The placing of young men in positions of extreme responsibility seems
to be peculiar to this country. Abroad such positions are usually held
by persons of mature or advanced years. That the commercial world of
America does not suffer from its departure from European customs in the
respect cited is evidenced by its commercial and mercantile progress.
Clement Acton Griscom, Jr., manager of the great American line of
steamers is a case in point. He was born in 1868 and graduated from
the University of Pennsylvania in 1887. His father is Clement Acton
Griscom, Sr., president of the line. Griscom, the manager, entered
the service of the company the day following his last examination at
college and two weeks before he received his diploma. He first worked
as office boy in the freight department at a salary of $3.00 per week,
and, as the story goes, although a college graduate and the son of the
president, the other employes treated him exactly as they did the other
boys. His business progress then was something in this order: junior
clerk at $5.00 per week; junior clerk in the passenger department,
$7.00 per week; clerk in the ticket department, dock clerk from 7 a.
m. until 6 p. m., assistant to the manager of the Chicago office,
assistant to the general manager in New York, supervisor at the head
of the purchasing board steward departments, and finally manager. It
will be seen that young Griscom had to “hoe his own row” completely,
and, although at the time he, like the ordinary boy, objected to so
doing, he now recognizes the wisdom of his father in compelling him
to learn all there was to be learned. Under Mr. Griscom’s management,
the American Line flourishes. He is also president of the James Riley
repair and supply company, a director of the Maritime Exchange and is
interested in a number of other enterprises. He married the daughter of
General William Ludlow, and his friends say that his home life has had
a determining influence on his career in general.