Evening star., 1926-10-08
MEN .AND ~>NEY
By NJ. S. Rukeyser
(Copyright. 1o26.)

The typical American housewife Is
replacing servants in the home with
new electrical labor.saving devices,
according to Matthew S. Sloan, presi-
dent Of the Brooklyn Edison Co. one
of the first four power stations in the
world
Not only is the affiuent housewife
holding down expenses by getting rid
of the servant problem, but the
woman who always did her own work
in the home is freeing herself of ira
ditional drudgery and backaches
through the adoption of washing ma
chimes. vacuum cleaners. percolators
and electric stoves. The effect of
these innovations in raising the stand
ard Of living is far-reaching. In Mr..
Sloan's words, they are doing more to
make the lot Of the average woman
happy than all the preachments Of re-
formers.
Substituting the new slave-elec-
tricity-for the former sweat and
groan Of human labor also has a pro-
found business significance. 1t gives
woman more leisure. and an opportu
nifty to acquire new luXuries and cul-
tural experiences. Specifically. the
present clamor for things electrical
means that the current demand on
the part Of American consumers is
larger than ever before in history.
and Is growing at the rate of Is per
cent year. That is the explanation
of the present unprecedented pros
perity of we'll managed electric light
and power enterprises. 1t indicates
whv the investment status Of public
utility securities has improved in
spectacular manner. Three Common
wealths have recently for the first
time made public utility bonds of the
best type legal investments for saw
ings banks and other trust funds. and
another is seriously considering TAX
Ing the same step.
Making Over National Life.
AS Mr. Sloan sees it. push button
housekeeping is making over the
American national life. giving our
people far more comforts and con-
veniences than were ever before en-
Joyed by the ma asses. Electricity re-
places servants at a time when i'm.
migration restrictions make house
workers scarce. The next great
squirt. according to Mr.. Sloan. will be
In the popula aria tion of refrigeration
machines. The great need. he SAYS.
is Ford who can get the price down.
Mr.. Sloan figures that if the electric
ice box is adopted by all present con
s'mers of electricity the demand for
power In the homes will be almost
doubled.
Mr.. Sloan's company has grown
rapidly in earnings since he took
charge six years ago. He has already
voluntarily given the customers one
rate decrease. and promises another
as soon as sufficient economies can be
introduced.
Mr.. Sloan Is an engineer who thinks
that the chief task of an executive
is to satisfy his customers rather
than to tame generators. He believes
he can establish good will only by
giving service. Instead of running
away from complaints. he advertises
for them. A recent announcement
which ran in periodicals of a total cir.
culation Of 100000 brought only
eight complaints. Mr.. Sloan finds
that most complaints from consumers
are warranted. He himself sends
personal letter to every kicker. sny-
ing that an investigation will he in.
stituted. Forty-eight hours later he
writes again, giving the results of
the inquiry. If an employe of the
company is discourteous to patrons.
he loses his job unless he can square
himself with the dissatisfied customer
Native Of Montgomery, Ala.
In this way and others Mr.. Sloan.
a.. and a native Of Montgomery, Ala,
has transformed the public attitude
toward his company. Americans. of
course. like to wear badges and shake
hands with celebrities. Sensing this.
no doubt. Mr.. Sloan makes folks with
a grievance happy by sending them a
personal note signed by the president
Of A big corpora ton. thus initiating the
customers ego. The system would
not work. however. unless the fine
words were backed by good service.
After getting his degree from the
Alabama Polytechnic Institute in Au-
burn. Mr.. Sloan entered the public
utility business. One of his first Jobs
was aS general manager OF a company
i'm a small Alabama town. Mr.. Sloan
went out and set the poles. then
climbed the poles and strung the wires
and connected the feeders to the Gus
TONER'S house. and even set the meter
In the new home. lie later went to
birmingham. New Orleans and then
New York.
At college he was considered a crack
bicycle rider and sprnter. He was
also member of the varsity track.
base ball and foot bal teams. He en-
courages athletics among his 1000 em-
ployes and makes it possible for one
third Of the younger workers to AT
tend the company's school to widen