New Britain herald. [microfilm reel] (New Britain, Conn.) 1890-1976, 1928-09-18
]. F. ROLFE TRACES
TRADE EVOLUTION
Newspaper Executive Speaks
Interestingly 10 Lions Club

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Changing conditions in industrial
and economic phases Of modern
life. required readjustment of the
mode OF living Of the individual. and
make it necessary that the in
dividual be prepared to adapt him
self to new conditions and situations
al they arise. according to John F..
Rolfe, general manager OF the Hart
ford Times, who spoke to the menu
beers Of the Lions club at the Burritt
hotel today ON THE Business of the
Future"
There is nothing wrong with
business today" the newspaper
executive stated. There is nothing
wrong with America. We are pass
ing through a phase of business
much the same as we might drive
in cars through fog. We cannot
see the scenery because Of the fog.
The scenery In there but We are too
close to the fog to see the trees"
The speaker pointed out that the
History of many nations Ia written in
war and blood, while that of Ameri-
ca II written in business and the
development Of the resources of the
country. He pictured the develop
ment OF America from the day Of
the peddler's wagon in New England
and said that II New England had
been SO situated that 1t was impos-
sible to produce everything that was
needed without the aid of the rest of
the country. the progress OF the
country would have been written in
much smaller figures. New Eng
land has developed into an inde-
pendent community by the very
necessity of maintaining life," he
said,
The speaker referred to the
changes in the transportation sys-
TENS, pointing out that many pres
cnt had seen tho birth and were
seeing the passing OF the trolley sys-
tenn. He pointed out that from an
incident in San Francisco in the
morning photograph can be trans
mitted SO rapidly as to be in a New
Britain or Hartford newspaper the
same day. He referred to the fact
that freight is being transported by
airplanes and that thousands Of peo-
pie are being carried daily in hum
dreda of airlines without an acct
dent. This condition. he explained,
has helped to shift business and the
purchasing power Of the country.
Mr.. Rolfe illustrated how the mo-
ton picture has changed the
thoughts and lives and desires OF the
nation. how 1t has brought culture
into homes, raised the standards OF
taste and created a new national
market in commodities used in the
home. He pointed out how the
modern kitchen has departed from
the old fashioned large farmhouse
kitchen of an earlier generation to
point where everything from the
pots and pans to the kitchen range
and family clock has taken on a
color scheme, putting new life and
brightness in the kitchen.
He told of the development OF the
machine age and how labor saving
machinery is supplanting the slower
and less efficient hand labor. TAX
ing a hypothetical situation he re-
ferred to the history of John Jones,
who worked for years In a factory.
He was a good workman and with
the aid of his employers built HIM
self little home. bought a car and
was peaceful and happy. Overnight
a chemist poured something from q
vial onto piece of metal. the re-
suit revolutioned the industry, the
factory in which John worked lost
its market and 1t closed its doors.
John not being able to meet chang
ing conditions was out Of job.
John did not advance with the
times" he added.
Taking as illustrations of chang
AhS maj Ncto WI. Nollc HpOh6 OIL tne
growth of the chain stores and pre-
dicted that from the present chain
store the next step will be the me-
chanicai store. which will make
change. deliver the goods and say
Thank you" at the close of the sale.
This mechanical store will go farth-
er. he said, In reducing the cost Of
overhead and speeding up deliveries.
Another marked change in modern
ia the breaking down
of food packages to the five and 10
cent size. He predicted that this
type of merchandise will in time
the cash and carry and
order store.
He said the popular belief that
chain stores make their profits on
goods carrying their own brand is a
mistake. Seventy nine per cent OF
business In chain stores is done
the sale of nationally ad-
goods" he declared. ''Thc
customer buys nationally advertised
goods because he or she knows that
back Of that article Is a name that
actually means something"
Boston Rapid Transit