Evening star., 1932-07-15
THIS AND THAT
BY CHARLES E. TRACEWELL.

permit one of its vehicles deliberately
to draw away from the transfer point
when the operator of the oncoming bus
loudly signaled him to wait, when the
orders of the company were for him
to wait, and when the passengers de-
sirous of transfer privileges were stand
ing up in plain sight, ready to get off
Yet such things have happened, rules
or no rules.
such things would not happen if there
were more of these modest fellows
patted on the shoulder and showed for
ward into the limelight.
Their very natures would be against
such happenings, hundred instances
of which will occur to almost any one,
according to ones personal and pet
''grouches." Perhaps "the cop on the
corner" doesn't suit you. He is too ag-
gressive, especially when asking you if
you know how to drive. and why.
| Well, put one of these modest sort
O. fellows on the corner and see how
you would like him. Or would you
speed by him, branding him Casper
Milquetoast at glance?
Perhaps you may resent the treat
ment accorded you, upon occasion. at
any one OF Q thousand different estab-
lishments where employees are told what
to do, and how to do it, but do not
always do 1t.
This is one of the perennial prob
lens Of management. but it has always
struck us that more obedience to well
thought out rules and regulations might
be secured if little critical obserVa-
ton were made by executives them
selves, instead of relying upon kicks"
| from the outside.
The trouble with such system of
appraisal is that perhaps SO out Of 100
persons suffering from some form OF
righteous indignation. over some slight
or other which they either have re-
ceived, or think they have received,
will not go to the trouble of registering
! their complaints.
They had rather nurse their griev-
/ ances.
Now this Is perfectly human. and
management ought to make allowances
for it. There is a form OF inferiority
complex, If one wants to call it that.
which seems to strike many workers in
many forms Of business or industry.
They take 1t out" on customers In
perfectly weu-bred ways, so that he
who would register complaint has his
work cut out for him. Energy and
brains which might better be turned
to individual profit are used to put a
consumer "in his place"
The relationship Of clerk and Gus
toner. or any sort Of man or woman
who renders public service to another,
and that other, is based exactly upon
the same set of laws as prevails in
society at large.
1t is perfectly possible for any one.
no matter where he is placed to snub
another human being. and to do it
n1p n g.
back" for the victim
II executives of various sorts would
play the Caliph role for a time. don
big whiskers and a slouchy hat. and
walk into their own firms some day or
other, they might be surprised at the
indifference with which they were
greeted by doormen, messenger boys
elevator men, and so on up and down
the line.
One way out Of this impasse Of the
business world is to put more accent
on the very qualities or heart and mind
which the world has for so long said it
ored by neglect.
It may be submitted that the gen.
! timely polite young man or woman.
who has been brought up in a Christian
! home. and who is not ashamed Of it,
will have more Of personal urge to
be polite than a young Mohican who
! has no other conception of meeting the
public than showing it how smart
clever and "up-to-the- minute" he is.
Such youngsters have their uses in q
complex world. but one may seriously
question whether their use is not
slightly overdone. The tendency seems
to be toward a return to the ives. sir. -
and yes, ma'am" type, not because he
fawns. but solely because he represents
if he is genuine something fine which
should no more oe permitted to go out
of business than out of society.