CHAPTER XII

SPECIAL FORMS OF UNFITNESS

Place a quinine tablet and a strychnine tablet of the same size on the

table before you. Can you, by looking at them, smelling of them, or

feeling of them, tell them apart? Would you know the difference instantly,

by their appearance, between bichloride of mercury tablets and soda

tablets? Down in the basement of a manufacturing chemist's huge building,

there is a girl placing tablets in boxes and bottles. They come to her in

huge bins. One tablet looks very much like another. Upon her faithful,

conscientious and unerring attention to every minute detail of her rather

routine and monotonous work may depend the fate of empires.

In an office on the main floor of this same building sits a man directing

the policy of the entire industry. Upon him rests the responsibility for

the success of the enterprise a year, five years, twenty years ahead. He

gives an order: "Purchase land. Build a factory for the making of carbolic

acid. Equip it with the necessary machinery and apparatus. Purchase in

advance the needed raw materials. Be ready to put the product on the

market by the first of September." The execution of that order involves

minute attention to thousands of details. Yet, if the man who gave it were

to consider many of them and render decision upon them, the business would

rapidly become a ship in a storm with no one at the helm.

The work of the girl in the basement, sorting tablets, may turn out to be

far more important in the world's history than the work of the man in the

front office, managing the business. It is just as important, therefore,

that she should be fitted for her vocation as that he should be fitted for

his.

GENERALS AND DETAIL WORKERS

Fortunately for carrying on the business of the world, there are many

people who love detail, take delight in handling it, find intense

satisfaction in seeing that the few little parts of the great machinery of

life under their care are always in the right place at the right time and

under the right conditions. Since there is such an incalculable mass of

these important trifles to be looked after, it is well that the majority

of people are better detail workers than formulators of policies and

leaders of great movements. Tragedy results when the man with the detail

worker's heart and brain attempts to wear the diadem of authority. He

breaks his back trying to carry burdens no human shoulders are broad

enough to bear. He is so bowed down by them that he sees only his mincing

footsteps and has no conception of the general direction in which he is

going. Nine times out of ten he travels wearily around in a little circle,

which grows smaller and smaller as his over-taxed strength grows less and

less.

When you put a man of larger mental grasp in charge of a wearying round of

monotonous details, you have mingled the elements out of which a cataclysm

sometimes comes. These are the men who, with the very best intentions in

the world, fail to appear with the horseshoe nail at the correct moment.

To be there, at that time, with the horseshoe nail is their duty. Nothing

greater than that is expected of them. Yet, because their minds grasp the

great movements of armies in battles and campaigns, they overlook the

horseshoe nail and, as the old poem says:

"For the want of the nail, the shoe was lost;

For the want of the shoe, the horse was lost;

For the want of the horse, the rider was lost;

For the want of the rider, the battle was lost;

For the want of the battle, the kingdom was lost--

And all for the want of a horseshoe nail!"

Perhaps the man who bore the title of rider ought to have been charged

with the duty of being there with that horseshoe nail, and the man who was

only a blacksmith's helper should have ridden the horse and saved the

battle and the kingdom.

INDICATIONS OF DETAIL AND NON-DETAIL APTITUDES

It ought not to be difficult for any man or woman to know whether or not

he or she is qualified for detail work. The man who enjoys detail and

takes pleasure in order, system, accuracy, and exactitude, down to the

last dot and hairline, ought to know that he is qualified for detail work

and has no business trying to carry on or manage affairs in which there is

a considerable element of risk as well as many variables. Strangely

enough, however, many of them do not know this, and over and over again we

find the detail man wearing himself into nervous prostration in the wrong

vocation.

On the other hand, the man who hates routine, grows restive under

monotony, is impatient with painstaking accuracy and minute details, ought

to know better than to make himself--or to allow himself to be

made--responsible for them. And yet, nearly every day someone is coming to

us with a complaint about the monotony of his job--how he hates its

routine and how often he gets himself into trouble because he neglects or

overlooks some little thing.

It ought to be easy enough to tell the difference between these two

classes of workers. If you are a brunette, with fairly prominent brows and

somewhat sloping forehead, a chin prominent at the lower point and

receding upward toward the mouth; if your head is high and square behind;

if your fingers are long and square-tipped; if your flesh is elastic or

hard in consistency, then you can trust yourself to take responsibility

for things in which seeming trifles may be of the highest importance. If,

on the other hand, you are blonde or red-haired; if your head is round and

dome-shaped just above the temples and round behind; if your nose is

prominent and your chin narrow and receding at the lower point; if your

flesh is elastic, with a tendency toward softness; if your fingers are

short and either square or tapering, then you had better prepare yourself

for some vocation where you can deal with large affairs, where you can

plan and organize and direct, and let other people work out the details.

COURAGE AND RECKLESSNESS

The story is told of two soldiers going into battle. Both pushed forward

swiftly and eagerly. They were rapidly nearing the danger zone. Already

men were falling around them. As they went on, one suddenly looked at the

other. "Why," he cried, "your face is white, your eyes are glazed, your

limbs are trembling. I believe you are afraid!"

"Great God, man! of course I am afraid," replied the other. "And if you

were one-half as afraid as I am, you would turn and run."

Here we have the discrimination between real courage and mere

foolhardiness or recklessness. There are some vocations which require

courage. There are others which require an element of recklessness. It

requires courage to drive the locomotive of a railroad train at a speed of

eighty miles an hour, but it also requires caution, prudence,

watchfulness, and even apprehension.

In a western factory men were wanted for an important job, one in which a

moment's carelessness in the handling of levers might cost a dozen fellow

workmen their lives. "Find me," said the superintendent, "the most careful

men you can get. I do not want anyone dumping damage suits on the

company." The employment department found the very careful men, but none

of them were satisfactory; they were all so careful that they made no

speed, and soon had to be relieved for this reason, and because the

constant nervous strain was too much for them. Here was a kind of work

requiring a certain cool, calm, deliberate recklessness. Men were found

with steady nerves, keen eyesight, quick reaction time, and smooth

co-ordination of muscular action, together with a moderate degree of

cautiousness. These men liked the work for the very tingle of the danger

in it. They swung their ponderous machines to their tasks with a sureness

of touch and a swiftness of operation which not only delighted the

superintendent, but inspired confidence in their fellow workers.

INDICATIONS OF COURAGE AND CAUTION

If you are brunette, with small, sway-back or snub nose, narrow, rounded

chin, and a tendency to disturbances of the circulation; if your head is

narrow at the sides and high and square behind, look for a vocation where

caution is a prime requisite, but do not get yourself into situations

where you will have to fight or where there is so much risk that your

natural apprehensiveness will cause you to worry and lie awake nights.

Contrary wise, if your chin is broad and prominent, your head is wide

above the ears, low and round behind, and rather short; especially if you

are a blonde, with a large nose, high in the bridge, and a big rounded

dome just above the temples, select for yourself a vocation where success

depends upon a cheerful willingness to take a chance. You may blunder into

a tight situation now and then, and you will occasionally make a bad guess

and lose thereby, but you will not be inclined to worry and you will

greatly enjoy the give and take of the fight by means of which you will

extricate yourself from undesirable situations.

QUICKNESS OR SLOWNESS OF THOUGHT AND ACTION

If you are of the thoughtful, philosophical type, instead of the keen,

alert, practical type, don't attempt to win success in any vocation

requiring quick thought and quick decision. You like to reason things out;

you want to know why before you go ahead. Your success lies in lines which

require slow, thoughtful, careful reasoning, mature deliberation, and an

ability to plod diligently through masses of facts and arguments.

If, on the other hand, you are of the observant, practical,

matter-of-fact, scientific type, your vocation should be one calling for

quick thought, quick decision, ability to get the facts and to deal with

them, keen observation, and one not requiring too great a nicety of mental

calculation.

If you have a small, round, retreating chin, beware of any vocation which

requires great deliberation in action, because you are very quick to act.

Your hands, once their task is learned, move very swiftly. You are

inclined to be impulsive. If your forehead is of the type which indicates

quick thinking and you have a large nose, high in the bridge, then you are

of the keenest, most alert, most energetic and dynamic type. No sooner do

you see a proposition than you decide. No sooner do you decide than you

act, and when you have acted, you want to see the results of that action

immediately. You are, therefore, unfitted for any vocation which requires

prolonged meditation, great deliberation in action, and a patient,

plodding willingness to wait for results.

If your chin is long, broad, and prominent at the point, your action will

always wait upon your thought. If your thought is quick, as indicated by

the sloping forehead, your action may follow very quickly, but never

impulsively. If, on the other hand, your forehead is one which indicates

reflection and slowness of thought, then you will be very deliberate,

postponing action in every case until you have carefully and painstakingly

thought the entire matter out. It is useless for anyone to try to rush you

to either decision or action, for you may have it in you to be quite

hopelessly stubborn.

THE SOCIAL QUALITIES

Some time ago a splendidly educated young man came to us for advice. "What

I want to know more than anything else," he said, "is why Hugo Schultz

always sells more goods than I do. I spent two years in high school, four

years in a special preparatory school and four years in college. I have

had eight years of fairly successful business experience. For two years I

have been a traveling salesman. When I first started out my sales amounted

to only about $5 a day, on an average. Within a year I had pushed them up

to $1,000 a day, on an average, and now sometimes I sell $3,000 or $4,000

worth a day. With the exception of Hugo Schultz, I sell more goods than

any other man representing our company. If I sell $52,000 worth in a

month, Schultz sells $65,000 worth-yet Schultz has never been beyond the

fourth grade in school. He is ten years younger than I am, has had

practically no business experience, and has only been on the road one

year."

Upon examination, we found that this young man was selling goods with a

splendidly trained intellect. He analyzed all the factors in his problem

carefully, even down to the peculiarities of every one of his customers.

He presented his goods with faultlessly worked out arguments and appeals

to the common sense and good judgment of his customers. He was, therefore,

more than usually successful. In answer to our inquiry, however, he said:

"No, I hate selling goods. The only reason I keep it up is because there

is good money in it--more money than I could make with the same amount of

effort in any other department of business. I do not like to approach

strangers. I have to lash myself into it every morning of my working life,

and it is very hard for me to be friendly with customers about whom I care

nothing personally."

"What about Peter Schultz?" we asked. "Is he a good mixer?"

"It is his whole stock in trade. Now that you have called my attention to

it, I can see clearly enough that he takes delight in meeting strangers.

Why, even when he is off duty, he finds his recreation running around into

crowds, meeting new people, getting acquainted with them, making friends

with them. I see it all now. He sells goods on the basis of friendship. He

appeals to people's feelings rather than their intellects, and most people

are ruled by their feelings. I know that."

At our suggestion, this intellectual young man gave up his business career

altogether and turned his attention to journalism, where he has been even

more successful than he was as a salesman. Needless to say, Hugo Schultz

is still breaking records on the road.

It is difficult for anyone who is not by nature friendly and social to

succeed in a vocation in which the principal work is meeting, dealing

with, handling, and persuading his fellow men. There is an old saying

"that kissing goes by favor," and doubtless it is true that other valuable

things go the same way. People naturally like to do business with their

friends, with those who are personally agreeable to them. It takes a long

time for the unsocial or the unfriendly man to make himself personally

agreeable to strangers, or, in fact, to very many people, whether

strangers or not.

If it is hard for the unsocial and unfriendly man to work among people, it

is distressing, dull and stupid for the man who is a good mixer and loves

his friends to work in solitude or where his entire attention is engrossed

in things and ideas instead of people.

INDICATIONS OF SOCIAL QUALITIES

Notwithstanding these very clear distinctions and the seeming ease with

which one ought to classify himself in this respect, we are constantly

besieged by those who have very deficient social natures and who are

ambitious to succeed as salesmen, preachers, lawyers, politicians, and

physicians.

There is plenty of work in the world which does not require one to be

particularly friendly, although, it must be admitted, friendliness is a

splendid asset in any calling. Scholarship, literary work, art, music,

engineering, mechanical work, agriculture in all its branches,

contracting, building, architecture, and many other vocations offer

opportunities for success to those who are only moderately equipped

socially.

If the unsocial and unfriendly are deceived in regard to themselves, no

less so are the social and the friendly. Again and again we find them in

occupations which take them out of the haunts of living men, where they

are so unhappy and dissatisfied that they sometimes become desperate. Why

a man who likes people and likes to be with them, and is successful in

dealing with them, should take himself off on a lonely ranch, twelve miles

from the nearest neighbor and twenty miles from a railroad, passes the

comprehension of all but those who, through experience, have learned the

picturesque contrariness of human nature.

It is easy to distinguish, at a glance, between the social fellow and the

natural-born hermit. Go to any political convention, or any convention of

successful salesmen, or to a ministers' meeting attended by successful

city preachers, or to any other gathering attended by men who have

succeeded in callings where the ability to mix successfully with their

fellow men is of paramount importance. Get a seat on the side lines, if

possible, and then study the backs of their heads.

THE HEADS OF POLITICIANS

We attended two great political conventions in 1912. There were more than

one thousand delegates at each convention. So certain were we of the type

of men successful enough politically to be chosen as delegates to a

national convention of their party, that we offered a prize of ten dollars

to the friends who accompanied us for every delegate they would point out

to us who did not have a round, full back-head, making his head appear

long directly backwards from the ears. Although our friends were skeptical

and planned in some detail as to what they would do with the money they

expected to win from us, we attended both conventions without a penny of

outlay for prizes. If you know any unfriendly, unsocial men, look at the

backs of their heads and see how short they are.

