Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1924-03-22
ATTITUDE TOWARD sPoRT AND
BUSINESS

A suggestion comes to the desk to
the effect that II people were more
concerned with their duties than
with their rights they might hnd the
latter not so difficult to get. 1t
would be hard to show wherein
fairly intelligent people intent on
meeting their obligations need bother
their heads much about getting
what might belong to them.
Part of a recent interview Golfers
has with Henry Ford seems to mt
i'm with this suggestion. Samuel
Crowther, who was Intervening
him. alluded to the furore over the
oil scandal. Mr.. Ford said he knew
nothing about oil but expressed his
conviction that President Coolidge
Lad a cool head and could take care
of it il only they would let him;
that he was more impressed by the
stupdity of the many than | am by
the corruption of the few lie
could not understand why, if the oil
lands really are valuable it happens
the government has possession Oh
them, then he went on to say That
n great deal Of this trouble the
country Is In is due to high prices.
I'VE think we have recovered
from the effects Of the war and the
boom and all that, but we haven't at
all The minds Of people are still
too much conferred on money. we
speak of everything In terms or
money. The man who is making or
selling, whether he be employer or
employee, is thinking OF how much
he can get and not of how much he
can do. He will not stop step for a
Eoment 20 consider that what
actually he will get in the end de-
Iends solely on how much he does.
He Is always trying to force MS
prices up instead OF trying to force
them down. He thinks that he can
take something away from some one.
He wants to get something for Moth
ing. but at the same time to give
nothing for something. One part
of more effective government should
be In the direction Of keeping prices
down, not by observation-disclosures
prices cannot be kept down by
regulation by not doing those
acts which tend to raise prices
Working toward keeping prices
down helps one to gain clearer
cooler view of things, and | think it
IL the duty Of the big corporation to
keep prices down.
. 20, yes" someone says. That's
all right for Henry Ford. He can
make several millions more if he can
get his work done little. more
cheaply.'
Now VIC doubt very mach whether
he was thinking or that, shrewd,
far-seeing business man that he Is
Certainly his success has come from
his ability to make something of
general use within reach of the
average persons pocket book.
Anyhow 1t is little strange that
n generation interested rs is this one
in all sports. where training and
skill are depended on rather than
srickery and bluff. where the
genuine love of sport cannot he
really gratiiicd save by seeing the
best man win. that such n genera
tion, when turning from sport to
business should think of the latter
as game of getting something for
nothing. Strange. isn't It? one
would suppose that feeling for eX-
ccllence, that admiration for staying
qualities. for courage and skill
would somehow have an influence on
the game of life.
Theoretically at least real good
sport" is thinking more of the game
than he Is of the winnings. When
he gets moro interested in the VIM
nings than he is In the sport, the
after soon becomes something else.
merely n device for gambling or
ether iniquity.