Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-10-14
COLORFUL BUSINESS LEADER
IS ALSO EXPONENT OF RELIGION
Robert A. Long of Kansas
City, Mo-, to Preside at
Church Dedication.
Recently Named as One of SO
Men Who Govern This
Country.

AS a leader in business and religion,
Robert A. Long of Kansas City, Mo-,
president Of the International Conven-
ton of the Disciples of Christ, Is one of
the picturesque figures of the country
A few weeks ago Mr.. Long was named
by prominent financial writer as one
of the so men governing America. In
sense he may be placed in that cate
CORY among the builders Of business and
character, but those who have known
the motives that have inspired him
during the years of his struggle to a
high place in leadership know there is
no thought of governing power in his
mind.
Over desk in the Kansas City office
of his lumber company, one of the
greatest businesses in America, a
visitor will find this motto:
work, Don't Wait. Laugh, Don't
Weep. Boost, Don't Knock"
That is good philosophy for business
or any kind of living. And Mr.. Long
one Of the few Americans who has
actually built city, is as much inter-
ested in his hobbies as he is in his
business. And among his hobbies are
horses and religion. The turf and the
church are not ordinarily thought of
together, but Mr.. Long is an example of
the fact that a man may have a pas
sion for, fine horses and vet never
gamble, and may be assidious in busi-
ness and at the same time be a leader
in the religious life of the Nation.
Mr.. Long was born December IT,
1850. on a farm near Shelbyville, KY.
1T was my mothers DESIRE" he said.
that I shauld become a minister of
the gospel"
He novar o,0f a,,,n,, %rou.. 49, - =,
influence. At the same time one of his
youthful ambitions was to ACQUIRE
wealth Today as one of the wealthy
men OF the country he Is also one of
It's greatest philanthropists.
Father a Practical Man.
His father was practical, methodical
man who believed in doing. He often
told his son he was too ambitious to
get on"
So for a time the youth remained
with his parents in Kentucky, dreaming
some, when he was not gathering
hlcKory nuts before and after school
hours or stripping blue grass with his
hands. Occasionally his father would
give MIN q runt pig. In such WAYS the
boy made some money and saved II.
Like other young Kentuckians his
dreams turned to the opportunities be-
YONG the Mississippi. So one morning
IN 1873 young Long started for kansas
CITY, where he had an uncle whom he
nad never met. A butcher shop was his
nrst unsuccessful business venture
Next year was "grasshopper year" with
Iot OF crops destroyed. At the sur-
gestion Of his uncle that money might
De made In cutting wild grass and turn
ing ~ INTO nay, young Long with two
COMPANIONS started for Columbus,
kans., and stacked 800 tons of hav
Gut too late, the hay became unsafe
abe. But some lumber they had ship
PED TO build shed for the hay thew
old sell at a good profit. That small
SAFE was the turning point in the young
mans career, small foundation upon
which he built great fortune.
Within two weeks he and his two
trends mad embarked in the lumber
business: Today, as chairman of the
Dosro OF the Long-Bell Lumber Co., his
mus turn out million feet of lumber
Gay. conservative estimate of his
company's output over the years has
been placed at 10000, 900 900 feet of
iumper. which has gone mostly into
the building of American homes.
Has Built on Square Dealing.
Mr.. Long has built up the largest
single business enterprise in Kansas
City on policy of square dealing and
fairness to employees, his competitors
and the public. The most spectacular
event in his business career was the
building OF Longview, Wash. Here a
modern city was built from the ground
up on preconceived and well defined
plan. 1t had population of 5000 on
its first birthday, and at the close of
1929 there were $4,000 residents.
Character building is perhaps the
keynote of Mr.. Longs own goal in life.
From early manhood he has been iden-
tined with the Disciples of Christ, over
whose international sessions he was
chosen to preside this year. For many
years he has generously supported the
work carried on by this body of Chris
tians, not just with money, but with
his time and his mind He was chair
man OF the Liberty Memorial and Al