There are vocations for all who have the courage, the ambition, the

willingness to work, the persistence to keep ever-lastingly at it. Finding

one's true vocation in life means, not finding an easy way to success, but

finding an opportunity to work and work hard at something interesting,

something you can do well, and something in which your highest and best

talents will find an opportunity for their fullest expression.

Just as finding an unusual talent for music means years and years of the

most careful study and preparation, followed by incessant practice; just

as finding of a talent for the law means years of work in schools,

colleges and universities; so the finding of a talent for business,

mechanics, science, construction, or any other vocation involves years of

study, self-development, preparation, and practice, if you are to achieve

a worth-while success.

A HARD-LUCK STORY

The following incident illustrates plainly enough the mental attitude of

the average fellow--the reason why he has failed, and the remedy:

A man came into our office complaining of his luck.

He was on the gray and wrinkled side of the half-century mark, somewhat

bent, and slow of step.

This was the tune of his dirge:

"My life is a failure. I have never had a chance. My father was poor and

couldn't give me the advantages that other young men had. So I've had my

nose on the grindstone all my life long.

"See what I am to-day. While other men have made money and, at my age, are

well fixed, I am dependent on my little old Saturday night envelope to

keep me from starving. That wouldn't be so bad, but my employers are

beginning to hint that I'm not so lively as I was once and that a younger

man would fill the job better. It's only a question of time when I'll be a

leading member of the Down and Out Club. Then it'll be the Bay for mine."

Our friend, whom we call Mr. Socratic, butted into the conversation right

here.

"Pretty tough luck!" he said. "Know any men of your age that are doing

better?"

"Sure, lots of 'em."

"What's the reason?"

"Well, they have had better luck."

"How do you mean? Investments turned out better?"

"No; I never had anything to invest."

"How, then?"

"Well, they had advantages."

"What, for instance?"

"Education."

"Why didn't you get an education?"

"Couldn't afford it."

"Had some income, didn't you?"

[Illustration: FIG. 49. Hon. Joseph Walker, of Massachusetts. Has good

degree of balance between practical and ideal tendencies. Is shrewd,

ambitious, determined, persistent, courageous, intellectual, oratorical,

dramatic, forceful, social, and optimistic. Excellent planner and schemer.

Note high, wide forehead, prominent at brows; keen, shrewd and determined

expression; high, wide head; height of head just above temples; square jaw

and chin; firm mouth; short upper lip, and well-built, prominent nose.]

[Illustration: FIG. 50. Hon. Lon V. Stephens, former Governor of

Missouri, keenly observant, intensely practical, rather serious, ambitious

energetic, courageous, friendly, far-sighted. A public speaker of some

dramatic ability. Note great prominence of forehead at brows, depressed

corners of eyes and mouth and tip of nose, high, long head, medium-short

upper lip, and prominent chin.]

[Illustration: _Photo by Paul Thompson_.

FIG. 51. Hon Oscar Underwood, United States Senator from Alabama.

Practical, energetic, ambitious, courageous, determined, enduring. Note

resemblance in profile and head shape to Figs. 48, 50, and 52, also

politicians. A public speaker with considerable dramatic talent.]

[Illustration: _Copyright by Harris & Ewing, Washington, D.C._.

FIG. 52. Hon. Victor Murdock, Ex-Congressman, of Kansas. Practical, alert,

keen, ambitious, combative, courageous. Has considerable dramatic talent,

as shown by large nose, short upper lip and long, prominent chin. Compare

with Figs. 48, 50, and 51.]

[Illustration: FIG. 53. The late Robert C. Ogden, Merchant and

Philanthropist. A man of keen, practical, commercial judgment, high

ambition, great energy, strong determination, and strong sense of justice,

together with idealism, benevolence, optimism, and kindliness. Note large

development of brows; width of forehead across center; high head, domed

above temples; large, well-formed nose; long, straight upper lip;

straight, firm mouth, and poised, calm, kindly expression.]

[Illustration: FIG. 54. Prof. P.G. Holden, Agricultural Expert and

Teacher. A fine admixture of the physically frail and bony and muscular

type, hence his intellectual interest and ability in agriculture. Has

ambition, energy, and great social and friendly qualities. Note height and

length of head, development of brows, and size and contour of nose.]

[Illustration: FIG. 55. W. Nelson Edelsten, Insurance Special Agent.

Keen, observant, alert, ambitious, energetic, courageous, refined,

sensitive, emotional, enthusiastic, appreciative of approval, friendly.

Note prominence of brows, high head, large, well-formed nose, chin, and

ears, fine texture, high dome over temples, short upper lip, and alert,

high-strung, friendly expression.]

[Illustration: _Copyright by Harris & Ewing._

FIG. 56. Dr. Beverly T. Galloway, Assistant Secretary of Agriculture of

the United States. Same as FIG. 8. Note high crown large prominent nose;

very full backhead.]

"Yes, but only enough to live on."

"Had time to study, didn't you?"

"No--always had to work."

"What about your evenings? Have to work nights?"

"No."

"Had a pretty good time, didn't you?"

"Oh, yes."

"Out with the fellows and the girls about every night?"

"Yes."

"Wore good clothes, smoked good cigars, hired livery rigs, took in good

shows, lived pretty well, shook dice a little, risked a few dollars on the

ponies now and then?"

"Oh, yes; I was no tight-wad."

"You had to be a good fellow, eh?"

"Sure, I am only going through this world once, so I have had a good time

as I've gone along."

"You couldn't have put in two or three nights a week studying and still

have had a good time?"

"Oh, I might have, I s'pose, but I didn't have the money to buy books."

"How much do you figure you spent, on an average, on those nights you were

out with the boys?"

"Oh, I don't know; sometimes a dime for a cigar, sometimes three or four

dollars for theater tickets, supper, and the trimmings."

"Well, would it average two bits?"

"Yes, I guess so; all of that. Maybe more."

"If you had saved that for two nights a week, it would have counted up

about two and a quarter a month. Buy a pretty good book for that, couldn't

you?"

"S'pose so."

"And if you had been buying books and studying them, going to

night-school, or taking a correspondence course all these years, you would

have had an education by now, wouldn't you?"

"Well, I don't know. Some men are born to succeed. They have more brains

than others."

"Who, for instance?"

"Well, there's Edison."

"Yes; and while you were having a good time with the boys, wearing good

clothes, and enjoying the comforts of life, Edison was working and

studying, wearing shabby clothes and patched shoes, so that he might buy

books. What right have you to say that Edison has a better head,

naturally, than you until you have done what Edison did to develop his?"

"Well, if you put it that way--none, I guess."

"Then you might have been an Edison if you had sacrificed, worked, and

studied as Edison did?"

"Perhaps."

"Then where does the 'hard luck' come in? While you were having a good

time, Edison was having a hard time. Isn't that so?"

"Yes, and now Edison is on Easy Street and I am headed for the Bay. I see

your point, Mr. Socratic. I guess it isn't luck, after all. It's my fault.

But knowing that won't make it any easier for me when I get canned."

"What's the use crossing the bridge before you get to it? I read the other

day of a man who studied law, was admitted to the bar, and made money on

it, all after he was seventy years old."

"Think there's any chance for me? Can I learn anything at my age?"

"You learned something just now, didn't you?" asked Socratic.

"Yes, I guess I did."

"Well, if you can learn one thing, you can learn a hundred, can't you?"

"Guess so."

"Will you?"

"I sure will."

If you are a worker and not a shirker--if you are a lifter and not a

leaner--if you have done your best to succeed in your present vocation,

and are still dissatisfied, and feel that you could do better in some

other line of work, we hope that this book has been of some assistance to

you in determining your new line.

If, however, you have never attempted your best--if you have never worked

your hardest--if you have grown weary, and laid down your burden in the

face of difficulties and obstacles--if you have neglected your education,

your training, your preparation for success, then, before you make a

change, before you seek vocational counsel, do your best to make good

where you are. It may be the one vocation in which you can succeed.

PART TWO

ANALYZING CHARACTER IN SELECTION OF EMPLOYEES

CHAPTER I

THE COST OF UNSCIENTIFIC SELECTION

People used to thank God for their sickness and pain--at the same time

naively praying Him to take back His gift. This inconsistency was due to a

combination of ignorance and the good old human foible of blaming some one

else. Folks did not know then, as well as they do now, that they had the

stomachache because they were too fond of rich dainties. The cause of the

pain being mysterious, they went back to first principles and blamed (or

thanked) God for it. They believed that God afflicted them for their good

and His glory, but their belief was hardly practical enough to keep them

from praying Him not to do them too much good or Himself too much glory.

Bodily ills are no different from our other troubles. In case of doubt as

to their origin, it is far more convenient to blame some supernatural

source for them than to take the blame upon ourselves. In support of this,

take the attitude of employers toward strikes and lockouts, their most

outbreaking and violent troubles. These are named in all of our contracts

along with lightning, tornadoes, floods, and other "acts of God," if not

directly, at least by inference It is plain enough, at any rate, that

those who draw up the contract consider strikes and lockouts as wholly

outside of their control, as they do the elements. It is the same old

ignorance, the same desire to shift the blame.

WHO IS TO BLAME?

Modern business common sense counts strikes and lockouts among preventable

industrial diseases, just as the modern science of medicine classes

smallpox, diphtheria, typhoid fever, the plague, tuberculosis, and the

hookworm amongst preventable bodily diseases. The strike is a violent

eruption, according to those who have made the closest study of the

situation, resulting from long-continued abuses of bad management, bad

selection, bad assignment of duties, and other vicious or ignorant

practices. So a fever is a kind of physical house cleaning for the removal

of debris of months or even years of foolish living.

But persistent violation of the laws of health does not always lead to

acute disease. Seated in the office of a prominent and successful

physician in a Western city one day, we were discussing with him the true

nature of disease. "My patients," said he, "many of them are now lying on

beds of pain, burning with fever. They are called sick people. The folks

walking along the street out there are called well people. The terms are

inaccurate. Fever is the effort of nature to throw off poisons, poisons

which have been accumulating in the system for years as the result of

wrong ways of living. Many people suppose that fevers are caused by germs.

This is not true. No germ can harm or disturb a healthy body. It is only

when the body is depleted in vitality that its defenses come down and

germs find a ready soil in which to propagate. People who have fevers,

therefore, are only taking a violent manner of getting well, and, if

wisely treated and intelligently nursed, they do get well. As you know, it

is a very common experience for a person to feel far better after recovery

from a spell of sickness than he has for years previously. Now, nine out

of ten of the people going along the street who call themselves well are

not well. The majority of them are probably only 25 per cent, efficient

physically. They are loaded up with the debilitating consequences of their

own recklessness or ignorant manner of living."

A PROLIFIC CAUSE OF INEFFICIENCY

In the same way, there are latent illnesses and inefficiencies in many

commercial organizations which never reach the point of strikes and

lockouts. For some reason or other that lively germ, the walking delegate,

fails to get a foothold. Perhaps there would be a beneficial house

cleaning if he did. Discontent, dissatisfaction, unrest, and constant

changes in personnel load the body up with wastes, inefficiencies and

unnecessary expenses. Any employer who thinks at all, and who has any

basis for judgment as a result of observation, knows that what he desires

to purchase, when he pays wages, is not a prescribed number of days and

hours, is not a standard number of foot pounds of physical energy, but

rather human intelligence and human willingness and enthusiasm in the use

of that intelligence in his service. It is true that most employees do a

certain amount of physical work, but it is also true that the value of

that work depends entirely upon the amount of intelligence and good will

the employee puts into it. The employee who is doing work for which he is

not fitted and is unhappy and discontented is doubly inefficient. He is

inefficient because he is not well fitted for the work and could not do

his best even if he were perfectly satisfied and happy. And he is

inefficient because he is in a bad psychical state. With his mental

attitude, he could not do good work even if he were in the place for which

he was best fitted.

Efficiency experts maintain that the average employee in our industrial

and commercial institutions is only from twenty-five to thirty-five per

cent, efficient. Sixty-five to seventy-five per cent, loss in productive

power on the part of the forty million workers in this country constitutes

an almost incalculable sum.

Who is to blame for this loss? Are we not too intelligent, too well versed

in the laws of cause and effect and too courageous to try to blame the

Almighty for it or to lay it to the public schools or to hold the employee

accountable? As a matter of fact, no matter how we may try to shift the

blame, those of us who are executives know only too well that our board of

directors and stockholders hold us strictly responsible for results. What

they want is dividends, not excuses. They do not care to hear how hard it

is to find good men. They are not interested in the stories of employees

who are so ungrateful as to leave just when they have become most useful.

They will not permit you to shift any of the blame upon the shoulders of

the employee. They expect you to use methods in selecting and assigning

employees and handling them after they are selected that will yield the

largest possible permanent results.

