughter houses of the Union
stockyards, and smiled a genial
smile.
81 know steers from the nose to
tie hoof," he said, that's why I'm
here. But when I came to Armour
and company I was far less conspi-
cuous than the butcher. I was an
$1S a week clark. But that was 80
years ago."
| This is the man who has been
chosen from among q half dozen
vice presidents to succeed J. Ogden
Armour as president of the largest
| packing house in the world. Breadth
OF vision and extensive knowledge
| of the business in it's smallest de-
tails coupled with remarkable ex-
ecutive ability and an infectious per-
sonal magnetism were the qualifica-
tons which won him the office.
II was never contented to be a
big frog in a. little puddle he con-
tinued II wanted to be in the big
.gest puddle-and then wasn't con-
tent to remain a little frog. That's
the real secret Of success-have your
ambitions and then pursue them for
all you're, worth"
Quit $40 a Week Job.
In harmony with this theory Of
the big puddle, Mr.. White at the
age of Fl left a $40 week job in
a San Francisco packing house to
apply to Armour & Co. for work.
He, was given the clerkship at
SIS a week, wage which scarce.
ly equals his present income for each
working hourly
"I wanted to get at the source of
things" said Mr.. White, II knew
could never be president of Armour
and company if stayed in San Fran
cisco so I gave up the job and came
here"
The new president of Armour and
company hatmonizes we'll with the
luxurious surroundings Of his office
He is built on a big scale with a
rudy face and a wealth of snow
white hair which at first glance
makes him appear older than his 40
years. His eyes are gray and very
keen under shaggy, gray brews, and,
as though the better to accentuate
his unusual coloring, he was dressed
in light gray even to tie, and spats,
when he left directors meeting to
submit to few moments of inter-
viewing. To say that Mr.. White has
risen from the ranks is not quite |
right. Although he began work in |
his teens, foregoing a college educa-
ton to get ahead in his job, yet he
came of excellent family.
MY father was big feeder in
Peoria, ILL.," said Mr.. White. my |
earliest recollections are of driving |
the stock over the prairies. Those |
were the good old days before Mr.. I
Volstead had thrust his morals on |
the world and Peoria was the home |
of vast distilleries. Quantities of corn
from which the sweet juices had I
been squeezed for the stills, were
thrown to the farmers, making
cheap food for stock, and Peoria
was the stock feeders heaven.
Started Keeping Books
Refrigerator cars were unknown |
in those days SO stock was sold to To- |
cal packing houses instead of being |
shipned to Chicago as now. My first |
job Was keeping books for Gode1 and |
company, a small packing house in
Peoria. I took it purely as a vaca- |
ton job, between terms of business
college, but continued it instead of |
1
me their city salesman"
At the age of 10, young White was
called to San Francisco, where in
two years ne became manager of the
dressed beef department of the
Western Meat company.
r 7"But 1 wasn't contented there"
said Mr.. White. fI saw that if 1
really wanted to succeed I must go
to the fountain-head Of the business
rather than to the outskirts, so back
/ came and offered my services to
Armour and company.
"Fhis was" 1898 and was at the |
halcyon age of 81"
But even in a concern so vast as
that of Armour, genius does not lie
idle under a barrel. 1t was soon dis
covered that the clerk knew meat.
He was made manager of the dressed
beef department. Soon he asked for
permission to organize a sheep de-
partment, an innovation in the firm.
This permission was granted and
from then on his rise was not only |
steady but swift
1.-THE public at large has the wrong |
conception of the packing business,
especially of the stockyards," said !
Mr.. White. Popular fallacy paints |
it a poorly conducted, foul-smelling |
place such as Upton Sinclair de- |
scribed in The Jungle But there's |
no jungle here-any more-there |
never was one such as he painted it |
16 years ago. 1t has kept apace with |
all other industries.
Last week a bunch of New York |
bankers came to see me. They en-
tered our main Office and shifted |
the air of the corridors with wry |
noses. Where's the smell?' they !
asked me in surprise. They didn't |
oil ho oiY ;y1 oil +b1 ~