| OCR Text |
Show T 1 : fa i-r-'j-y If you hope for a large success, do two full days' work each day. The other dag tec asked Frank A. Van-dcrlip, Van-dcrlip, president of the National City Bank of A'ne York and one of America's leading financiers, to answer the following questions: ques-tions: WHAT ARE THE OPPORTUNITIES offered of-fered to the young man in industrial and business life todny? ARE THESE OPPORTUNITIES the EQUAL of those which our fathers encountered, en-countered, or have difficulties been built up by the revolutionary development of our industrial life, by the aggregation of capital and the increase of its power through the formation of corporations, by the keener competition which characterizes char-acterizes our timos, so that the chances of success are less than in former days, the struggle for its attainment greater, the prize harder to secure, the worrn of tho individual more difficult to demonstrate? demon-strate? Mr. Yanderlip has answered the questions ques-tions in the following article, which should be read hg every young man entering upon the threshold of a career: By FRANK A. VANDERLIP. Vf '-"-'NU MEN, you are u vY" uuter no handicaps be- y? -rr l cause of the time in f? s 3 which your career Is j JsL f i)laccu- A fits believe I can give jfhv n yu 'he most unqualified m vkiJtSP assuranCe of that. I see the situation from the point of view of membership in executive committees of important im-portant corporations, and if I know anything any-thing at all of business and industrial cor- a m It is the duty of the educated man to study political questions. i Xxwsb iSsK.' a v u a I 111 uome Ve ry Pertinent Advice to the Would-Be Successful by FRANK A. VANDERLIP. President of National City Bank of New York and One of America s Leading Financiers porations I believe that there has never been a more insistent call for well-trained, energetic men of character, ability and initiative, nor that the world has never been ready to pay greater rewards or offer so many prizes for especial distinction as is the case today. I speak from a considerable experience in the search of men of exceptional qualifications quali-fications to till places of great importance, and there is no fact clearer to me than the fact that our industrial and business life today is rich beyond anything that has gone before in opportunity for men with nbillty, industry, imagination and character. There is a theory entertained by many that we have reached a time when work should be less urgent than In other days, when men should have more leisure, that their hours of labor should be shorter and periods of recreation longer. If you hope vto gain one of the prizes of life do not adopt that theory for your individual guidance and practice. It may he true for the man whose day's work is solely made up of an expenditure of physical effort; there never was a time when it was less true of the man who hopes to make an intellectual success of life. I have often said to young men who have asked advice about their work that if they hoped for a large measure of success suc-cess they must make up their minds to do two full days' work each day. They must do one full day's work. at their regular appointed task at their job; to that day's work they must bring' energy, a quick intelligence to comprehend compre-hend not only the details of what they are doing but the relation of what they are doing to the larger movement to which their work belongs, and a desire not only to accomplish ac-complish the stint of work that will justify their day's pay, but they must voluntarily and vigorously assume every other duty to which they can lay their hand in addition to that stint, so that they may learn not alone the technique of their own task but the technique of the work others are doing. When they have done all that, however, they have done but one day's work, and they have done but half of what should be the real measure of a day's accomplishment for the man who is determined to make a distinguished success. I tell you if you are to secure se-cure one of the large prizes of success you must make up your mind to adopt the theory of the double days' work, and when the regular day's work is finished you must be prepared pre-pared systematically to devote de-vote some considerable portion por-tion of time to study, toward gaining a broad and intelligent intelli-gent view in all its large aspects as-pects of the work with which you are engaged, toward making additions to your stock of general knowledge, to the understanding of problems of the day, to your duties as part of the social organization. organiza-tion. Tou will not do that by a quick scanning of newspaper headlines, nor a detailed study of the baseball scores; you will not do it by any desultory and unplanned system sys-tem of reading. You will only accomplish it in full measure if you have learned, or have natively implanted in you, habits of systematic mental application, the intelligence intelli-gence to lay out definite courses of study and the strength of purpose to adhere to them. Not. just one more thought in regard to those qualities which make for material success. suc-cess. To forget yourself is more important than to remember any single thing you have ever learned in your lifetime. Do not worry about your personal relation to a piece of work, but give the deepest attention atten-tion and consideration to the execution cf that piece of work. Never mind wberher you have what you regard as your full share of it; never mind whether you are getrin what you fee to be your full measure meas-ure of credit: have the single purpose of getting the work done, of seeing that evyry proper means is employed to do the work better than It. has been done before, and forgot for-got yourself, the