The president of a big manufacturing concern, who is also its active
operating head, is quoted as saying that he finds a growing tendency
among young men to go after business by sharp practice when they cannot
get it any other way. They will "cut the corners of a square deal to
land an order." In applying for positions, he goes on to say, some young
fellows have tried to recommend themselves by telling how they got
orders for former employers by some neat trick.
"I have had to tell them, square and plain," he adds, "that there wasn't
any recommendation in that kind of talk with me. I have made up my mind
that I am going to write out some plain talks on righteousness and post
them up around the offices and shops where everybody will have a chance
to read them. I have explained my plan about these bulletins to a number
of other manufacturers, and I think several of them are going to do the
same thing. Besides the moral reasons for the policy, it's the only
policy to build up a sound business on. Take even the men who would be
willing to make profit for themselves by shady deals, and they all want
to buy goods for themselves of a firm that they can depend on. I think
our history this past year has proved the wisdom of it; business has
been rolling in from points that we never had an idea of getting
anything from. The Golden Rule works."
Nathan Strauss was once asked what contributed most to his remarkable
success. "I always looked out for the man at the other end of the
bargain," he said.
In 1901 the State of Wisconsin struck a beautiful bronze medal in honor
of Professor Stephen Moulton Babcock, the inventor of the milk test
machine. Professor Babcock, so one admirer says, "knew its value to
farmer and dairyman. He also knew its possibilities of fortune for
himself. This invention has 'increased the wealth of nations by many
millions of dollars and made continual new developments possible in
butter and cheesemaking.' All this Professor Babcock knew it would do
when he announced his discovery in a little bulletin to the farmers of
Wisconsin. But at the bottom of that bulletin he added the brief and
unselfish sentence, 'this test is not patented.' With that sentence he
cheerfully let a fortune go. He wanted his invention to help other
people, rather than make himself rich."
What a difference it would make if everyone should take the Golden Rule
as the motto for each day, asking Christ's help in living in accordance
with it! What a difference it would make in every home if father and
mother and all the sons and daughters should resolve to make theirs a
Golden-Rule household! The first thing necessary in bringing about such
a change in the home is for one member to make the resolution and to do
his best to live up to it. Others will follow inevitably when they note
his careful, unselfish life and helpful acts.
There is a Jewish tradition that a Gentile came to Hillel asking to be
taught the law, in a few words, while he stood on one foot. The answer
was given, "Whatsoever thou wouldst that men should not do to thee, that
do not thou to them." This was good, as far as it went, but there was
nothing positive about it. Christ's teaching supplies the lack, showing
what we are to do as well as what we are to leave undone. Christ always
gives the touch required to make old teachings glow with life.