The Waterbury Democrat., 1934-10-30
Chain Store Strike
 Is Difficult Task
tcontinued from Page !,

Attorney Joseph L. dOSteIler.
 The labor group included James Wilson, former National Federation of Labor vice president, Thomas s. Farrell, secretary Of the Cleve- land Federation of Labor, and rep- resentatives of the individual unions involved in the fight. These include the teamsters, bakers, clerks and managers, auto mechan- ics, metal trades, butchers and cutters,
 Ralph A. Lind, chairman of the Cleveland regional labor board, who has sought unsuccessfully to mediate the trouble, and Arthur l.. Faulkner, labor department con- ciliator, were also expected. Lind has a six-point peace plan which he hopes may be the basis of composing the differences. De- tails of the plan have been guard ed.
 Will Never Go Back New York, Oct 30.-(UP)-As- sociates of George and John Hart ford, doing the largest grocery business in the world under the name of the Great Atlantic and
 Pacific Tea company, said to-day that if they have abandoned their business in Cleveland the decision is irrevocable and the business will not go back-in this generation. The reason for this certainty is that George, chairman, and John, president, represent the Hartford family, and the Hartford family is practically all there is to the com pany that has done for several years. a gross business of $1,000,- 100000 annually. Their de. cisions are subject to no review. The only stockholders outside of the Hartford family have no vote. The two Hartfords, son of George Huntington Hartford, who opened his first tea store in New York in 1859, act as managers for ap- | proximately 20 of his descendants, | and since 1916 have paid relatives | approximately $80,000,000 in divi- dends and put $130,000,000 more back into the business.
 Teaem is Efficient The "team" of George and John is considered one of the most ef- ficient in American economic his- tory. George inherited his fathers cautious instincts and saw the de-
 pression coming. He instituted | the A & P's system of one-year
 store leases.
 John has imagination. He was the partner who, beginning in 1912, | established 7,500 new stores in a period of 900 days.
 These brothers edict is law over
 a system that sells 10 per cent of all the groceries bought by Ameri- can housewives, through 90,00o employees scattered from coast to coast in 15,500 vermilion-f -fronted
 stores. In 50 years of work with
 the concern they have made but
 one concession to modernistic trust | devices.
 They have decentralized the sys- | tenn and set up six principalities,
 each ruled over by a president | who is either a member of the
 Hartford family or an old associ- ate. They also have organized sev-
 eral purchasing and manufacturing corporations-for coffee, tea and
 canned goods.
 l Their First Stores
 The first 7,5O0 stores established Under John Hartford's supervision
 were organized on a simple prin- ciple-$1,000 for the store, $1,000 for the retail stock and $1,000 for working capital. Some of to. days stores, in the more swanky
 streets, have gone beyond the or-
 iginal idea, costing at the outside
 as high as $7,500. >-
 John, by virtue of his position,
 is the "contact" man-the trav-
 eler. He goes about the country,
 inspecting plants and stores. He has even been to Europe, where lGeorge has never ventured. George | by contrast, sits as the financial lhelnl, concerning himself with aud-
 iting and profits.
 What Title stock, comparatively | speaking. is on the open market comes from two sources-emnloyes who bought it and then sold out land preferred stock which had been converted from previous notes.
 None of this stock carries votina | power.
 Beginning with 1916,. when a
 profit of $1,S21,O00 was piled up the receipts of the company have grown steadily until in 1882, a net
 profit of $2s,793,000 was recorded
 A & F President Talks = New York, Oct 30.--(UP)--Johr A. Hartford, president of the Great 1 Atlantic & Pacific Tea company left for Washington last night firm | ly resolved to abandon the. com. lpany's Cleveland business and stand
 a loss of millions.
 IL. f- Ax.4H Co Y.