credit yon will receive, the relation you personally occupy toward the work, and if you will do that I give you my word you will have accomplished for yourself your-self the greatest good. You will not be un watched. Men will have an eye to your capacities and characteristics, char-acteristics, their observation will be far greater than you guess, and when that overseeing over-seeing eye finds the man who is Interested in the Job more than himself that man will be marked for promotion and for larger things. Integrity, honesty of purpose, good character char-acter are the foundations upon which success suc-cess must depend. You may hear stories of gains that have been made by unfair means, by sharp practices, by shrewdness that only just keeps within the law ; but those gains are not success, and in so far as you will establish a reputation for honor, in so far as you put sound character Into your work and never try to reach a goal by a short cut that means some loss of your own self-respect, you will lay a substantial foundation for real success. This is not a mere preachment; it is one of the most practical suggestions that I could give you out of the years of experience expe-rience that I have had. For just mere practical shrewdness in the way of advice by which to reach position and secure reward re-ward there is no observation that I could make that would be of more use to you than one that I once heard to the effect that God ertinent Advice to the Would-Be jV y FRANK A. VANDERLIP. " , ViM1- National City Bank of New York fci.fU t "9,, I A 3f America's Leading Financiers , feg ' I has never work, and if you will do that I give you my well said that the method of X'jl -V , ' j ( III i ' . Mifij;..'':: ':4'.''f i' 'j . ?ll-trained, word you will have accomplished for your- dividing prosperity is of lit- ft Vw i 6 4"ft V J' ' V'' 'j Dility and self the greatest good. tie Importance if there is no l ' lift ' " V . ' 'lAll til V&ftl has ne You will not be unwatched. Men will Prosperity to divide. In f $ ' X ' , t U V'M !8rffer have an eye to your capacities and char- order that we may all have t A f A., ' "J , 4 f: AA W ,nCtWU S acteristics, their observation wi.l be far Prosperity It will be one of W hk - W t , ; 'A, ' M Vi i greater than you guess, and when that over- r solemn duties, and a W K O 'ffl M&fn :-'V ! experience Interested V f W " ' VV- Dal T in the Job more than himself that man will w" have t0 do (& f V ' - ' uportance, be mM for promotion an for ,arger with the opportunities for &i 7s KH' 'V- e than the " success in life for you, to W, v S.'y , UV J1 -Jit. , -: c 'V V- ' ' i siness life tWngs- make wise poliUcal deel- ( YA'z'A 1V' l &f". li"W,tV t has gone Integrity, honesty of purpose, good char- slong W VJfayJV't V , . I 'jt,,M ,l .C 'i'v - ,th ability, are the foundations upon which sue- Educated men In accept- m?P4f" '"' JMJU' J J'f'l . ' ter. cess must dePend- .You may hear "tones inR the sarae rights of ctti. WfflM$?y MAmAM A r ' ' I by many of S at have been made by unfair zensnip that uneducated men WM WWffiPAX;- : i 't. iv-: !;i hen work means, by sharp practices, by shrewdness acCept assume a far greater wAMA, sT', AJwW ther days, that only just keeps within the law ; but weight of responsibility. It W00Mm'l ft- rt W' 1i' ' ' Ai sure, that "se gains are not success, and in so far ls the duty of educated " WwWtM ' ', . '' WJ' : ' ' ' ". 1 lorter and as you will establish a reputation for honor, mR1 to study with intelll- 'WH'M ' ' ' ' . 1 you hope in so far as you put sound character Into gence the political questions jlfMWMM' f ' ' A-jf'V.v,' ? S' t -? not adopt your work and never try to reach a goal by 0f the day, to form opinions AAMMmW , AW'' f 'M- &$$ guidance a short cut that means some loss of your 0f his own, rather than to AWMMAMIMW ' " ffH'WWA r the man own self-respect, you will lay a. substantial t the ctaa of others, AaWhAAMMjAAj , f A lM':' V':rf':'V43 : up of an foundation for real success. to be a:, intelligent guide to ' UlWffMlW here never This is not a mere preachment; it is one those whose minds have IOMMTotT'IP4 ' Ai'fiW A 7AAfyjM -ue of the of the most practical suggestions that I been less well prepared to IviKllflAlMAAky ntellectual could give you out of the years of expe- form intellectual judgments. MlUMQwA A W 'W'VM"'? Hence that I have had. For just mere With us a majority con- AlAMlffnAAvV AA wAfffcfa'WiW men who practical shrewdness in the way of advice trols actions, and the view of f, 'MM, vJfAf-- '7 A A ffl-yW work that by which to reach position and secure re- the majority tends to usurp AMlmf'JVU'Tm re of sue- ward there is no observation that I could the control of public opinion. ATffAAn ' Wli'fc$Jjs'AJ'Ayfffi ffifV inds to do make that would be of more use to you than Do not fall into the easy rAfflyl rhey ms . Frank A. Vanderhp, president of the National City Bank of New York. : cad somehow so fixed the world that a man can afford to do about right. We are in a time when there is going on much readjustment in regard to our views concerning business ethics, concerning natural nat-ural laws affecting the distribution of wealth, and the varying proportion that different dif-ferent classes are entitled to in that distribution. dis-tribution. It is a time when there is great criticism of the established order; when there are many new theories of how the powers of government should be exercised. These days are fruitful in the birth of hopeful hope-ful plans for giving equality of opportunity, easier conditions of life, a wider distribution distribu-tion of prosperity by the magic of legislation. legisla-tion. Xow. I tell you that there is no new political po-litical economy. There is no novel arrangement ar-rangement of society which