HIGH COST OF HIRING AND FIRING

Employers who will take the trouble to study their records for some years

past, will, unless they are very exceptional, find that the average length

of service in their organization is much shorter than they would be

prepared to believe unless the actual figures were before them. We have

the word of its manager in regard to a certain foundry in the Middle West

that the average period of employment for any one man in that foundry is

only 30 days. We know a large steel mill employing 8,000 where the average

length of service per employee is a few days more than four months. These

figures were given to us by the employment manager of the mill. The head

of the employment department of a large electrical manufacturing company

stated to us that the average length of service per employee for his

organization was one year or a little less.

From "Current Affairs," Boston, we quote the following significant

editorial:

"Do employers realize the waste and extravagance and actual money loss due

to haphazard hiring and firing?

"Twelve typical factories were recently investigated as to their

employment records by Mr. M.W. Alexander. He chose the normal industrial

year of 1912. He chose representative factories, big and little, in

several States. The results of this inquiry were reported in an address

before the National Association of Manufacturers.

"Mr. Alexander found that this group of factories had 37,274 employees at

the beginning of 1912, and 43,971 at the end of the year--a net increase

of 6,697 workers. But the books showed that the factories had actually

hired 43,571 new hands, 35,874 having been dropped during the year Of

course, not all were fired. Some were absent because of sickness, some

died, some left voluntarily; but these were only a small proportion. And

the fact remains that in order to increase their working force by 6,697

these twelve industries had to break in 42,571 new employees and suffer

the consequent extra expense of instruction cost, reduced production, and

beginners' spoiled work. Making liberal discounts for the workers

unavoidably withdrawn, it is estimated that these twelve factories

suffered a definite money loss of more than $831,000 during the year on

account of reckless hiring and firing.

"The conclusion seems justified: 'The highest grade of judgment in the

hiring and discharging of employees is needed. The employment "clerk" of

to-day will have to be replaced by the employment "superintendent" of

to-morrow, not merely by changing the title and salary of the incumbent of

the office, but by placing in charge of this important branch of

management a man whose character, breadth of view, and capacity eminently

qualify him for the discharge of these duties.'"

It is probable that most executives and employers do not know because they

have not fully considered what this rapid ratio of change costs. This

cost, of course, varies over a very wide range, according to the kind of

work to be done and the class of employees. The sales manager of one

organization told us that it cost his concern $3,000 to find, employ,

train, and break-in to his work a new salesman. The employment manager of

one of the largest corporations in the world in-forms us that it costs him

$10,000 in actual money to replace the head of a department. The

employment manager of a large factory employing people whose wages ran

from $5 a week up, told us that the records of his department showed that

it cost $70 to get the name of a departing employee off the payroll and to

substitute thereon the name of a new permanent employee to take his place.

But these are only costs that can be computed. There are other costs

perhaps even greater, records of which never reach the accounting

department or the employment department. Let us tell you a story:

A COMMONPLACE STORY

Joe Lathrop, foreman of the finishing room, had a bad headache. It had

been along toward the cool, clear dawn of that very morning when, having

tearfully assured Mrs. Lathrop for the twentieth time that he had taken

but "one li'l' drink," he sobbed himself to sleep. His ears still range

disconcertingly with the stinging echoes of his wife's all-too-frank and

truthful portrayal of his character, disposition, parentage, and future

prospects. His heart was still swollen and painful with the many things he

would like to have said in reply had he not been deterred by valor's

better part. It was a relief to him, therefore, to take advantage of his

monarchical prerogatives in the finishing department and give vent to his

hot and acrid feelings.

With all his flaying irony and blundering invective, however, Joe Lathrop

never for a moment lost sight of the fact that there were some men upon

the finishing floor whom it was far better for him to let alone. With all

his truculence, he was too good a politician to lay his tongue to the man

tagged with an invisible, but none the less protective, tag of a man

higher up. And so Joe Lathrop let loose his vials of wrath upon those

whose continuance upon the payroll depended upon merit alone. One of these

was Robinson.

HATED FOR HIS EFFICIENCY

Robinson had been finishing piano frames upon this floor for twenty

months. He was a young married man, in good health, ambitious, faithful,

loyal, skilful, and efficient. He was a man who worked far more with his

brains than with his hands. He understood the principles of piano

construction, and was, therefore, no rule-of-thumb man. He had studied his

work and, as a result, had continually increased both its quantity and

quality Robinson was not self-assertive, perhaps a little taciturn, but

there was something about him which made people respect him. Over the

dinner pails at noon there had been many a conjecture on the part of

Robinson's fellow-workers that he was in line for promotion and that he

might be made assistant foreman at any time.

Joe Lathrop knew that Robinson's quiet efficiency and attention to

business had not escaped the superintendent's eye. He felt that the day

might come almost any time when, on account of his "just one li'l' drink,"

or its consequences, he might have to yield his scepter to the younger

man.

DISCHARGED WITHOUT CAUSE

Along about nine o'clock of this particular morning, Lathrop was

brow-beating one of the men for some fancied fault near the place where

Robinson was working. Seeing Robinson quietly doing his work, paying no

attention to the wrangle so near him, only further irritated the suffering

foreman.

"Robinson," he yelled. "You have been here long enough to know better than

this. What do you mean by standing there like a wooden post right beside

this man and letting him make such a botch of these frames?"

Robinson, of course, being a wise man, kept his own counsel, and went on

with his work. He could not acknowledge himself at fault when he was not

at fault. His manhood revolted. His business was to concentrate upon his

own work. Since he could not acknowledge the fault, he therefore said

nothing. This, of course, was just what Lathrop did not want.

"Speak up," he bawled, "explain yourself."

"I have my own work to attend to, Mr. Lathrop, as you know," he said

quietly.

"I'll have no back talk from you, you sulky dough-face," roared Lathrop.

"Get to hell out of here. Go to the office and get your time."

Robinson knew better than to protest. He even hesitated to go to the

superintendent, but finally decided to do so.

"It's a shame, Robinson," admitted the superintendent, "but Joe is an

awfully good man when he is right, as you know, and as long as we keep him

in our service we have to stand behind him in order to maintain

discipline." And so Robinson walked out with half a week's pay in his

pocket.

THE BEGINNING OF LOSSES

Let us estimate roughly what Joe Lathrop's "one li'l' drink" and his

suspicious jealousy cost the piano company.

Of course, his first cost was the loss of time in the finishing room

while Robinson's place stood empty. It is fair to suppose that the company

was making some profit on Robinson. It, therefore, lost the profit of

those two days. Besides this, the machinery and the equipment Robinson

operated stood still for two days eating up, in the meantime, interest on

investment, rental of floor space, depreciation, light, heat, and all

other overhead charges that it ought to have been making products to pay.

In addition to all the overhead charges, the machinery ought also to have

been making a profit for the piano company.

But there were other losses. Robinson's absence disorganized the shop

routine. There were delays, conflicts, piano parts piled up in one end of

the room while other departments clamored for finished frames at the other

end of the room. Then, at least one-half a day of Joe Lathrop's valuable

time went to waste while he was out trying to find some one to fill

Robinson's place. His first attempt was made at the gate of the factory,

where the sea of the unemployed threw up its flotsam and jetsam. But

finishing piano frames is rather a fine job and none of the willing and

eager applicants there could fill the bill. Joe then made the round of two

or three employment agencies who had helped him out in previous similar

emergencies. This time, however, they seemed to be without resource, so

far as he was concerned. Being in considerable perspiration and

desperation by this time, he was probably gladder than he ought to have

been to receive a summons to appear at the court of Terrence Mulvaney.

Terrence, who sat in judgment in the back room of his own beverage

emporium, the place where Lathrop secured his "li'l' drinks," had heard,

in the usual wireless way, that there was a finisher needed at the big

factory Lathrop still owed Terrence for a good many of his "li'l' drinks."

Furthermore, Terrence, by virtue of some mysterious underground

connection, pulled mysterious wires, so that an invitation from him was a

command. For these reasons, also, Joe Lathrop found it discreet in his own

eyes to engage on the spot Tim Murphy, a very dear friend of Mulvaney

and, according to Mulvaney's own impartial testimony, a very worthy and

deserving man.

BREAKING IN AN INCOMPETENT

Valuable hours and moments of the company's time were consumed in

initiating Tim Murphy into the employ of the company. There were certain

necessary processes in the paymaster's department, the accounting

department, the liability department, the tool room, and the medical

department.

Now, while Murphy had had some experience in finishing piano frames, he

was utterly unfamiliar with the make of piano produced in this factory.

Likewise, he was ignorant of the customs, rules, and individual methods

which obtained in the factory. This meant that his employers paid him good

wages for five or six weeks while he was finding his way around. It was

good money spent without adequate return in the way of service. In fact,

during these weeks, the company would probably have been better off

without Tim Murphy than with him, for he spoiled a good deal of his work,

took up a great deal of his foreman's time which ought to have been

applied in other directions, broke and ruined a number of valuable tools

and otherwise manifested those symptoms which so often mark the entrance

into an organization of a man propelled by pull rather than push.

The trouble in Tim Murphy's corner continued to halt and disorganize the

work in the department so that there were still further delays and losses

up and down the line. All this was bad enough, but by the end of five

weeks of Murphy's attachment to the payroll he had demonstrated that he

was not only incapable, indolent, careless, and unreliable, but that he

was a disorganizer, a gossip, and a trouble maker.

BAD EFFECT UPON OTHER EMPLOYEES

Finally the superintendent, who in some mysterious way had managed to

escape the entanglement of underground wires running from Terrence

Mulvaney's saloon, issued a direct, positive order to Foreman Lathrop, and

Murphy's place in that factory knew him no more. Nor was Murphy

astonished or disappointed. He had been expecting this very thing to

happen, and was prepared for it. So when he walked out, two skilful, but

easily influenced companions, walked out with him. Thus Joe Lathrop had,

added to one of his frequent early morning headaches, the serious trouble

of trying to find three men to fill yawning vacancies. The company was

faced with a new series of losses even greater than those which had

followed the discharge of Robinson. Furthermore, there was trouble and

disorganization among the men still remaining in the department. Every man

there had liked and respected the competent young worker, Robinson. They

all knew that he had been discharged largely because Joe Lathrop was

jealous and somewhat afraid of him, and because Joe had had a bad headache

and grouch. They resented the injustice. Their respect for their foreman

dropped several degrees. Their interest in their work slackened. "What is

the use," they thought, "to do our best when superior workmanship might

get us thrown out of here instead of promoted?"

And so Joe Lathrop's series of "li'l' drinks" finally resulted in

decreasing the efficiency of his department to such an extent that the

superintendent was obliged to discharge him. Then the superintendent was

in for it. He had to find a new man. He had to take the time and the

trouble to break the new man in, and the company had to share the losses

resulting from disorganization until the new foreman was installed.

This is not a fanciful story, but was told to us by a man who knew the

superintendent, Joe Lathrop, Robinson, Terrence Mulvaney, and Tim Murphy.

Nor is it an unusual story. Just such headaches, discharges, troubles, and

losses are occurring every day in the industrial and commercial

institutions of this country.

This story illustrates not only the high cost of constant change in

personnel, but also the high cost of leaving the important matter of

hiring and firing to foremen. Where this is done, discharges without

cause, the selection of incompetents, grafting on the payroll, inside and

outside politics, the indolent retention on the payroll of those who are

unfit, and many other abuses too numerous to mention, are bound to follow.

ONLY ONE LEGITIMATE REASON FOR HIRING

There is only one legitimate reason for putting any man or woman on the

payroll, namely, that he or she is well fitted to perform the tasks

assigned, will perform them contentedly and happily and, therefore, be a

valuable asset to the concern. But with foremen, superintendents, and

other minor executives selecting employees, for any reason and every

reason except the legitimate reason, it is small wonder that employees

grow discontented and leave, are demoralized and incompetent so that they

are discharged. For these reasons it is an unusual organization which does

not turn over its entire working force every year. The average of the

concerns we have investigated shows much more frequent turnover than this.

Under these circumstances, it should be easy to understand why our

efficiency engineers and scientific management experts find the average

organization only 25 per cent efficient. And this is not the only trouble

we make for ourselves as the result of unscientific selection in the rank

and file. In many cases we use no better judgment in the selection of even

our highest and most responsible executives. If it is true, as has been so

often stated, that a good general creates a good army and leads it to

victory, and a poor general demoralizes and leads to defeat the finest and

bravest army, then it is more disastrous for you to select one misfit

executive than a thousand misfits for your rank and file.

In our next chapter we shall attempt to show some of the troubles which

overtake a man who selects the wrong kind of executives.

CHAPTER II

THE SELECTION OF EXECUTIVES

The President and General Manager of a large manufacturing and sales

company, who, for the purpose of the present narrative, shall be called

Jessup, was making a trip from Chicago to New York on the Twentieth

Century Limited. In the smoking room of his car he met a gentleman whose

appearance and manner attracted him greatly. Acquaintanceship was a matter

of course, mutual admiration followed swift upon its heels, and friendship

soon began to crystallize in the association. As the train sped on through

the night, the Big Executive became more and more delighted with his

new-found acquaintance. The man agreed with him in many of his sentiments;

belonged to the same political party; was a member of the same fraternal

order; wore the same Greek letter society pin as his oldest son; and, what

was, perhaps, more important, entertained what seemed to him intelligent,

clean-cut, forceful, progressive ideas in regard to business.

