Evening star., 1939-04-16
Praises Foresight Of
Edward A. Filene
BY Frederic J. Haskin.

AA'S AAAASOAoCCAy nAtSl bIlCll pdSSIIlks
Most great men seem to live ahead Of
their time. and not until conditions have
brought about things they foresaw and
advocated is it possible to appraise the
measures they sponsored and the under
lying principles that motivated their
lives.
Possibly the only man Of the present
decade whose conceptions of life and
principles of business did not suffer some
lapse upon his death, but rather became
more forceful, was Edward A. Filene,
Boston merchant prince, whose business
associates have presented to the public
volume IN memory and honor of their
comrade. The title speaking of
Change'-signifies what Mr.. Filene al
ways saw. for to him life and business
were not static.
This memorial volume is a series OF
addresses made by him in the present
decade, and its publication was planned
before his death on September 2s, 1887.
The several chapters express the Filene
philosophy, and cover all phases of life
as he saw and lived it, The book is not
issued for profit but to perpetuate the
business philosophy of one of the Ma
tion's greatest individualists.
EDWARD A Filene was more than an
mdlVldualist of the first order: he was
trall-blazer in every progressive move
ment. His thinking was independent,
and he expressed his thoughts in terms
that could not be misunderstood. vet in
language that was gentle and con.
vinclng. He was philosopher, but never
wore the title His opinion he asked no
man to accept, and he had no quarrel
with those who failed to see eye to eys
with him. Sincerity and frankness were
great attributes of his life, but there was
no rancor in their expression.
Mr.. F1lenes frankness in politics was
the same as in business. For example.
he was Democrat, but he said on manv
occasions that it was nauseating to him
to hear habit-bound politicians of his
party trying to convince themselves and
their constituents that the depression
was the direct result of the Republican
partys policies. With equal force and
sincerity he reminded his Republican
friends that there was no such thing "a
Republican prosperity. He could not be
convinced that party politics made or
marred business. His formula for sic.
cess was work and more work, and he
belleved firmly that too often politics
was used as srnokescreen to avoid adj
mission OF business initiative or ability to
ADJUST business methods to meet chang
ing times
Being an economist out OF his ex-
peHences and wide observations. Mr.
Fllene maintained that the Nations eco
nomic collapse came because it had fol-
lowed road which had an ending; that
the depression was elimination of cir
cumstances which had been in the max
Ing more than half century. To him
1t was neither Republcan-made, nor
could Its consequences be charged to
democrats Many measures adopted bv
the FEDERAL Government within the last
nve years were advocated by him 10
years ago. =,
But while Mr.. Filene was outspoken.
ana frank about politics and business he
was something Of an enigma. News.
papers frequently referred to him as "the
Well-known merchant and philan.,
thropist." His rating was not that of a
great merchant, but an extraordinary:
merchandising genius, for it was this dv-,
manic son who built up Boston's WELL,
known store of William Filene's Sons Co.,
1t was not until he took charge that such
great innovations in merchandising took.
place-lnnovations by which the stora,
fairly rocketed to fame.
While he made no pretense at gen..
eroslty. he gave millions to prevent hu-
man suffering. To him the best charity
was TO provide every man with a Job. and.
the best generosity of any age was to,
make business function sufficiently to
produce jobs so people could earn their,
own living. All his plans to help hu-4
manlty had some work phase attached
ana as an advocate of high wages, he;
mad no peer. Raise wages and create
business was to him sound business
principle. He practiced what he
preached :,
In 1919 Mr.. Filene established the,
Twentieth Century Fund, refusing to
call it the Filene Fund. He refused even.
TO direct it. He assembled a BODY Of.
seven directors, each of whom. includinse
himself, had but one vote as to how the4
money was to be spent. BY commons
consent the fund was not spent for char.
lty Instead the money was put to work
on tact-flnding projects. making discov-
ered facts work Tor the greater advance
ment and happiness Of all people. The.
activities of the fund have been far-f1une
and effective.
Medical clinics now organized In many
cities can, in many instances, trace their,
beginning to the Filene conception OF
medical care. He advocated the under.
taking and pushed it with unremittin1
energy personally and through the
Twentieth Century Fund. He spent a
small fortune in fighting for it, believ.f
ing that the cost Of proper medical care
is an almost unbearable burden on most
families. The movement, although con-
troversial, seems destined to become OF
vital Importance to the entire Nation. Z
Mr.. Filene was not always a popular
man, but this was one of his least con-,
Germs. His insistence on propressive
measures did not always make him the
popular member of the several local
national and international organizations
OF which he was guiding spirit. His