The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1924-05-09
BY w. A. p. JOHN

NAprinted by Courtesy of MoToR) |
They had been telling me of his
genius in the fields of merchandise
ing and financing and manufacture
ing-those bankers and business men
Of Toledo to whom l talked.
They had RECALLED me with vivid
reminiscences-high lights of those
nine glorious years in which he had
accomplished his astounding feat of |
turning $500 into $S0,000,000.
From the top of the finest and
largest individual office building in |
the world, had surveyed the largest |
single automobile plant in the world; |
acre upon acre of buildings stretch |
ing as far as the eye could see
through the dirty West Toledo haze.
My pockets were bullying with clip
pings obtained from his calm-eyed
secretary, who had been carefully
collecting them for years out of that
spirit of affection he seems to engen-
der in all who have contact with
him.
had heard discourses on his
vision, his enthusiasm, his unfailing
optimism, his ability to endure Cruel
ling hours of work, his blind stub
bornness not to accept nor even rec
olDnize defeat.
Valuable information. that, to one
who would write Success story"
But this isn't that kind of a story.
This is the story of John N. WHY'S,
the man; with his business success
dragged in nv the heels. as it were.
as proof of his manifold qualities of
commercial genius.
SFor two mornings I talked with
TIledoans who had known him Is
or 16 years. men who had seen him
come to the sleepy. overgrown town
in 1909 and who had stood on the
sidclines to cheer while he played his
brilliant game Of marshalling nil
lions. All spoke their praise and ad-
miration-even those who had Sc
cretly suspected him of insanitv
when he was conjuring factory build
ings out Of thin air against the time
when America would be buying mo-
tor cars in yearly millions.
WILLYS JOSHEs ATTENDANT
A godsend to the biographer-
hose affable, admiring Toledoans
Who had met him after he had made
yer a million dollars in a single
ear. But the man was overjoyed
20 meet was a quiet, retiring lawyer
Who had known him back in Indiana
oils when he was trying to borrow
1900 and who had been at his side
cver since-through success and adj
versity and back to success again.
We were in the lavatory of the hand
ONE new Toledo club, which WHY'S
lad fathered and financed, and been
resident of since it's regeneration.
there was a genial, spontaneous
hating match between the multi
Millionaire and the grinning colored
10Y attendant. Both had jabbered
doughboy French.
s'Eh, bien Melvin, Comment allez
rous &c soir
'Tres bien, Monseer WHY'S. Tres
I ben"
"Melvin, you know" Ito me), "is
he only French-speaking club at
,Andant in captivity. Aren't you,
gelvin? %
"Yessuh, Mistah WHY'S, gotta talk
my language what tn membahs
wishes to speak. Good thing all wus
n tn ahmy."
"Dont suppose you learned any
German, did you?"
German Melvin rolled his eyes.
Indeed not, Mistah WHY'S. Indeed
not. So furs me an Germans wuz
concerned.
The lawyer whispered in my ear,
"He hasn't changed bit from the
very first day knew him. Same old
wonderful, democratic John that he
ever was"
Then, later, over the dinner table
came another illuminating flash
this time from WHY'S himself. As a
result of question l had put, we
had been discussing salaries and
bonuses. do you believe" l had
asked, that big salaries to executives
are an essential to building up an
organization
absolutely" was the prompt ans
wer. 81 believe in it-but | haven't
besn able to make it work! One OF
the biggest and most costly mistakes
| ever made has been to pay salaries
that were too big. 1t not only cost
me millions, but it ruined lot OF
a men. Made them lose their perspec-
~ tive. Gave them big head, it you
will"
0UTSHlNING ARABIAN SECTION
He leaned over the table and point
ed at me the gold pencil with which
he had been toying. "Mr. John, al
most any normal man can stand ad-
versity. He can endure poverty and
trouble and disappointment and the
rigors of self-denial. But. it takes
a damned good man to stand pros
perity! A damned good, strong,
finely balanced man! That's the big
test!
"Take the average. man who is
making a good income, more than
enough for his needs. Put him in
big job, then give him salary Of
100000 year, and hand him bon
US check of $4,000 or $4,000 at
Christmas, not because he feels that
he has it coming, but because you
want him to share in the profits he
has helped you create. What hap
pens? Unless he is Just about 100
perIscent, and has that, g0d-given
~ ability to take cold, impersonal stock
in himself, he gets a swelled head
and--bang.1 he's ruined. It cost me
$2O,OOO,O00 to learn that :,
IS DEMOCRATIC "
There, in the first five hundred
words. you have John N. WHY'S. the