Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1928-07-31
RETIREMENT AGE
MOOTED QUESTION
Some Big Executives Think
Youth Should Be Served.
Others Differ. d

'pecial Dispatch to The Star.

special Dispatch 10 The Star
NEW YORK, July 31.-A great
manufactures took issue with Henry
Ford today on the efficient age limit of
men In business and the relative merits
Of youth versus experience were vigor-
ously debated by business directors all
over the country.
David Kirschbaum of PHILADELPHIA
long established as a manufacturer of
mems clothing. who has Just retired
declared today this was an era for
| young men to assume the leadership of
big business. Mr. Ford in a statement
! published today said he had not found
the age limit. You take all the expe-
| rience and judgment of men over so
| out OF the world" he continued, land
| there would not be enough left to run
| It," The president of one Of the large
| insurance companies today vetoed a
proposal to put a large amount of the
funds Of his corporation into a COM
pany, undoubtedly prosperous, on the
| grounds the executives were too young
| to have a background OF experience.
1.-THE head of the concern is real
| Napoleon of finance" declared a direc-
tor In favor Of the investment.
Don't want Any Napoleons.
I'VE do not want to invest in any
! Napoleons," said the president dryly
II would rather have Foch than a
/ Napoleon and Gladstone or a John
/ Hay than a Mussolini"
| Mr. Kirschhaum, on the other hand
| says he Is retiring because he realizes
| not only that youth must be served,
but should be served.
Trade. as conducted today" he con-
| tinued. lis upon such huge scale and
| competition is so keen and profits so
- ,rtsx .~F Il
| the best of talent are essential to meet
conditions satisfactorily.
| ANY one who gives thought to the
subject must comprehend that all the
| astounding progress which has been
made within comparatively few years
| Is not without its effect upon the con-
duct Of business. Speed, which reduces
the time necessary to put transaction
through. is the chief element in the
4 evolutionized commercial affairs. Con-
til asst If you win the counting house of
.Sn old business with q modern man.
aga merit located in Offices high i'm the
ais on the upper story of skyscraper.
In the up-to-date Office the Quill pen
has been supplanted by the stenogra-
phelv and by the typewriter and mani
foldi.Ny machinery. If there were no
other %shange. think what those inno-
vations would mean in the daily dis
patch ,oi business. But follow the writ
ten wo.,d' and observe the quickness of
transmission. Special delivery stamps
and airp1a mes insure speed and prompt
delivery Which may be supplemented or
replaced N.y use OF telegraph or tele-
phone wir,.s or radio communication.
Revolution in Transportation.
There hast been a revolution not only
$v4 AtnN fn&
so that freight trains have been speed
ed I'D and now move with dependable
regularity on RIA ular schedule. All the
talent of invenhit'n seems conferred OH
speed with automobiles, trucks. air.
planes, motor tpa Is and steamships
and railroads ALI aiding to expedite
business procedure. to such an extent
that only an alerty man Is capable of
accomplishing the amount OF work that
is necessary.
THE race is to thta swift and regard
less of his experience the man of years
must step aside. as modern methods
are too rapid for hins, but no doubt
there will still be time;e when the wis
dom Of experience via be consulted
in an advisory capacityx
One OF the firms wi Ach specialize
In the very products which MIR. Kirsch-
baum emphasizes has iMvolutionized
and speeded up business methods has
changed back TO its old executives after
a period when new and yosa1ger men
were given q trial to see what they
could do. The decision was male when
1t was found that ''snap Judgment"
while 1t saved time. did not save money
and that the mature decisions >of the
more experienced men had their value
as well as the high pressure naeAhods
of the youths.