The Birmingham age-herald., 1924-12-14


 August Belmont achieved more dis
 Inction in sport and in society than in
 inance during the last 20 years. Half
 century ago, the Belmont firm rep
 ksenting the Rothschilds, was a tower
 Ind a power in the world or finance.
 he second generation, however, dlon
 hoose to apply their noses to the grind lones. They believed in enjoying lire
 D their own way.
 IThe financial pace has become so
 trenuous that 1t is well nigh impossi-
 he for a man to be both an active lead
 t in finance and an active leader Tn
 bort or in society. Finance mas pe-
 bme a jealous mistress.
 Ideal count. The simpler they are, he more valuable, as a rule.
 At one time there was in the United ktates army a Private Disque. During he world war there was 8 General hisoue, He was the former private. Ee was the man assigned to tackle the 1roblem of finding the gigantic amount
 if lumber the government needed rom he Pacific coast. When the hard Ieaded and hard-fisted lumber opera brs learned that an army officer was b become their super-boss they scoffed Ind sneered. They expected-they told he so themselves-a proud dandy to kome along bedecked with lots of frills Ind furbelows.
 Within a month or two he had won Enc hearty cooperation Of them all: 4 uch an impression didrhe make that, l understand, the lumber operators beg ed him to remain in charge after the Ear at S5O, 1000 a year. General Disque. owever, refused on the basis that he zouldn't consistently accept any position rising out of his war work. So he became interested in-ribbons. cling selected to direct the important and distributing actiVi- lies of Johnson, Cowdin, Emmer1cn, snc,. with headquarters in New York. Here, according to men in the industry, se is again making name for him Jeff. This one incident throws side light on his resourcefulness: Ribbons are furnished merchants on Spools containing, usually, somewhere bout fifty yards. A strip of paper IS wound around between each layer or sibbon, When stock taking came, merchants always had to unwind every ard of ribbon on partly used spools In order to measure it. It was long, tedious task.
 General Disque sized up this unsatis- |actory situation and promptly hit upon simple cure. He had each strip Of paper marked off, starting at the center bf each spool, every third yard, every half yard and every yard. Now a clerk cling ribbon, since all he or she has b do is follow the markings on the paper.
 Brains count, don't they?
 TsIking about brains, Samuel Insull, IT,, only son of the famous public util- ty leader of Chicago and the Middle West, related an interesting incident at little luncheon given him in New York this week.
 Among the vast Insull properties was distant plant that wasn't doing very we'll. A young graduate of the Massa- ,husetts Institute of Technology, then earning less than $250 month, was sent to look 1t over. He promptly put nto operation an idea which will save $500 a month as long as the plant operates.
 Queer, isn't it, how some of our big nen have sons who are utterly worth ess, while others raise splendid ones. Edsell Ford is no more interested in or amiliar with his fathers colossal ac- ivities than is young Sam Insull. Grad Iating from Yale, young 1nsull i'm nediately plunged into work and al hough he is only 24, he already is the lctive manager of several utility com )auleS. I1o UcllSNCS III 6Cbtih6 SAooO SO he people, "in either regulatory com or the public" he says. "Get dose to the people. Talk things over with them. Take them into your confi- lence by showing them all your cards. Above all,/ give your manager in each the power toNsettle local problems off his own bat-people don't ike to feel they are dealing with un- Ierlings possessing no authority. An ther thing: We never believe in wait ng until we are compelled to reduce ates. We cut them whenever and wherever we can and as soon as ever ve can. This policy pays in the end"
 Happy the man who is blessed with sensible son, for though he may gain ger -do-well sons, he is doomed to go orrowing to his grave.
 The dinner rendered owen D. Young his week attracted the most notable athcring of financial and business saders America has known in years. If course, MT. Young, as head of the ,eneral Electric, occupies a tremend- usly influential position and he has layed the leading role in the settlement Europe's tangles. But the gathering yas a testimony to his great person. lities rather than to his power. Owen ). Young operates very quietly, very mildly, very smoothly, but very eff He gets there, not by forcing thers out of his way, but by carrying hem along with him.
 Unless all signs miscarry, 1925 should e a good year both for business and yage earners.
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