As their talk proceeded, President Jessup found that the gentleman was a

Mr. Lynch, advertising manager of a firm manufacturing jewelry, located in

Providence, Rhode Island. He had been in this position for five years and

during that time had planned, assisted in designing, and sold to a

national market several profitable jewelry specialties. Lynch's graphic

story of how these advertising campaigns had been planned, executed, and

carried through to success fascinated the President of the western

concern. To his mind, his own enterprise, the manufacture and sale of

steam and hot-water heating plants, had long been in the doldrums. He

himself had spent many sleepless nights trying to plan some way of

extending its business; of opening up new markets; of creating a wide new

patronage; of manufacturing something which would bring in more profits

than their regular line, and finding a successful sale for it. It now

seemed to him that he had found just the man to assist him in carrying out

these vaguely formed plans, which as yet were little more than dreams. He

told Lynch something of his ideas and ideals, and, as the two men parted

for the night, he said:

"I have just a glimmering of an idea, Mr. Lynch, that we might be able to

make an arrangement whereby you would be greatly profited in increased

opportunities and bigger income, and perhaps we also would reap an

advantage in increased business. Think it over."

SELECTION BY PERSONAL PLEASURE

Long after he had retired, President Jessup pondered over the situation,

and the more he pondered, the more he became convinced that he had found

just the man he wanted. True, he had not had in mind, during any of his

midnight vigils, the taking on of any new help--his payroll was already

heavy enough. He had a good advertising manager and a good sales manager,

men who were competent to take care of the business of the concern. In

response to their efforts, patronage was growing, not rapidly and

spectacularly, yet steadily and substantially. Now, however, he saw an

opportunity to produce something which would be different enough from the

product of any of his competitors to warrant him in undertaking a national

advertising campaign. Up to the present he had had only a local business.

A few hundred miles from his factory in all directions could be found all

the heating plants which he had manufactured and sold. His dream was to

produce some special form of apparatus which would sell wherever there

were homes, stores, offices, churches, theaters, and schools to be warmed.

Mr. Lynch was just the man to study their business carefully, decide upon

some such product, help to design it, and plan and execute the national

advertising campaign which would develop a local into a national business.

Jessup dropped to sleep with his mind made up.

Next morning, as the train sped along between the Catskills and the

Hudson, the two men, over the breakfast table, began negotiations. Jessup

was surprised, and somewhat disappointed to find what a large salary his

new friend was drawing in Providence. He was still more surprised and

disappointed to find that Lynch's future prospects in the jewelry business

were so bright that it would take a considerably larger salary to entice

him away. The Westerner's mind, however, was made up and the future

profits he saw arising from a national business were so attractive that he

finally threw aside caution and offered Lynch twelve thousand five hundred

dollars a year and moving expenses to the western city where his factory

was located. This offer was finally accepted, the two men shook hands, and

arrangements were made for Lynch to report for duty in the West within

thirty days.

THE NEW MAN IN A QUANDARY

Now, President Jessup had no intention of dismissing his advertising

manager and his sales manager. Each knew the business from beginning to

end; each was thoroughly familiar with the trade already built up and

personally acquainted with many dealers who handled the products, and

could be depended upon not only to hold the present trade, but to increase

it. Therefore it seemed good judgment to retain these two men on the local

trade while turning Lynch loose upon the campaign for the securing of a

national market. So it was decided to retain both of the old men and to

give the newcomer the title of sales promotion manager. There were some

heart-burnings on the part of those already in the office when the new man

came in and took charge. It was not pleasant for men who had been with the

business for years and served it faithfully and helped to build it up, to

have a man placed over them who knew nothing about it and whose salary was

more than their two salaries combined. However, Lynch's personality was so

pleasant and he was so tactful and agreeable that this little feeling of

inharmony seemed soon to disappear. Presently all were working together in

the happiest possible way toward the inauguration of the new policy of the

concern.

As time went on, however, Lynch began to show signs of restlessness and

uneasiness. Being a man of keen, alert mind and quick intelligence, he had

quickly grasped the fundamentals of the heating business. He was soon able

to talk with the firm's designers and engineers in their own language. But

the more he studied boilers and radiators, the less interest he took in

them. He had sense enough to know that the only thing that would win in

the plan he had in mind was a radical change in design which would

increase the amount of heat delivered in proportion to the amount of fuel

burned, or the amount of heat delivered in proportion to the cost of fuel

burned, or would reduce the amount of supervision required, or would do

away with some of the long-standing sources of trouble and annoyance in

heating apparatus. Long and hard he thought and conjectured, and studied

statistics, and followed reports of experiments, but for the life of him

he could not take any interest in any such line of research. He hated the

gases, ashes, soot, smoke, and dirt generally. Huge rough castings of

steel and iron seemed gross and ugly to him, and the completed product

seemed coarse and unfinished. The only improvements he could think of were

improvements in beauty of line, in refinement of the design, in added

ornamentation, and other enhancements of the physical appearance of the

product. In these he took some interest, but he had the good sense to know

that no change of this kind would accomplish what they wished in the

matter of going after a national market.

THE HIGH-SALARIED ONE FAILS

For a while President Jessup waited patiently; then, as the big salary

checks came to him to be signed month after month, he began to grow

restless. No result had yet been announced and in his conferences with

Lynch, he could not determine that any hopeful progress was being made.

Finally, in desperation, he called his engineers and designers together.

For three weeks he worked with them night and day, studying, analyzing,

making records, and computing results. They took cat-naps on benches in

the laboratory while waiting for fires to burn a standard number of hours;

ate out of lunch-boxes; and finally, unshaven and covered with soot and

ashes, they triumphantly produced a fire-box and boiler which would burn

the cheapest kind of coal screenings satisfactorily, with but little

supervision and a high degree of efficiency. This was the best thing they

had ever done in the laboratory. This was the attainment which he had so

long desired. This, properly advertised and handled, certainly ought to

revolutionize the steam and hot-water heating business. But it was not one

of Lynch's brain-children. However, Lynch would now have an opportunity to

prove his value and return to the concern large profits for the amount

they had spent and would spend upon him. At any rate, he knew how to plan

and conduct an advertising and selling campaign.

Lynch, intensely relieved by the solving of this problem, the utility of

which he very readily saw, threw himself, heart and soul, into the

construction of the advertising campaign. As this work progressed, Jessup

began to have some misgivings. While the advertisements, circulars,

catalogues, and other literature were beautiful; while the English in them

was elegant, and the form of expression refined, somehow or other, they

seemed to lack the necessary punch or kick which Jessup knew they ought to

have. The two big things about the new product were, first, economy of

fuel; second, ease of operation and small demand for supervision. These

points were not brought out clearly enough. They did not grip. They did

not get home as they should. There was a good deal of talk in all the

advertising about the beauty of the new apparatus; about the refinement of

its finish; about its workmanship, and many other things which, to

Jessup's mind, detracted from the main issue. The one thing he wanted to

hammer into the minds of the readers of his advertising was the fact that

here was a heating apparatus for which fuel could be purchased in the

usual quantities and at half the regular price. What he wanted to do was

to make them actually see the dollars and cents saved, not only in fuel,

but also in the cost of operation. He wanted suburbanites to see the fact

that they could attend to their furnaces each morning before going to

town, and that the fires would not need any further attention until the

following morning; but, somehow or other, the advertising did not seem to

picture this clearly enough. The statements were made, yes; there was

plenty of evidence produced to show this; but it was done in a way which,

somehow or other, did not produce an intense conviction.

Jessup had secured from his board of directors an appropriation of fifty

thousand dollars for a national advertising campaign. Upon the result of

his first attempt would depend his securing a further appropriation for

such a campaign as he had planned and as he wanted to execute. This being

the case, he did not feel that he was justified in permitting Lynch's

advertising to go out as it was. The result was that, just before the time

came when copy must be sent to the magazines, newspapers, and street-car

advertising companies, Jessup called his old advertising manager into

conference and for a week they struggled together, revising the copy,

rewriting the selling argument, and placing emphasis in clear, strong,

unforgetable figures where it would do the most good.

WHY THE "GREAT FIND" WAS A DISAPPOINTMENT

The result of all this was that Lynch, seeing the writing on the wall,

tendered his resignation--which was all too gladly accepted. In offering

his resignation, however, Lynch had stipulated that he was to receive four

thousand dollars out of the six thousand five hundred still due him on his

year's contract. President Jessup's error in selecting an employee had

cost him ten thousand dollars in salary. Besides this was the still larger

sum in expenses, in wasted effort, and in the disorganization of his

entire factory and selling force as the result of the introduction of a

man who did not belong there.

His mistake was due to two fundamental errors. In the first place, the

facts that a man is personally agreeable, that he belongs to the same

political party, that he belongs to the same lodge or fraternity, that his

ideas and opinion on matters outside of business agree with his

employer's, are merely incidental and by no means adequate reasons for

employing him. Nor is the fact that he has made a good record, even an

extraordinary record, in some other line of business a good reason for

employing him. Perhaps, on the other hand, the fact that his record is

made in a totally different business is a good reason for not employing

him. It certainly was so in this case.

In the second place, President Jessup did not take into consideration the

natural aptitudes of his man, natural aptitudes which he might very easily

have determined with a moment's casual observation. Lynch was exceedingly

fine in texture; his hair, his skin, his features, his hands, and his feet

were all fine and delicate. He, therefore, loved beauty, refinement, small

articles, fine lines, elegant designs. These things appealed to him

strongly, and because of this he was able to make them appeal to others.

Anything which was heavy, rough, coarse, crude, uncouth, or ugly repelled

him. He could not take an interest in it except in the most theoretical

way. For this reason he could not interest others in it. He had an unusual

knack for selling things to people which would appeal to their love of the

beautiful and their desire for adornment; in short, to their vanity; but

he had no qualifications for selling to people on a purely commercial

basis, and especially selling something which was so matter-of-fact and

commonplace in its character as the saving of coal and the freedom from

necessity of frequent attention.

A WEAK MAN AND HIS TEMPTATION

In the winter of 1914-1915, the people of New York were shocked at the

downfall of a man who had held a very high social, church, and business

position. He had a wife and two or three beautiful children; he occupied a

very prominent place in church and Sunday-school; he was well connected

socially; he was a prominent member of one of the more popular secret

fraternal organizations; he had a good position at a large salary, and

enjoyed the complete confidence and respect of his employers and business

associates. Like a bolt out of a clear sky, therefore, came the revelation

that he had robbed his employers of more than a hundred thousand dollars.

This money he had lost in speculation.

It was the old, old story. He had begun speculating with his own reserve;

this was quickly wiped out. Then, in order to win back what he had lost,

he had begun to borrow, little by little from his employer. He would win

for a little while; then he would lose, and, as a result, would have to

borrow more in an attempt to make good his losses and repay what he had

borrowed.

This man's employers had to make good a loss of about one hundred and

twenty-two thousand dollars. In addition to this, they lost time, money,

service, energy, and physical well-being because of the upset in their

business and the bitter disappointment to them in the defalcation of their

trusted employee. They also spent money tracing him in his flight and

bringing him back to face trial and receive his penalty. More money was

spent trying to discover whether he had concealed any of the funds he had

stolen, so that they might be recovered. All of this might have been saved

and the man himself, perhaps, might have been protected from the fate

which overtook him, if, instead of judging him by his church record and

his pleasing personal appearance and manner, they had taken the trouble to

learn something about the external evidences of weaknesses which this man

possessed in such a marked degree.

WHY HE GAMBLED AND STOLE

If they had learned some very simple principles, they would have been able

to determine at a glance at his curly blond hair; by his secretively

veiled eyes; by his large, somewhat fleshy nose, not particularly high in

the bridge; by the weakness and looseness of his mouth, and the small and

retreating contour of his chin, and by other important indications, that

he was selfish by nature, grasping, extravagant, too hopeful, too

optimistic, too fond of money, too self-indulgent; that he lacked

conscientiousness; that he lacked caution; that he lacked foresight; that

he lacked any very keen sense of distinction between what was his and what

belonged to others; that he lacked firmness, decision, self-control,

will-power. Notwithstanding his lack of all these things, he had made a

success for himself, up to the time of his defalcation, by means of a

keen, penetrating intellect, excellent powers of expression, the ability

to make himself agreeable, ease in mingling with strangers, a natural

talent for piety and pious profession, and considerable financial and

commercial shrewdness.

A man of this type is nearly always a gambler if he has an opportunity;

but he ought to be placed in a position where there will be no temptation

to him to rob others to satisfy his gambling proclivities. He is one of

the last men in the world who ought to be placed in a position of

responsibility, trust, and confidence. For the protection of others and

for protection against himself, he ought to be under the most careful

supervision. His intellectual powers, his suavity, his ability to meet and

handle strangers, his commercial and financial shrewdness, ought all to be

given full scope by his employers, but any opportunity to handle money or

help himself to the funds of others should be carefully shut away from

him.

AN ENGINE WITHOUT A BALANCE WHEEL

Some years ago we had an opportunity to look into the affairs of a

mail-order house which had just failed for a large sum, so that its

creditors, in the final adjustment, received about eleven cents on a

dollar for their claims. The business had been established by a capitalist

of considerable wealth, who had made his money in an entirely different

line. For some years it was operated in a conservative way by a man who

had had years of experience in the mail-order business. The man was well

along in years and rather old-fashioned in his ideas. While his management

was safe and sane, it had not produced a very large return upon the

capital investment. For this reason, the owner determined to engage, as

advertising manager, a young man who had several years' successful

experience in advertising, but no first-hand knowledge of the mail-order

business. The young man did brilliant work. The business of the house

began to grow, dividends began to come in, and the owner was delighted.