will permit you to succeed otherwise than by the exercise of those same qualities that have brought success in other generations. But you are entering active life at a time when sound judgment and serious purpose must be brought to the testing of an endless number of legislative schemes, to the making of political po-litical decisions that will be of the greatest moment It is undoubtedly possible to legislate in a way that will he helpful in effecting a more just division of the results of labor, legislation that will make a more equitable distribution of prosperity, but it has been well said that the method of dividing prosperity ls of little lit-tle Importance if there is no prosperity to divide. In order that we may all have prosperity it will be one of your solemn duties, and a duty the wise exercise of which will have much to do with the opportunities for success in life for you, to make wise political decisions. deci-sions. Educated men In accepting accept-ing the same rights of citizenship citi-zenship that uneducated men accept assume a far greater weight of responsibility. It is the duty of the educated man to study with intelligence intelli-gence the political questions of the day, to form opinions of his own, rather than to accept the dictum of others, to be a:- Intelligent guide to those whose minds have been less well prepared to form intellectual judgments. With us a majority controls con-trols actions, and the view of the majority tends to usurp the control of public opinion. I)o not fall Into the easy habit of taking your opinion from majorities. You have been given the equipment and you now have the duty imposed im-posed upon you of thinking for yourselves. George William Curtis, In an address on the leadership of educated men, described de-scribed this duty of leadership in a way that is worth your reading. Doubtless leaders lead-ers express a sentiment which is shared by t lie men and women around him, be said, but it is the leaders who form and foster the sentiment. They are not the puppets of the crowd, light weather-cocks which merely show the shifting gusts of popular feeling. Educated men do not follow because be-cause they cannot resist nor make of their voices the tardy echo of a thought they do not share. They should not be dainty and feeble hermits because they are educated men. They are equal citizens with the rest. They should be men of strong convictions and persuasive speech to show their brethren what they ought to think and do. That is the secret of leadership. It is not subservience to the mob. It is not giving giv-ing vehement voice to popular frenzy that makes a leader. To do that makes a demagogue. dema-gogue. Leadership is the power of kindling a feeling of sympathy and trust which will inspire eager followers. It was not a mob, an ignorant multitude swayed by a mysterious mys-terious impulse; it was a body of educated men, wise and heroic, who lifted this country to independence and laid deep ( and strong the foundations of the republic. re-public. Those of you who have studied the sciences know something of the immutable natural laws of physics and chemistry-Such chemistry-Such training should have given you a respect re-spect for law which should be carried into consideration of social relations. .Speaking with this thought in mind, President Iladley has said that a man must be mure than a mere producer. "He is a member of the body politic, living liv-ing in constant and complex relations with his fellow man," says Mr. Iladley. "The right adjustment of these relations between man and mau is a more difficult and important im-portant thing than the development of technical tech-nical skill. National education, if it is to be rpally national and not individual, must prepare the way for this adjustment It must teach people not only to make the most of themselves, but. to do the most for others. They must learn how to communicate communi-cate their ideas so that others will understand under-stand them, to arrange their labor so that others can enjoy Its fruits, aqd to take part in the work of government so that the community com-munity as a whole shall be directed by political po-litical intelligence instead of political ignorance." ig-norance." The educated man should be neither too conservative nor too radical. You should recognize the value and worth of much in the existing order, but you shouid be able wisely to see that life is growth and growth ', is change; and while you should welcome j and aid change, you should be far too wise 1 to believe, as some radiculs seem to, that ) whatever is is wrong; that whatever is j novel and untried must hold in it a prom- ' ise of good. You should learn to cultivate . a just moderation; to reconcile change with order, progress with stability. That ii progressive conservatism; that is conservative conserva-tive progrcssiveness. If I have been able to make myself clear to you, you will have seen that I believe that in one word is encompassed the law of . material success, the scope of your duty ; to society, the measure of your responsl-bility responsl-bility to citizenship, THAT ONE WORK ; IS .SERVICE. Make np your mind to serve. It ls . service that receives reward ; it is by service, ; forgetful of self-interest, service for the ! sake of accomplishment, that you will gain the greatest material rewards. It is by service to society, by recognition of rfchts more sacred than any that arc personaf to yourself, that you will gain an nliitr.de ) , toward life rich in permanent satisfactions. j It is by intelligent service, free from j self-interest, in the political activity of your v J time that you will justify the grc-it gift of citizenship which has been bestowed u;in . - you. .' (Copyright, 1917, by J. Kccley.) (' v |
