The Week in Business

May 20, 1931 Page 15 is too late to change. He has taken his like William Howard Taft, who, I his decoration as an officer of the Legion stand with the Watsons, the Reeds and imagine, entered the White House in of Honor. the Smoots—the reactionary elders of the belief he could advance Theodore the G. O. P.—and, if only for the sake Roosevelt's policies, but discovered that ^Â Titan Passes of consistency, he must carry on. He it was much easier to go along with the cannot hearken to the more socially regular boys. It would be ironic if the GEORGE FISHER BAKER moves on, sin minded men in his party, to those with parallel should run through to the Tues cerely and affectionately mourned by vision and courage, to the hard-headed day after the first Monday in November hundreds of the world's outstanding leaders of business and industry. He is of 1932. A. F. C. bankers, statesmen and industrialists. He was honored by many unofficial titles, such as the "Dean of American The Week in Business Banking" and the "Grand Old Man of Wall Street." Judge Gary hailed him as "New York's first citizen." ^^Still Waiting business documents of all time. Going to work as a clerk at 16, he The plan, which was worked out by made his life all of a piece, embodying USINESS continues to mark time, Thomas L. Chadbourne following an ef the ideals of industry, integrity and con with no development on which the fort made by President Machado of servatism. That he became the nation's B cheer leaders might base a loco Cuba about a year ago, calls for the third richest man (his personal fortune motive or even a shorter vocal demon segregation of surplus stocks of sugar being exceeded only by those of John D. stration in the stands. That corner we for orderly marketing over a period of Rockefeller and Hen'fy Ford) is merely were supposed to have turned a month years; restriction of output of the chief an incidental sign-post of his career. He or more ago seems to have led to a poor exporting countries of the world so that was primarily the great stabilizer—one ly paved street with a sharp down the future output as well as the annual on whom the country could depend abso grade. sales of the segregated surpluses will lutely in any emergency of war or peace. General indices, even when adjusted equal and not exceed consumption; and In banking, he despised shady deals for seasonal variation, offer little en governmental sanction to control ar and sensational methods. For many couragement. Steel production has rangements so that recalcitrants will years during the period of startling con dropped to 47 per cent of capacity; have no opportunity to take advantage centrations of banking capital, there was building construction, car loadings, elec of their fellows. a saying in Wall Street that the First tric power and cotton cloth production There were seven signatory nations— National Bank would never figure in a are all down, and failures are up. The Cuba, Java, Germany, Poland, Czecho merger as long as George F. Baker only sign of light comes from the auto slovakia, Belgium and Hungary. While was alive. This was a true saying, and mobile industry, which shows a slight the agreement will affect the entire the First National under the able leader gain. sugar-exporting industry, in which more ship of his son will surely continue the The outstanding development of the than two billions of capital is invested, Baker tradition. week was the reduction of the rediscount it promises to be of greatest value to rate by the Federal Reserve Bank of Cuba, whose economic existence has ^f^Going Down New York to 1^ per cent, the lowest been seriously menaced by the decline rate voted by any central bank since of the price of sugar to the present level CONTINUING the friendly race between the Federal Reserve system was estab of about 1% cents a pound. English and American economists to lished. Cuts have been made also by six This is a conspicuous example of skill see which can turn out the most copy, other regional banks—Boston, Phila ful business doctoring, and no fair- John A. Todd, principal of the Liver delphia, Chicago, Cleveland, St. Louis minded observer will begrudge Mr. pool City School of Commerce, con and Dallas. Chadbourne's personal triumph, nor tributes The Fall of Prices (Oxford While this general reduction of short- University Press, $1.25). term money rates may have some effect The meat of Mr. Todd's argument is on international movements of capital, in Chapter V, "Possible Cures." While just what impact it will have on our he does not believe that