But the new advertising manager and the old general manager did not get

along well together. The young man was progressive, optimistic, had ideas

of expansion and growth, while the old man was conservative, careful, and

somewhat out of date in his ideas as to business.

There could be no result of such a combination except the final

resignation of the old general manager. This was only too gladly accepted,

and the young man who had come in as advertising manager was placed in

full charge. Following his appointment there was a period of rapid

expansion. Many new lines were added; the concern rented two more floors

in the building where it was located, and eventually purchased ground and

built a fine new building. The payroll doubled, then trebled, then

quadrupled. All these things, of course, took more capital, and the owner

was compelled to add many thousands of dollars to his original investment,

first, for permanent improvement; then, from time to time, for working

capital. He was glad to do this, because the business was growing. There

seemed to be every prospect that in the near future there would be profits

far in excess of anything the owner had ever dreamed of under the old

management.

SUPERSTRUCTURE WITHOUT FOUNDATION

Then came a time when other ventures of the owner compelled the use of all

of his spare capital. He could no longer add to the funds invested in his

mail-order business. He called his new general manager in and said: "I

have put a great deal of money into this mail-order business. You have

your beautiful new building; you have a goodly amount of working capital;

you have expanded and added new lines; and I think the time has come when

you ought to be able not only to run along without any more investment on

my part, but very soon to show me a nice little profit. I assure you that

it will come in exceedingly handy in the new venture which I have

undertaken."

"Oh, certainly," the young man said, "there is no doubt that we shall soon

be paying you larger profits than any other enterprise you control, with

the new business we have secured and the splendid profits on all lines we

are now handling. There is no reason why we should need any more capital,

and I do not think it will be very long before we will have repaid you in

dividends for every penny of money you have recently put into the

business."

And so the owner turned his back on his mail-order business and gave his

time, thought, and energy to his other ventures. Reports, of course,

reached him regularly, but he had full confidence in the manager, and he

was very busy, so he paid but little attention to them.

THE INEVITABLE COLLAPSE

A little more than a year had passed when the capitalist was profoundly

astonished and dismayed to have one of his best business friends call upon

him and request: "Charlie, I wish you could do something for me on that

account. It's long past due and it's getting altogether too large for me

to carry as business is now."

"Why, what account is that? I didn't know I owed you a cent."

"Why, for that mail-order business of yours. They've been ordering goods

from me for over a year now, and what they have ordered during the last

six months has not been paid for. I knew that you were good, of course,

and so was perfectly willing to extend the credit. But you know, as a

businessman, that there is a limit to such things, and I think it has

about been reached. I hope you can take care of it immediately, as I can

very readily use the funds."

"Why, how much is this wretched account of mine, Will? I didn't know I

owed you a cent. It can't be very much."

"Well, it all depends upon what you call very much. It's something like

thirty-five thousand dollars."

"Thirty-five thousand dollars! Why, man, you must be dreaming," and the

capitalist turned to his telephone and called up the general manager of

his mail-order business.

"Why, yes," came back the cheerful, confident tone of the optimistic young

manager, "we do owe them around thirty-five thousand, I think. I supposed,

of course, you knew all about it. I've been sending my reports in every

week."

"But why haven't you paid it? Certainly your sales are big enough and your

income from them good enough for you to pay your bills."

"Well, I'll tell you; it is taking us just a little longer for us to get

on our feet than I had expected. Then, after your decision not to put any

more money into the business, I found it necessary, in order to round out

and complete our line, to add some new items which cost us quite a little.

But we are in good shape now and the sales are increasing. We shall soon

be able to take care of all of our outstanding obligations."

"How much are your outstanding obligations?" asked the capitalist, with a

sinking heart.

"Well, about two hundred and fifty thousand dollars, I should say. But it

won't take us long to clean that up now that we've squared away."

"You'd better come right over here and bring your books with you. I want

to go into this thing."

WHY HE FAILED

It took only a few hours' investigation of the books to convince the

capitalist that his mail-order business was hopelessly insolvent. It took

expert accountants to find out why it was insolvent. The trouble was that

the young manager had proceeded with only the vaguest and roughest kind of

an estimate of cost, based, not upon facts, but mostly upon his own superb

guesswork. New business had been brought in by reducing prices. "Low

prices" had been one of the slogans of the young man's campaign, and he

had cut under all of his competitors. On the other hand, there had been

the slackest kind of management inside. Overhead expenses had mounted and

mounted. The young man had been altogether too easy and generous in fixing

salaries, granting promotions and increases, and in giving positions to

those who applied. He was really a splendid young fellow, with a

sympathetic heart and a generous hand, and it was very difficult for him

to turn away anyone who could tell an artistic hard-luck story. Expensive

equipment had been purchased which had far greater capacity than the needs

of the business required; therefore, many machines and other fixtures had

stood idle seventy-five per cent of the time, eating up money in interest

charges, depreciation, space, light, heat, and other expenses. In addition

to these out-and-out expenditures, there were dozens of little leaks in

all the departments of the business, all busily draining away not only

possible profits, but the working capital, and, finally, the limit of the

concern's credit.

As a result of this kind of management, the final accounting showed the

liabilities of the concern to be in the neighborhood of four hundred

thousand dollars and its assets only about forty-five thousand. No one

could be found to take the business, even as a gift, and assume its

obligations. The owner himself had his capital so tightly involved in

other ventures that he was unable to save this concern, and it was

therefore sold under the hammer. The creditors received their little

eleven cents on the dollar. The owner's capital investment was, of course,

a total and complete loss.

This man made his mistake in placing a business in which there is a

multitude of detail and a necessity for the closest possible scrutiny of

every cent of expenditure--a business which must be done upon the smallest

possible margin in order to be successful--in the hands of a man who could

look only outward and forward and upward. The young man was, indeed, a

splendid business getter. He was a natural-born advertiser, salesman, and

promoter. His personality was forceful, pleasing, and magnetic. In his

intentions and principles he was honest and highly honorable. He was keen,

positive, quick in thought, quick in action, progressive, eager, buoyant;

he had a splendid grasp of large affairs, principles, and generalities.

But he had no mind for details; he rather scorned them. He was perfectly

willing to leave the details to someone else, and even then did not care

to hear any more about them himself. He never ought to have been placed in

charge of a business involving such minute carefulness as the mail-order

business. He was dangerous in any position of responsibility without a

partner or an auditor and treasurer competent to look after the finances

and all of the details of the accounting and administration. This young

man's function was getting in the business, but he was not equipped by

nature or by training to take care of the business after it came into the

house or to administer the funds which came in with it. The capitalist

would have known, if he had exercised one-half the care in choosing a

general manager that he did in selecting a driving horse, that the young

man was unfitted for the work he was expected to do.

A COMMON TYPE

He would have known that anyone as blonde in coloring and as round-headed

as this young man was unfit for a position which required the minutest and

most careful scrutiny of every detail of administration. He would also

have noticed his wide-open, credulous, and generous eye; the narrowness of

his head just behind the ears, indicating his inclination to side-step

anything in the nature of a disagreeable contest or combat. The high dome

of his head just above the temple and the turned up tip of his nose, both

indicating extreme optimism; his very short fingers, indicating dislike of

detail and the inability to handle it; his rather soft-elastic consistency

of hand, showing inability to bear down hard and firm in cutting expenses

and holding down salaries.

This young man's type is very common. We meet it constantly in business,

and wherever we have met it, we have always found that, unless it was

associated with a man of dark complexion, hard consistency, keen, shrewd

eyes, the ability to fight and to stick, a sort of bull-dog tenacity, it

simply ran away in over-optimistic ventures, dissipated its earnings, and

ended in dismal failure.

[Illustration: FIG. 57. Conical hands, with conical finger tips. Indicate

refinement, responsiveness, sentiment, love of beauty in music and art,

and an emotional nature. This hand, however, is not very practical, and is

not the typical hand of the musical performer or creative artist. May be

the hand of an actor or singer.]

[Illustration: FIG. 58. Back and front view of hand of Mrs. Flora E.

Durand, of Libertyville, Illinois, Pianiste and Pipe Organist. Mrs. Durand

is a performer of unusual skill and artistic feeling. Note squareness of

entire hand and of finger tips.]

[Illustration: FIG. 59. Back and front view of hands of financier and

administrator. Very practical, matter-of-fact, and sensible; not

particularly fond of detail, but can compel himself to do it. Note square

hands and finger tips and moderately short fingers.]

[Illustration: FIG. 60. Front and back view of hands of a mechanical and

electrical engineer of some prominence. He is not only highly qualified,

intellectually, for engineering work, but is a mechanic of great

expertness and skill. All his work is beautifully finished and

marvellously accurate. Note long, square hands and fingers.]

[Illustration: FIG. 61. Long fingers, indicating a tendency to capacity

for details.]

[Illustration: FIG. 62. An example of narrow head, indicating mildness of

disposition--an inclination to win way and secure ends by intellect, tact,

and diplomacy, rather than by direct conflict.]

[Illustration: _Copyright Ernest H. Mills._

FIG. 63. Sir Henry Fowler. A splendid example of fine, enduring physical

balance with excellent intellectual equipment. Note large, long nose,

ears, and chin; long, straight upper lip; long, rather lean lines of

cheeks and face in general, flat-topped head; prominent brows, and square

jaw, These are all typical indications of calmness, practical judgment,

prudence, shrewdness, moderation, and, as a result, longevity.]

[Illustration: FIG. 64. Reginald D. Barry, Engineer and Scientific

Experimenter. Interested in mechanics and engineering in an almost purely

intellectual manner. Ambitious, determined, optimistic. Note especially

height and width of upper part of cranium, with slender lower face; also

rounded dome above temples, and width and fulness back of upper corners of

forehead.]

[Illustration: FIG. 65. Colbert E. Lyon. Note especially high dome of

head above temples, indicating optimism, faith, hope, sympathy, generosity

and humanitarian leanings. Note also fine texture, indicating love of

beauty, refinement, and responsiveness. Practical judgment, energy and

determination are shown by prominent brows; large, high nose; and strong

chin; fine powers of expression by prominent eyes.]

[Illustration: FIG. 66. Dr. V. Stefansson, Explorer. Of the active,

restless, eager, pioneering type, capable of enduring hardship. Note

square jaw, large nose, convex profile, blond color, high, wide

cheekbones, strong chin, and coarse texture.]

[Illustration: FIG. 67. High, square head, indicating conscientiousness,

prudence, carefulness, dependability, and constancy.]

[Illustration: FIG. 68. High, round head, indicating ambition, love of

adventure, and a certain degree of recklessness, carelessness, and

irresponsibility.]

ROOSEVELT AND TAFT CONTRASTED

When Mr. Roosevelt was about to end his term as President of the United

States in 1907, he and his more prudent advisors did not consider it good

political judgment for him to seek at that time nomination for what would

have been, in effect, a third term. He therefore began to cast about to

find a successor who would carry out his policies. As President, he had

inaugurated certain policies of administration which he regarded as being

of the highest possible importance to the country, and to the world at

large. We are not here discussing the common sense, wisdom, and

statesmanship of those policies. The fact to which we are calling

attention is that Mr. Roosevelt wished to use his influence as President

and as the leader of his party to have placed in nomination, as his

successor, a man upon whom he could rely to continue to administer the

office of President according to the policies he himself had inaugurated.

Mr. Taft had long been a member of Mr. Roosevelt's cabinet and had also

been a very close personal friend. As Governor of the Philippines, and as

Secretary of War, he had made a splendid record and was considered to be

one of the most loyal and able of the President's official family.

Accordingly, he was selected by Mr. Roosevelt as his successor. In his

campaign for election, and in his inaugural address, Mr. Taft repeatedly

gave assurance to the voters that it was his intention to carry out the

Roosevelt policies. There is practically no one, even those who disapprove

most heartily of Mr. Taft's record in the Presidency, who thinks that he

was anything but sincere and honest in making these promises to the

voters.

HOW IT WORKED OUT

Now, without discussing for a moment Mr. Taft's administration as

President from the standpoint of its true value to the country, or the

actual quality of his statesmanship, there is no question in the mind of

anyone that he signally failed to carry out the Roosevelt policies. In

fact, he became the titular leader of that faction of the Republican

party, before the end of his administration, most violently opposed to the

Roosevelt policies. He has subscribed to and preached a totally different

political doctrine from that of his former friend and chief ever since.

This course of action may have been right; it may have been wrong; it may

have been wise, or it may have been unwise. It may have been fully

justified, or it may not have been justified. These are not questions

which interest us here.

The point is that Mr. Roosevelt, in all good faith, and believing in the

wisdom of his choice, selected Mr. Taft to carry out his policies in the

government, and that Mr. Taft, no doubt with the best of intentions,

failed to carry out those policies. The result was a split in the

Republican party, the election of a Democratic President and Congress, and

other far-reaching consequences, the full meaning of which we have not yet

begun to see. They may be good; they may be unfortunate. That is not the

question at issue. The question is, could Mr. Roosevelt, if he had had a

scientific understanding of human nature, have foretold Mr. Taft's course

of action?

INDICATIONS OF DIFFERENCES IN CHARACTER, IDEAS, IDEALS, AND ACTIONS

The Roosevelt policies were aggressive and bold, cutting across

traditions, flinging down the gauntlet, and throwing defiance into the

faces of powerful political and business interests. They assumed for the

executive office at least all of the powers which, according to the

Constitution, belong to it, working in harmony with a group of men who had

interested themselves in a number of progressive--perhaps some might say

radical--reform measures. Furthermore, these policies were a perfectly

natural expression of Mr. Roosevelt's personality.

Do Mr. Taft's physical characteristics, as easily observable indicate

that he is of a character, temperament and aptitude to continue such

policies as these. A comparison of the two men should give us the answer.

Mr. Taft is very much lighter in color than Mr. Roosevelt. As a general

rule, the lighter blond coloring is an indication of mildness of

disposition, instead of the fierceness and eager determination to dominate

of the man who is as ruddy as Mr. Roosevelt.

Mr. Taft's forehead is very much more practical in type than Mr.

Roosevelt's. He is, therefore, far more interested in the practical

application of such principles as he has than in theories, hypotheses, and

reform.

Mr. Taft's nose, by its roundness and softness of contour, indicates

mildness, good nature, refinement, and delicacy of feeling, while Mr.

Roosevelt's is the large-tipped, bony-bridged nose of aggressiveness and

combativeness.

Mr. Taft's mouth is a good-natured, smiling, laughing, jovial mouth,

instead of the grim, hard, fighting mouth as shown in Mr. Roosevelt's

type.

Mr. Taft's chin is of the rounded and rather retreating type, an

indication that he is probably far better qualified by disposition to

follow a strong and aggressive leader than to take the aggressive,

dominating, fighting leadership himself.

Mr. Taft is a very much larger man than Mr. Roosevelt. This, while not

particularly important, is just one more indication of his good nature and

his dislike for a hard, grueling fight. It is an interesting fact that

almost all of the great fighters of the world have been little men.

Alexander, Caesar, Napoleon, Grant, Lord Roberts, Sheridan, Sherman,

Wilhelm II, and many others have been below medium in stature. Of the

others, Kitchener, Wellington, Frederick the Great, Washington, and von

Hindenberg have been men of not more than medium size. It is almost

unprecedented to find a fighter in a man of Mr. Taft's huge size.

In structure, Mr. Taft is essentially of the judicial type. This type is

always a defender of property, an upholder of the Constitution, a strong

advocate of making the best of things as they are, rather than plunging

into violent innovations, the results of which are unknown and may very

easily prove to be disastrous. On the other hand, Mr. Roosevelt is of

restless, active, pioneering structure--the bony, muscular type of man who

has always led reform movements and led in fighting for changes he thought

would add to the freedom of humanity.

Mr. Taft's texture is finer than that of Mr. Roosevelt. He is, therefore,

more interested in the refinements, the luxuries, and the delicacies of

life than is Mr. Roosevelt. He is also less vigorous, less virile, and

less insistent upon reform and the right of the people to rule. It is an

interesting fact that most of the great friends of the people, most of

those who are eager in demanding the rights of the proletariat, are men of

medium or coarse texture.

Mr. Taft is soft elastic in consistency of fiber, while Mr. Roosevelt is

hard elastic. This indicates more impressionability or amenability to

influence, more desire for finding an easy and pleasant way to accomplish

his end on the part of Mr. Taft than on the part of Mr. Roosevelt.

In Mr. Taft the vital element leads--in Mr. Roosevelt, the motive. The

vital element conduces to putting on of flesh, enjoys the good things of

life, loves an easy time, and naturally inclines to make the best of

things as they are. On the other hand, the motive element demands outdoor

activity, freedom, liberty of movement, and not only liberty for itself,

but liberty for everyone else.

Mr. Roosevelt's jaw is square and determined, which shows an inclination

to push things through regardless of obstacles; to pursue his ends no

matter what difficulties stand in the way. Mr. Taft's jaw is rather

rounded and not so prominent. This indicates less determination, less

perseverance, less persistence in pushing against obstacles and

difficulties.

Note the difference in width between Mr. Roosevelt's and Mr. Taft's head

just above the ears. Mr. Roosevelt is very wide-headed. This indicates

energy, aggressiveness, impatience, a certain amount of destructive

tendency. It is this which not only makes Mr. Roosevelt an aggressive,

eager, fighting, dominating politician and statesman, but also a mighty

hunter.

On the other hand, Mr. Taft's head is medium narrow just above the ears.

This indicates mildness, an inclination to use diplomacy rather than

force, and a tendency to take things as they are rather than to push ahead

aggressively and make radical changes.

Mr. Roosevelt's head is high in the crown. Mr. Taft's head is low in the

crown. A high crown indicates firmness, decision, love of power, love of

authority, a demand to rule, and great ambition. A low crown, on the other

hand, indicates amenability to authority, a willingness to compromise, and

a lack of domineering quality.

Compare the expression of the two men. Mr. Roosevelt's expression is

intense, vigorous, and almost belligerent. Mr. Taft's expression is mild,

calm, judicial, good-natured, and jovial.

By what stretch of the imagination could anyone suppose that a man of Mr.

Taft's character and aptitudes, as shown by the indications pointed out in

the foregoing, could even begin to carry out the policies of a man of Mr.

Roosevelt's character, as shown by the indications we have pointed out?

And yet, all of the political history of the United States since 1909 has

been completely changed as the result of Mr. Roosevelt's lack of knowledge

of the plain facts of the science of human nature. Indeed, the result of

Mr. Roosevelt's choice of a successor is found in Mexico, in Germany, in

England, in France, and, in fact, throughout the world.

IF NOT SCIENTIFICALLY, HOW?

Woodrow Wilson has been criticized, perhaps, as severely for his selection

of men for various posts in his administration as for any other cause, if

reports are to be believed. He has probably suffered far more from

unfortunate selection of lieutenants and of men for special tasks, and has

more deeply regretted his mistakes of this nature, than any other thing in

his administration up to the time that these lines are written.

The few examples we have given in this chapter of men who gave excellent

promise and then failed to live up to their expectations are typical. They

are occurring every day in every line of business and industry, as well as

in politics and government. We are told by some who have made a study of

this subject that the only way to find out what a man can do, what his

aptitudes are, what are his abilities, his capacities, his type, and what

his performances will be, is to put him in a place where he will have an

opportunity to show what there is in him. If this is the best that science

can do for us, we are, then, groping in darkness through a tangled maze of

pitfalls. We have nothing left but to go on using disastrous and

impracticable methods in the selection of men for commerce, for industry,

for financial responsibility, and for the highest positions of honor,

responsibility, and power in the gift of the people.

CHAPTER III

THE REMEDY

True, we can determine a man's fitness by giving him a trial. But, if he

is a failure, and we learn nothing by experience, the next incumbent may

be a hundred-fold worse. Furthermore, in many places, selection by trial

is an impossibility, as in marriage, in the presidency of a bank, or in a

general to lead a forlorn hope. There must be some better way.

Some years ago we were asked to make an investigation at a printing and

publishing house. Two years before this time the proprietor had ceased to

receive any profits from the enterprise and, at this particular time,

complained that for months he had been putting money into the business in

order to keep it going. He himself was not a practical printer and was not

in immediate management of the concern. His manager, however, was an able

man, a good printer, and was considered to be a good business man.

At the very outset of our investigation, we found that the foreman of the

composing-room purchased type, leads, and slugs, furniture, cases, and all

of the other materials used in his department. The foreman of the

press-room purchased paper, ink, rollers, twine, and other things. The

foreman of the shipping-room purchased packing-cases, wrapping paper,

twine, nails, hammers, marking ink, and other materials he used. The

foreman of the bindery purchased glue, cloth, leather, boards, paper, and

wire. The office manager purchased typewriter ribbons, carbon paper,

clips, paper fasteners, pins, mucilage, rulers, pens, and pencils. The

foreman of the electrotyping department purchased copper, acids, metal,

and tools. We were rather surprised to find that the coal and lubricating

oil for the engine room were purchased by the manager himself, but not at

all surprised to learn that he had never heard of such a quantity as a

British Thermal unit and that he had absolutely no records to show the

kind of coal most efficient under his boilers. A little further

investigation showed that each head of department had charge of the stores

of materials and supplies for his department and gave them out to

employees upon a mere verbal request. We were not long in discovering that

the foreman of the composing-room received "tokens of regard" from

salesmen; that the foreman of the press-room was regularly on the payroll

of several companies furnishing inks and rollers, and had a brother-in-law

running a little print shop around the corner and spending very little

money for ink, paper, and other such materials. Each head of a department

also had full power to "hire and fire," as he called it. The foreman of

the composing-room said to us, when we questioned him in regard to this

matter, "Why, if I didn't have the power to hire and fire I could not

maintain discipline in my department; rather than give that up, I would

resign my position."

As a result of this state of affairs, we found a brother of the foreman

occupying an easy position in the composing-room, a brother-in-law, two

nieces, two nephews, and a son occupying easy positions at good salaries

in the press-room and various other nephews and other semi-dependents

working away under foremen who were related to them in the various

departments. In the composing-room, also, we found, upon careful

investigation, that several of the employees were very heavily overpaid at

times and that they divided the surplus in their pay envelopes with the

foreman.

When we called these things to the attention of the manager, he was deeply

surprised and pained. "Why," he said, "every head of a department in this

printing and publishing house is a personal friend of mine. I have the

highest regard for them and have held their honor and uprightness so high

in my estimation that it has never occurred to me to investigate their

administration in their several departments. You know, of course, that

this is the usual procedure in the printing business. The foremen regard

these prerogatives as being especially theirs and would very deeply and

bitterly resent any attempt on the part of the management to take them

away." The manager was only partly right. It is true that these practices

have been followed in many printing and publishing houses; that they are

followed in some even to-day; but even in his time the most progressive

and successful had long ago abolished this inefficient and

dishonesty-breeding system.

SCIENTIFIC PURCHASING ENDS ABUSES

To-day in every well-managed printing office, as well as every other

industry, there is a purchasing department. Materials are purchased, not

through favors, or on account of bonus from the salesmen, but upon exact

specifications which are worked out in the laboratory. Materials are

accepted and paid for only after a laboratory analysis to ascertain their

true worth. Materials are kept in a stores department and are issued only

upon written requisitions. Requisitions are carefully checked up, records

kept to show that each department is using only its proper quota of

materials and supplies of all kinds.

While the purchasing of mere inanimate material, which after all is only

secondary in importance, has thus been reduced to science and art in

charge of specialists, the methods of selection, assignment, and handling

of employees in nearly all industrial and commercial institutions

continues to-day on the same old dishonest basis as that which we found in

the printing and publishing house described. Foremen, superintendents, and

heads of departments still guard jealously their prerogatives of hiring

and firing. So deeply rooted is this prejudice in the minds of the

industrial and commercial world, that many managers have said to us in

horror, "Why, we can't take away the power to hire and fire from our

foremen. They couldn't maintain discipline. They would not consent to

remain in their executive positions if they did not have this power of

life and death, as it were, over their employees."

Incidentally, we may say, that we have had almost no trouble in securing

the enthusiastic and loyal co-operation of foremen and superintendents

where employment departments have been installed.

SCIENTIFIC EMPLOYMENT THE REMEDY

It is becoming increasingly clear to employers that, only by following the

example of the purchasing department, can industry and commerce cure the

evil which we have briefly described and exemplified in the two preceding

chapters. We find that employment, instead of being left to the tender

mercies of foremen, Tom, Dick, and Harry--who may or may not be good

judges of men, who may or may not be honest, who may or may not indulge in

nepotism, who may or may not pad the payroll; who may or may not be

unreasonable, tyrannical and otherwise inimical to the best interest of

the concern from whom they draw their living--selection of help is now

delegated to specialists and experts. Employment departments are now

established with more or less complete control over the selection and

assignment of men and women in the organization. In some of these

departments complete records are kept. Exact and painstaking care is used

in securing data, hunting up applicants, watching the actual performances

of those who are put to work, determining whether or not they live up to

their opportunities. In other employment departments this system is very

loose and the departments exist principally for the purpose of securing

applicants who are then turned over without recommendation to the foreman

who still has the power of employing and discharging.

The remedy for which we have been looking is to be found in an employment

department, organized with a carefully selected personnel, which will

perform the same careful, analytical research and record-keeping functions

as a scientific purchasing department. Perhaps, for the sake of clearness,

it would be well for us to describe rather in detail the work of such a

department.

ORGANIZATION

The organization of such a department depends entirely upon the number of

applicants and employees with which it must deal and the character of the

work to be done. Suppose, for example, we have a factory with two thousand

employees, seventy-five per cent of them skilled, fifteen per cent of them

unskilled, and ten per cent office employees. The work of such a

department could be very well carried on by one employment supervisor, one

assistant supervisor, one clerk and record-keeper, and part of the time of

one stenographer. The employment supervisor is a staff officer. His

position in the company is that of a member of the staff of the general

manager or president. His work should be subject to oversight by the

president or general manager alone, and he should not be answerable to any

other officer or member of the corporation. It is the function of the

employment supervisor to direct the work of his department, to conduct its

relations with all other departments of the business, to interview,

analyze, and recommend for employment all executives and employees of more

than ordinary importance; to hear and adjudicate all cases of complaint or

disagreement between executives or between executives and their employees

and also to review cases heard by his assistant in which there is any

degree of dissatisfaction with the settlement proposed.