the world's di domestic business muddle is difficult to minishing gold supply has been the forecast. Theoretically it should help major cause of the fall in prices, he the bond market, and many bankers be warns that the danger of a world scar lieve that business in general will not city of gold is hanging over us, and that revive until the public shakes off its we should begin to think seriously of fear complex and resumes the buying possible remedies. One would be to dis of bonds. In the past, easy money has courage the use of gold in industry and generally stimulated bond-buying, but the arts (especially in what are known all signs fail in dry weather and right A- as the "luxury trades") by imposing a now the business weather is dry as a tax on such use. bone. In conclusion, Mr. Todd takes a <::„:•• •-.; •'>-.•,»• V:.• •.-••.>p-. <«:**.'ililiv-*.! swing at the idea (now being widely de r^Suga/s Five-Year Plan bated in England) that the gold stand •^^r>X^;§^^ ard should be abandoned entirely. The IN BRUSSELS on May 9 delegates repre results, he says, would be disastrous— senting 80 per cent of the world's sugar- '.-'Sii' :.. •• • "not only suicidal tp ourselves but en '-"/•iv" •"• • •.••*' -•^1 •:\ exporting industries affixed their signa •^^j^.-SfSa" "JJV?" tirely against the whole modern ideal of tures to what may eventually be re hi..^: international cooperation." Keystone garded as one of the most important GEORGE F. BAKER FRANK A. FALL. PRODUCED BY UNZ.ORG ELECTRONIC REPRODUCTION PROHIBITED Page 76 Outlooh and Independent The Spotlight on Sports -TT- fii^VKpr^ rr^-igf •»-^t-. &JtSA^1i-lAâactifVi^^Mjiimi .ûM .-twr^. •.OM.II^ "Kli. J -l ' \Jt.'-^^JlI \^"sl-b ^ i? 1 7^ i.'^'SiijLiiJ ^Êighteen-Hole Lottery thirty-six holes is fairer than eighteen, Kennedy has been running Marathons why not double that distance and make since Johnny Hayes, Bloomingdale rib S THESE lines are read the it seventy-two.^" bon clerk, popularized the grind by British Amateur golf champion A fundamental difference in national beating Dorando back in 1908. Bill A ship field will be tuning up at psychology is reflected in the dissimilar doesn't win these days, but he always Westward Ho, a typical seaside links methods of conducting the British and finishes. sprawling along Devon's jagged coast. American championships. They regard Kennedy proposed the recently There are a dozen American entries at their amateur tournament as a sporting adopted resolution condemning the prac Royal North Devon, but George Voigt adventure. We look upon ours as a cold tice of "the hand holding finish." It is the only top flighter among them. In blooded scientific test to determine the seems that chummy competitors, who view of the numerical odds, his chance best golfer. I might add that Voigt, un weren't anxious to beat each other, have of winning this glorified lottery seems like Bobby Jones, is partial to eighteen- been linking hands down the home remote. hole matches. stretch and breaking the tape in a Why lottery? Because the British Siamese twin waddle. Amateur championship calls for two ^^Pheidippides in Port Chester "Kin ye bate it!" growled Kennedy eighteen-hole matches per day over a with fine Celtic scorn. "Them byes hold full week, the final alone being at thirty- EVERY MAN TO HIS TASTE, which explains ing hands like park bench spooners, and six holes. There is no medal qualifying why Marathon runners get that way. they call thimselves Marathon runners! test. Contestants begin chewing each Call 'em "nuts" or wild-eyed "bugs," if Shades of old Pat Pheidippides! If his other's manes at match play right off you will, these Marathoners have at name wasn't Pat it should have been. the reel. least hit upon an inexpensive way of Nobody but an Irishman would be fool Class doesn't have a fair chance to having what they call a good time. They enough to run his heart out for nothing tell at eighteen holes. A slow start is seem to thrive on the pavement pound but glory! usually fatal—the laggard is apt to "run ing. I use that phrase advisedly for most "Marathoning isn't tough on the heart out of holes" before he can catch his of the Marathon races in this country or the wind if you're hardened to it. It's alert adversary. Luck seldom evens up are run over city streets, concrete roads your stomach and feet that take the bate- over the short route. A few fluky breaks or metaled turnpikes. It's the poor man's ing. A Marathoner is only as good as his may beat the better shot maker. game—no equipment but your under digestion.

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