It is the duty of the assistant employment supervisor to interview and

analyze, select, and recommend for employment all applicants for minor

positions in the factory and office. It is also his duty, under direction

of the supervisor, to number and carefully analyze every position in the

organization, determining its requirements, and, having made a careful

list of these requirements in a card index, to keep it in the files of the

department where it can be readily consulted. It is the duty of the clerk

and record-keeper to make out all reports, to record all reports sent from

heads of departments, to keep the files, to make out notifications to the

paymaster and to other officers as occasion requires, and in general to

keep the records and files of the department in a neat, orderly condition,

up to date every moment of the day, and so managed as to yield readily and

instantly any information desired.

It is the duty of the stenographer to attend to all correspondence of the

department, including dictation from the supervisor and the assistant

supervisor.

FUNCTIONS OF AN EMPLOYMENT DEPARTMENT

Briefly, it is the function of the employment department to secure,

interview, analyze, select, and recommend for employment men and women who

will pre-eminently fit into the various positions in the organization; by

competent counsel, upon request, to assist the line executives in the

management of employees, and, in all its activities, to act in the

capacity of expert in human nature, conducting all phases of relationship

between the corporation and its employees.

In detail, however, the functions of a well-organized and efficient

employment department are these:

ANALYSIS OF POSITIONS

1. Theoretically, the first function of an employment department is to

analyze carefully every position in the organization, listing its

requirements, noting the environment and other conditions which surround

it; in short, painting what will be to the members of the department a

clear and easily recognizable word-picture of the aptitudes and character

of the man or woman best fitted to fill that position. While this is the

theoretical first function of the department, in actual practice certain

conditions may arise which will make this inadvisable. But it ought to be

done as quickly as possible, and the records tabulated on cards in a

convenient way in a card file. These are the specifications for the human

material needed in each place. The method of making this analysis varies

under different circumstances.

ANALYSIS OF EXECUTIVES

2. The next step in the work of an employment department is the analysis

of all executives. Each executive is interviewed and carefully analyzed

for two purposes; first, to find whether he is indeed the right man in the

right place; second, to observe his characteristics, his peculiarities,

his personality, and to learn from him his preferences. All of these are

carefully listed, and, in selecting employees, care is taken to select

only those who will work harmoniously and happily with the executives

under whom they are placed.

ANALYSIS OF EMPLOYEES

3. Employees in the organization at the time of the installation of the

employment department are analyzed as opportunity offers. In this way the

supervisor determines whether or not they are well placed as they are, or

whether they have talent and abilities which would make them far more

valuable in some other part of the institution. The analysis of each

employee is made out either completely and in detail or in a general way,

according to his importance, his future possibilities, his probable length

of service with the institution, and other conditions. Clearly a great

deal more time would be spent and a great deal more careful analysis made

in the case of an important executive, than in the case of a day laborer

engaged as a member of a temporary shoveling gang.

These analyses, after having been written out, are filed in folders. Each

employee has a folder of his own, and in this are placed not only his

analysis, but a sheet for the keeping of his record and all letters and

papers referring to him.

SECURING OF APPLICANTS

4. Inasmuch as every live organization is always growing and, therefore,

taking on new employees, and inasmuch, also, as there is a state of flux

in every organization, vacancies occurring for one reason or another, it

is a function of the employment department to secure as many of the most

desirable applicants possible for all of the positions in the enterprise.

Some of these applicants come to the employment department in the natural

course of events, others come as the result of advertisements; still

others because the employment supervisor and his assistant take means to

ferret them out and send for them. Promising young men in schools and

colleges and in the employ, perhaps, of other organizations are kept under

careful observation. Data in regard to them is listed in the reserve file,

and their records, as they come in various ways to the employment

supervisor, are filed with them.

5. Applicants having been secured in these ways, the next step is

carefully to analyze them. Under ideal conditions this analysis is made by

observation, unknown to the applicant, during a pleasant interview. He may

be asked certain questions, not chiefly for the sake of bringing out

direct information, but for the sake of observing the effects of the

interrogations upon him.

In some large organizations, in the rush season, 100 new employees may be

added every day. In order to select this number, perhaps several hundred

applicants may be interviewed. Obviously, a detailed and thorough analysis

of each cannot be made. Under such conditions, however, the work is

usually of such a character that the most casual observation on the part

of a trained interviewer will reveal at once the fact that the applicant

either is or is not fitted for the work to be done.

As a result of the analyses made by the employment supervisor and his

staff, applicants are recommended to foremen who have made requisitions

for the filling of vacancies. Bear in mind, it is not the function of the

employment department arbitrarily to employ. When a desirable applicant

has been found, he is sent, with a recommendation, to the head of the

department which has made requisition for an employee. Then the foreman or

superintendent or the manager either rejects or accepts the applicant. In

case of rejection, the executive returns the applicant to the employment

department, stating his reason for his action.

When an applicant is accepted, the employment department notifies the

paymaster, also places a folder for a new employee in the file. It is

often highly desirable, also, before sending an employee to a foreman to

inform him fully and in detail as to the work he is expected to do, the

conditions under which he will be expected to work, the rate of pay he

will receive, the opportunities for advancement, and all other information

which may decide the applicant for or against accepting the position if it

is offered to him.

REPORTS AND RECORDS

6. The employment department organizes methods for receiving regular and

complete reports upon the performance and deportment of every employee in

the organization. These reports include punctuality, attendance,

efficiency, special ability, deportment, home environment, and habits,

companions, and other necessary and valuable information. Every employer

who has the good of his employees and their advancement at heart ought to

know these things. Reports are received from foremen and superintendents,

also from others who are especially assigned by the employment supervisor

to secure the information.

RECOMMENDATION FOR TRANSFER, PROMOTION AND INCREASE

7. As a result of these reports and of its own analysis, the employment

department recommends for transfer from one department to another, or for

promotion, or for increase of pay, such employees as merit these changes

in their positions and relationship with the company. In cases where

necessity seems to demand it, the employment department may also recommend

the discharge of an employee.

CONSULTATION ON RATES OF PAY

8. In co-operation with properly constituted authorities, and as the

result of careful, scientific study of the whole situation, the employment

department assists in establishing rates of pay commensurate with the work

done, with the conditions in the industry, and with their probable effect

upon the loyalty, happiness, and consequent efficiency of the employees.

SPECIAL INFORMATION TO MANAGEMENT

9. Upon request of the general manager or any other executive in the

organization, the employment supervisor may furnish complete information

as to any employee in the organization when that information is

legitimately required. Oftentimes, also, there will be a call made upon

the employment department for some one with special ability to undertake a

certain task. It may be that the employment department has had under its

observation for months or even years some man already in the employ of the

company who will exactly fill the new position or the vacancy just

created. Or it may be that, upon consultation of the records, the

employment department will find just the man it is looking for. In case

neither of these things happen, then the right man may be found listed and

described in the reserve file.

TRANSFER AND DISCHARGE

10. When a foreman or other executive can no longer use any man in his

employ, he does not discharge him, but sends him instead to the employment

department with a report and recommendation. Oftentimes the employment

supervisor or his assistant can adjust the matter and return the man to

his position, better fitted than ever to perform his task. It may be that

the executive and not the employee is at fault. On the other hand, it is

often the case that the employment department can take the man so returned

and place him in another department, where he will be happy and efficient.

It may be that the work that he has been doing is suited to him, but that

his executive is not the right kind of personality for him. Whatever the

employment department finds in regard to the man, action is taken in

accordance therewith. In case there is real cause for it, the employee is

paid off and dropped from the rolls of the company.

AID IN MANAGEMENT AND DISCIPLINE

11. Owing to his peculiar knowledge of human nature, it is often possible

for the employment supervisor or his assistant to aid executives in

discipline in their several departments. It has been our experience that

an efficient employment department is not in existence very long before

many executives begin to come in for consultation and to ask the

employment supervisor or his assistant what course to pursue in reference

to some particular man or some particular set of circumstances. This has

been found to be one of the most valuable functions of an employment

department.

SETTLEMENT OF DISPUTES

12. Also because of his expert knowledge of human nature, the employment

supervisor or his assistant is often called upon to adjudicate between

executives, between fellow-employees or between an executive and his

subordinate. Disputes and differences of opinion usually arise because

people fail to understand each other. The employment supervisor,

understanding both parties in the quarrel, is usually able to point out

some basis of amicable adjustment and the restoration of friendly

relationship.

EDUCATION OF EMPLOYEES

13. Employers are learning that the finest and most valuable assets in

their employees are not their bones and muscles; not their intelligence,

training, and experience when they enter the organization; but, rather,

the possibility of development of their intelligence, talents, and

aptitudes. Educators now almost entirely agree that the best and most

serviceable education possible is that afforded by work, provided the work

is intelligently directed and constantly used by those who direct it as an

educational force. Employers are also grasping the great possibilities for

them in this theory. Corporation schools, night schools, special classes,

and many other forms of education inside the walls of commercial and

industrial enterprises are being used to good advantage. In an ideal

economic system, every factory, every store, every shop, every place where

men and women are gathered together for employment should be, in the

higher sense of the word, a school for the development of the very best

human qualities.

Since this is true, who is better qualified by training, by education, and

by experience to conduct this education than the employment supervisor and

his assistants? If he is properly chosen for his work, he has a special

scientific knowledge of human nature; he knows not only the talents and

aptitudes of every member of the force, but also knows the best way for

developing and bringing out these talents and aptitudes. He knows for just

what vocation each one under his tutelage is suited. He knows just what

study and training each one ought to pursue in order to best fit himself

for that vocation.

WELFARE WORK

14. Because of its peculiar relationship to all the employees in the

organization, there is no department better fitted to undertake all of

that activity in connection with industrial life, which is known as

welfare work or social betterment, than that entrusted with employment.

ADAPTABILITY

The organization and plan of an employment department, as we have outlined

it, is, as we have said, for an institution employing two thousand men and

women. For larger organizations, of course, the employment supervisor must

have more assistants, there must be more clerks and stenographers,

according to the number of employees handled and the character of the work

to be done. There are some organizations in which there is very little

fluctuation in the personnel. In such cases a small employment department

is all that is necessary, even although a large number of employees may be

on the payroll. In other kinds of work there is a very large fluctuation,

under ordinary conditions, and in such cases it is necessary to have more

help in the employment department. In the case of small business, such as

retail stores, the employer himself is oftentimes the entire employment

department, except for such assistance as he may obtain from a clerk or

stenographer. In such a case, also, the records do not need to be so

complete and so voluminous, since the proprietor can carry a great deal in

regard to each one of his employees in his own mind. We know many

executives in large organizations, where employment departments have not

been established, who constitute, in themselves, employment departments

for their own little corner of the industry. They may have only five or

six employees under their care, but they handle them according to

scientific principles, analyzing them and their work with just as great

care as if there were hundreds of them.

The method, after all, is unimportant. It is the spirit of the work that

is all important. It does not matter whether you have a huge force of

clerks, assistants, interviewers, and stenographers, or whether you

yourself, in your little corner office with your three or four retail

clerks as a working force, constitute the whole organization. The spirit

of scientific analysis and the fitting of each man to his job in a common

sense, sane, practical way, instead of according to out-of-date methods,

is the important consideration in the remedy which we present.

CHAPTER IV

RESULTS OF SCIENTIFIC EMPLOYMENT

In a lecture to the students of the New York Edison Company Commercial

School, on January 20, 1915, afterward also presented at the Third Annual

Convention of the National Association of Corporation Schools at

Worcester, Mass., on June 9, 1915, Herman Schneider, Dean of the College

of Engineering of the University of Cincinnati, in discussing "The Problem

of Selecting the Right Job," made the following statement:

"2. Physical Characteristics.

"This seems to be a development of the old idea of phrenology. It is

claimed in this system that physical characteristics indicate certain

abilities. For example, a directive, money-making executive will have a

certain shaped head and hand. A number of money-making executives were

picked at random and their physical characteristics charted. We do not

find that they conform at all to any law. Also, we found men who had

physical characteristics that ought to make them executives, but they were

anything but executives. A number of tests of this kind gave negative

results. We were forced to the conclusion that this system was not

reliable."

It is of exceeding great importance for us to know whether the conclusion

of Dean Schneider is to be accepted as final. He is a man of high

attainment and has done some most remarkable and highly commendable work

in connection with continuation schools in the city of Cincinnati. His

opinion and conclusion, therefore, are worthy of the most careful

consideration.

At first glance, Dean Schneider's method of investigation seems sound and

his statement, therefore, conclusive. He examined actual cases; he

collected evidence, and he found that physical characteristics were not a

reliable guide to aptitudes and character. It is well for us, however, to

remember in discussing problems of this kind, that every new scientific

discovery has always been rejected by many recognized authorities after

what they considered to be careful and convincing tests. Harvey nearly

died in trying to maintain his theory of the circulation of the blood;

Darwin's theory was insistently repudiated and rejected by many scientific

men of his day; Galilo, Columbus, Boillard, the discoverer of the

convolution of Broca, and Stevenson, the inventor of the steam locomotive

engine, failed to convince the recognized authorities of their times.

Gall, who localized the motor functions of the brain, a discovery

universally accepted by all brain physiologists today, was laughed out of

court by men of the highest scientific authority, who, by experiments,

"proved" that he was wrong. So great a mathematician and scientist as

Professor Simon Newcomb made the emphatic remark that the dream of flight

in a heavier-than-air machine was absurd and would never be realized. The

difficulty with all these conclusions lay in the fact that the

much-vaunted "proof" was negative in character. Nothing is easier--or more

fallacious, logically--than to "prove" that a thing is _not_ so. The

difficulty lies in proving that it _is_ so; therefore, logically sound.

According to logicians, conclusions based upon negative premises are

inherently unsound. In order to reach reliable conclusions, we must first

have _all_ of the essential facts in the case. We question seriously

whether this was possible in the course of such a brief investigation as

Dean Schneider made. Scientific selection of employees according to the

science of character analysis by the observational method was first

proposed in the summer of 1912, so that Dean Schneider has had only three

years, during which he was much occupied with other duties, in which to

make his observations. We only wish here to raise the question as to

whether, in that short time, he could obtain all of the facts necessary

for reaching a final conclusion. At any rate, other scientists have spent

at least fifteen or twenty years in the examination of the same facts

before reaching their conclusions.

The method employed as outlined in the paragraph quote does not seem to

fulfill all of the necessary requirements of a careful and complete

scientific investigation. Take, for example, the test of "directive

money-making executives." Would Dean Schneider, or any other engineer,

permit a layman, no matter how well qualified otherwise, to examine twenty

or thirty different pieces of engineering work for the purpose of

determining whether or not they "conform to any law." We acknowledge Dean

Schneider's ability as an engineer and as an educator, but until he has

submitted proof, we must question his ability and training as an observer

of physical characteristics as indicative of character and aptitudes.

Again, take the test of those who have "the characteristics that ought to

make them executives." We should like to know what these physical

characteristics were. We should also like to know what other physical

characteristics these men had. Perhaps there were some which interfered

seriously with their becoming successful as executives.

Still further, it would be illuminating to know whether the men so

examined had ever been properly trained for executive work; whether they

had had opportunities to become executives or whether some or all of them

may not have been misfits in whatever they were doing. Obviously, a sound,

scientific conclusion cannot be reached until all of the variables in the

problem have been adequately studied and brought under control. There is

no evidence in the paragraph that we have quoted that Dean Schneider had

done this.

But, after all, we shall proceed very little, if any, with our inquiry as

to the reliability of Dean Schneider's conclusions if we content ourselves

merely with criticizing his methods of research and reason. Even if we

could prove beyond a doubt that the methods used were unscientific and the

reasoning unsound, we could go no further toward establishing the contrary

of Dean Schneider's conclusion than he has in establishing the

unreliability of determining mental aptitudes and character by an

observation of physical characteristics. The main question is not, "Is

Dean Schneider right or wrong?" but rather, "Is an employment department,

conducted along the lines laid down in the preceding chapter, a

profitable investment, and, especially, is it possible to determine the

right job for any individual by observing his physical characteristics?"

BUT IT IS BEING DONE

Fortunately, this question is no longer academic. There is no need for the

bringing up of arguments, the stating of theories, the quoting of

authorities, or any such controversial methods. Employment departments

_have_ been established in a number of commercial and industrial

organizations, some very large--some small--and _are_ being conducted,

with some variations, according to the plan outlined in the preceding

chapter. The science of character analysis by the observational method

_is_ the basis of their work. In addition, this science is the basis of

employment work in several hundred other employment departments, large and

small, where the Blackford plan has not been adopted in its entirety. The

plan referred to was formulated in 1912. The fact that this method has

been in actual commercial use under widely varying conditions and in the

hands of many different individuals, for more than three years, is, on the

face of it, a reasonably fair presumption of its reliability. At any rate,

it is fully as convincing as Dean Schneider's purely negative "proof."

The question remains as to whether the commercial applications of this

method are successful; whether the results obtained are reliable; whether

the inefficiencies and losses, to which we have referred in previous

chapters, are appreciably remedied by its use.

SOME PRACTICAL RESULTS

In one of the first organizations where the Blackford Employment Plan was

installed there were employed about 2,500 men and women. At the time of

the adoption of this plan the various foremen and superintendents in the

plant were hiring about 6,600 new employees each year in order to maintain

their regular working force of 2,500. Within six months new employees were

being taken on at the rate of only 4,080 a year--and this notwithstanding

the fact that many changes were necessitated by sweeping reorganization

and adoption of new methods of manufacture in the industry.

Excellent results were obtained in reassignment of executives as the

result of a careful analysis of those holding positions when the

department was installed. One executive instantly recognized as being

clever, designing, and essentially dishonest was replaced by another of a

reliable, efficient type. Under the new executive, the department more

than doubled its output, at the same time cutting the payroll of the

department down to 43 per cent of its former size. Still another

executive, holding a position of highest trust and responsibility, was

reported upon adversely after analysis by the employment department. An

investigation made as the result of this report revealed serious

irregularities covering a long period of months. Another man properly

qualified for the position was selected by the department, and immediately

began to effect noticeable savings, as well as greatly increasing the

value of the department's work in the institution. Still another executive

selected by this department increased the output of one of the shops by

120 per cent, with a very slight increase in the payroll. In another

organization, careful records showed that among employees selected

according to this plan, 90 per cent were efficient, satisfactory, and

permanent; 8 per cent fairly satisfactory but not permanent; and 2 per

cent unsatisfactory and discharged.

AN UNUSUAL HARMONY OF JUDGMENT

But these results, while desirable, are not wholly convincing. It is easy

enough to explain them on the ground that any man or woman of common

sense, keen observation and good judgment, devoting all his or her

intelligence and time to employment problems, might have gained the same

results without using a method for determining aptitudes and character

from an observation of physical characteristics.

More specific and more convincing evidence may be found in a series of

incidents which occurred in connection with an employment department

established in a textile factory, employing twelve hundred men, located in

New England. The supervisor of this department is a young man who has been

a student and practitioner of this method in employment work since August,

1912. Previously to taking up this work, he had taken an engineer's degree

and had some experience as an executive, in a large factory.

In January, 1915, the supervisor analyzed carefully twenty executives then

at work in the plant, carefully wrote out the analyses and submitted them

to the management with recommendations for transfers and readjustments of

rather a sweeping nature. The management, wishing to make an experiment,

agreed to make the changes, provided we were also to analyze the

executives in question, submit our analyses in writing, and show agreement

as to the character and aptitudes of the men. We accordingly proceeded to

the factory, and there, without consultation with the supervisor or his

report, proceeded to analyze the twenty executives independently. It would

not be fair to the executives in question to publish all of these analyses

in full, but a comparison of the essential points in a few of them will be

instructive:

Supervisor says of No. 1: "Sociable, scheming, secretive; poor judge of

men; lacking seriously in executive ability; decidedly a 'one-man-job'

man; does not plan ahead; clannish, narrow-minded; very low intelligence

for a foreman. Any organization he builds will be close-mouthed,

unreliable, and selfish in structure. Because of the technical knowledge

of the business which he has gained, and which can be gained only by long

experience, he should do good work in experimental lines. Any change made,

however, should separate him completely from the regular productive

organization."

Dr. Blackford reports on No. 1: "He is, however, an undesirable man to be

in charge of others. He is far more destructive than constructive, more

disorganizing than organizing. He is ultra-conservative, non-progressive,

and is not disposed to take on any new methods unless he himself can get

the credit for their installation. In disposition he is stubborn and

obstinate. He is also reserved and suspicious. Being of the selfish type,

he will look after his own interests first in all things. No. 1 lacks

straightforwardness and frankness of disposition, so he will be tricky,

slippery, and do things in an underhanded way. He has very great dislike

of detail and will have a tendency to procrastinate if given an

opportunity, I believe he has passed the age limit of mental growth."

Supervisor thus summarizes No. 2: "A well-intentioned, honest and reliable

man, lacking absolutely in executive ability. Should have a job as

inspector or like, where he would have no one to look after but himself."

Dr. Blackford says of No. 2: "No. 2 is a simple-hearted man of very

ordinary ability. He is not systematic or orderly; is very susceptible to

criticism; exceedingly emotional, apprehensive, and watchful. No doubt men

will like him because he is easy with them. However, he will not be a

particularly good executive, because he cannot maintain discipline."

Supervisor thus analyzes No. 3: "Very clannish, lacking absolutely in

intelligence, executive ability, frankness; in fact, every attribute that

is necessary for a good foreman. Is wholly unfitted for an executive job

of any kind. Under very strict supervision, would make a fair workman."

Dr. Blackford reports on No. 3: "He is easily influenced; too undependable

and too lax in discipline to make a good executive. He has a keen sense of

right and wrong, but will take on the color of his surroundings. If led by

an undesirable man, he will be a poor asset, and only a fair one even

under good influence."

Supervisor, on No. 4: "An active, honest and frank man; a good boss for a

small gang of men. Limited somewhat by lack of education and medium

planning ability."

Dr. Blackford, on No. 4: "An energetic, active man of only fair

intelligence and capability. He is sympathetic and generous to those he

likes, but his strongest quality is a desire to rule. He will enjoy

enforcing laws, rules and regulations, and will do this with a degree of

energy and watchfulness which probably results in good work on part of

those under him. He is a fair executive. Under right influence, might

further develop."

Supervisor reports on No. 5: "A capable man, secretive and somewhat

clannish; is susceptible, however, to other influences and can be

developed. A little quick-tempered in handling help; expects too much at

the outset. This man must be removed from the influence of No. 1 or he

will make no progress."

Dr. Blackford, on No. 5: "A capable man, secretive in his work; careful,

conservative, and conservatively progressive. He is intelligent and

industrious. He is also ambitious, and has good artistic sense. He is the

type of man that takes pride in doing good work. He will prefer his work

to be perfect and finished rather than faulty. In disposition he is

usually mild, but has a very destructive temper when aroused; so he is

probably a little hot-headed with his workers. He is reserved and

secretive, but under encouragement will unfold whatever information he has

concerning the work. Perhaps his most negative point is a lack of courage

in his convictions, but with encouragement and proper support, he ought to

develop into a good executive."

Supervisor says, briefly, of No. 6: "A very loyal, honest and painstaking

employee; very sincere and absolutely reliable; lacking somewhat in

executive ability to handle a large gang. Very desirable."

Dr. Blackford says, more at length, of No. 6: "Industrious, energetic,

watchful, careful, dependable, and conscientious in her work. She is

sympathetic, but exacting with her workers. She has fair intelligence, is

teachable, and will give considerable thought to improving her work. She

is also a good critic and a good judge of values. If not given too large a

department or too great responsibility, she ought to be very valuable in

an executive position."

Supervisor, on No. 7: "An active, reliable man; a good gang-boss or

leader; very susceptible to further training."

Dr. Blackford, on No. 7: "Highest grade and finest-textured of any of the

foremen yet considered. He is also intelligent, honest, industrious; has

high principles; is careful in his work, and will take very great pride in

it. He is naturally artistic and ought to turn out very beautiful work. He

is clean morally and physically, thorough, and will always prefer a fine

quality of goods and workmanship to coarse quality. He is distinctly a

quality man. With training and opportunity he ought to develop into a fine

man for greater responsibility than he now carries."

ANALYSES FROM PHOTOGRAPHS

Perhaps, in some ways, an even more convincing evidence of the reliability

and practicability of the observational method may be found in the results

obtainable by analysis from photographs. A photograph is, in a sense, a

purely mechanical product. It is, in graphic form, a record of the

subject's physical characteristics, stripped of all of the atmosphere, so

to speak, of his personality. A photograph cannot talk, cannot act, cannot

reveal the man within by any subtle appeal to what are called the

intuitions. Photographs as the basis of analysis are used extensively in

employment and vocational work. These analyses are usually written out in

detail and stand, in black and white, undeniable records of the analyst's

observations and conclusions. The analysis of Sidney Williams appearing on

pages 206 to 210 is a sample of the definite and specific manner in which

these analyses are made. It has been impossible for us to trace and verify

in detail every one of these records. They are being made all the time,

and in one form or another, by many of those who are now using this

method. But we have traced several hundred of them for purposes of

verification and have found amongst them only three which have differed

with the facts in the case in any essential particular. In fact, some

analysts are far more reliable in making analyses from photographs than in

personal interviews. In dealing with the photograph they apply the

principles and laws of the science relentlessly and almost mathematically,

while, in a personal interview, they are irresistibly influenced by their

sympathies, their likes and their dislikes.

As a test, we have had some analyses made without even a photograph as a

guide, using simply standard charts of the essential physical

characteristics of the subjects. For this test five subjects were chosen,

all of them unknown to the analysts. Their physical characteristics were

charted by those acquainted with the method and five copies were made of

each chart.

In order to give the reader an idea of the nature of the data upon which

these analyses were made, we reproduce here, in ordinary language, the

information contained in the chart made out for Subject Number One: