REO SUCCESS TOLD
BY IE. OLDS
Founder of Reo Motor Car Speaks
of Great Organization and
Its Methods
An interesting story of Reo success
is contained in Everybody's Magazine.
It follows:
When we meet a man who has been
signally successful in his particular
sphere of endeavor, we look at him in
wide-eyed wonder, searching to see if
we can divine by what magic he has
achieved t'.ie, to us, impossible.
To our lips comes the question we
would, but dare not, ask, "How did
you do it?"
It is amusing to note the similarity
—and the futility of the replies,
when on occasion we do muster up
sufficient courage to ask the success
ful man, the millionaire, for a private
formula.
"Honesty and frugality, my boy,"
is the almost invariable reply. And
if perchance the one to whom we are
talking has not reached the odious
stage of the falsely proud nouveau
riche, he may add, "and Hard Work."
If he has reached that stage—why,
he is ashamed of the fact he ever
worked, so is silent on that point.
Now we know, most of us, from
personal experience that hard work,
while doubtless essential, is not suf
licient. We know this because, hard
as we have worked, we are still a long
way from our goal of success. We
had almost begun to doubt whether
Ijard work was, really necessary to
gneat successes.
Likewise, knowing by common re
port something of the man who has
prescribed "honesty and frugality,"
as a specific, we are incilnde to doubt
the efficacy of the amount of either
of which that particular individual
may justly boast.
So we conclude we are little or no
farther along in our quest for the
great secret.
It is refreshing therefore to talk
with one whose success ha. u ''"en as
vlcan as it has been great; who has
succeeded even to the point where he
can lay down (he tools ami see his
work go on; who has worked us hard
as any man how in his shops—and
who still knows how to play; whose
business is still but a means to an
end—not the end.
How many of the so-called success
ful men are in very truth the most
miserable failures!
"Pity the poor millionaire" has be
come almost an axiom in this land of
sudden successes. Nor do we say it
facetiously but in all seriousness. We
that have retained our sanity and out
sense of values do pity the average
"successful man."
Few there are who, having reached
the goal, can quit running- Yet to
Stop running is not to get out of the
jfame. On the contrary, you can bet-
Tor enjoy the sport from the sidelines,
giving a word of encouragement or
advice from there.
H. K. Olds, the man whose initials
trpells the name of one of America's
most famous motor cars and whose
iuccess has been the wonder of that
jvonder industry, is one of these rare
exceptions.
* Though he has just turned the
half-century post, Mr. Olds is still a
SATURDAY EVENING, lIARRISBURG tfSffo TELEGRAPH MARCH 13, 1915
Auto Show
"Glad Hand" Week
At the City Auto Supply Company
Headquarters 118-120 Market Street
We want every one of our friends to come and see a display of acces
sories unsurpassed in this section of the State. We want every visitor to the
show—DEALER AND CAR OWNER—to see the complete accessory store
where everything for the motorist is stocked in great variety.
You will find this a pleasant place to visit. YOU WILL NOT BE
PRESSED TO BUY ANYTHING. We want you merely to see what we
have, so that when the need arises you will know where to come.
We are the exclusive distributors in this section of some of the most im
portant accessories on the market. The latest improvements in motor equip
ments are sure to be found here first of all.
Our Service
At our store or at the curb is unsurpassed. We are the pioneers of service in
this section—and are constantly improving this feature. You will always
find some one at the curb to inflate your tires, fill your radiator or assist you
in any way, FREE OF CHARGE.
SEE US AT BOTH SHOWS
City Auto Supply Co.
118-120 Market Street
boy with all the ardor, all the enthu
siasm, all the sweetness and the ca
pacity for enjoyment of the health
iest-minded, cleanest-bodied boy you
ever knew.
He has succeeded to the point so
few ever attain, of freeing himself
from the harness before work had be
come to him a habit that could not
be discarded.
His factories are still his servants—
he has not, like so many others, per
mitted himself to become a slave to
the thing he has built.
"To make a success, all you have to
do is to be one," says Mr. Olds.
Sounds at first like irony. It is not
so meant, however. <
"By that I mean," says Mr. Olds,
"that If you have within yourself the
elements that make for success you
can detect with unerring accuracy
those qualities in other men. That
in turn argues that you have the
ability to build up an organization—
and in .the word organization you have
my recipe for success.
"Now do not confuse the term or
ganization with corporation. There
may be a vast difference. An organ
ization is the best possible founda
tion for a corporation, but I could
mention many corporations that ab
solutely lack organization.
'My idea of success is to build a
business that will go on after the
hand of the master has been taken
from the throttle—whether mo
mentarily or permanently; willingly
or by the decrees of fate.
Reo success has been splendid. And
that success has been due to organ
ization. Mine is the satisfaction and
the pride of having elected and
brought together the men who com
pose that organization. And the sat
isfaction is the greater because from
the day the Reo company was organ
ized there has never been a change
in that organization.
"The plan has worked out exactly
as I had hoped. Reo is to-day not
only one of the strongest concerns en
gaged in the manufacture of automo
biles, but it ranks as one of the
soundest in any branch of the manu
facturing industry. I think that is a
wonderful record. Certainly it is a
most gratifying fulfillment of an am
bition—an ideal.
"Twenty-five per cent, of the total
population of the city of Lansing
the fourth city in Michigan—derive
their livelihood from the Reo pay
roll. So I can. feel I have fulfilled
my duty as a citizen.
"Consider, however, that but for the
ability and loyalty of the men who
constiuto the Reo organization, I
would to-day be a slave to the very
thing I have created.
"As It Is, I can go to South Amer
ica for a winter cruise; take a trip
itround the world or do anything else
I choose or my family desires—which
is the same thing—feeling perfectly
secure in the knowledge that not only
are my investments safeguarded, but,
more vitnl to me, that those thousands
who depend on the Reo -plants foi
sustenance and a home need have no
worry for the future—they nor the
children I hope will be born to them.
"I would not attempt to say which
of the six men who comprise the Reo
organization—heads of the six big de
partments—is entitled to most credit
for that success. Seems to me It can
be pretty evenly divided.
"The man who in the design laid
the foundation of the car must share
his credit with the man who bought
first class materials and that other
man who applied his experience and
skill In the fabrication thereof. Simi
larly, the man who handled the funds,
the sinews of war and of business,
must share njid share alike with him
who exchanged the product of the
factory for the cash of the consumer.
(Adjoining Senate Hotel)
And this latter in turn must pay hom
age to the breadth and ability and
foresight of the directing head whose
policy of Service to the user makes
of every customer a permanent
friend for Reo.
"It is because I feel certain that
every owner of a Reo car is a friend
that I feel absolutely certain of the
future of the concern.
"I believe that if you asked any
live of the six to-day what man of
their acquaintance was the best man
in the world to till the sixth position,
they would unanimously mention the
man who now fills it.'
"Yet the affinity, if I may use the
term, goes no farther than that.
"All have their hobbles—but none
tries to cultivate the pet hobby of
the other. They differ radically in
racial characteristics and in personal
preference—but none pays any atten
tion to the idiosyncrasies of the
others—neither quarrels with, nor
tries to emulate him. Harmony in
the Reo organization fiepends on no
such slender thread as that.
"These men meet on one common
ground—and one only. That is abil
ity—the ability of each to fill his par
ticular niche.
"It is an unwritten law that no de
partment head ever recommends a
man to another department for em
ployment. Thus is all chance of spy
ing and tattletale eliminated.
"There are no relatives —either my
own or of the department heads—in
the place. I agree with President
James of the University of Illinois
that 'nepotism is, In its quality, a
more subtle and a more corrupting
influence than are politics or religion
directed to the same end, bad as these
are.'
"The thought of employing a man
because ho is a relative or a friend of
a shareholder or a director in, the
company would never occur to one of
these men. There can therefore b*
only one reason why any man occu
pies the position he does in the Reo
organization—and that is his superior
ability for that job.
'I know that these things are not
usually mentioned as factors in suc
cessful business, but I believe they are
of the utmost importance. Every man
who has built up a successful organ
ization will agree as to their impor
tance —and those who have tried and
failed may find In Wills the chief
reason.
"To sum up: the secret of success
is organization. Organization presup
poses specialists—experts. Having se
lected your specialists the next step
is to delegate absolutely to each those
duties and those prerogatives that
come within his scope.
"I ask that the men who compose
the Reo organization agree only on
one thing—lntegrity of purpose.
'To make an honest product, to sell
it honestly, and honestly to stand back
of it—that in a sentence Is the Reo
policy. And It has made good-plus."
News Items of Interest
in Central Pennsylvania
Special to The Telegraph
Sunbury.—Paul S. Lugar, an ath
lete of this place, has been chosen as
athletic and physical Instructor for the
I .O. O. F. orphanage.
Marietta.—At a meeting last even
ing residents of Conestoga Centre de
cided to purchase a chemical engine
for fire protection.
Abbcj'vlllc.—Joseph AVelchans lost
four fingers of his left hand yesterda>
while working at a circular saw.
I/Midi* Valley.—A 4-year-old daugh
ter of Christian F. Frank was badb
scalded last evening my upsetting u pot
of chocolate.
CIMERS NEW SIX
ENTIRELY IIEW TYPE
Is First Car to Be Produced by
the Company at Less
Than $1,500
Something entirely new in Ameri
can automobile designing will be
shown in the Chalmers at the ex
hibit of the Keystone Motor Car Com
pany at the Arena-Hex Auto Show.
It is the Chalmers "New Six," with
new and distinctive Clmlmers-Delage I
type high-speed, valve-in-the-head'
motor, which sells for $1,400, fully
equipped. This car, which was showr
for the first time at the Xew York
show, attracted the attention of en
gineers and other motor-wise folk,
who had heard rumors that the
Chalmers Company was building a
smaller six model and were eager
Ho see it.
This Chalmers "New Six' is the
first car ever biult by the Chalmers
Company at less than $1,500. The
contrast between this generous sized,
amply powered, modern automobile
with the "old" model of six or seven
years ago is a pretty good index of
the progress which the motorcar in
dustry has made.
The new Chalmers motor repre
sents the latest and best type of,
foreign design. It is a modification
of the Delage, Wcidely and other ex
ponents of the foreign tendency to-1
ward high speed motors. It is un
usual in appearance with a long com- i
paremtnt on top of the cylinders in
closing the valves and the cam-shaft.
It is unusual, too, engineers say, in
power and efficiency.
This model is direct from the
Brooklyn show. And from the Boston
show comes the Saxon Six, one of the ,
newest of the season's surprises. A
Dodge Brothers' touring model, a I
Master Six Chalmers and the Light;
Six will complete the exhibit.
Chalmers has the same two sixes
that it had in 1914. They have been
refined in a number of details and on
the larger chassis a touring body of
entirely new design has been fitted.
The smaller six having been reduced
to $1,650, $l5O loss than last year. |
Equipment Is now better than ever
before. A new design top, which is
a product of the Chalmers shops, is
fitted; the storage battery is of im
proved design, better separation be
ing use to eliminate buckling of the
plates. A voltmeter has been added
to the equipment and a Yale lock
fitted to the electric switches. On
the smaller car the tires are larger,
being 84 by 4.5 instead of 34 by 4.
Five bodies are listed on the smaller [
car and two on the Master six.
The seven-passenger touring car on
the Master six is an innovation in
tbat it is a boat-line design.
J/ODGE HAS GREAT TEAM
A class of seventeen new members
will be taken Into State Capitol lodge.
No. 70. I. O. O. F., under the Initiation
of a degree team composed of the
youngest members of the lodge. They
are doing good work not only at home
but have been conferring degrees at
Duncannon, Palmyra and other towns
recently. ;
CHIC EIGHT
FIRST OF HEW TYPE
Leads the Season by Introducing
Again as Many Cylinders as on
Preceding Model
An exhibit at the Arena show that
will be the center of interest will be
that of the Crispen Motor Car Com
pany, which will display the 1915
Cadillac eight. Every feature of the
Cadillac eight will be shown and ex
plained by the Cadillac, expert who
has become one of the most familiar
figures at automobile shows in this
country.
C. C. Crispen has been on the jump
since the announcement was made
that the Cadillac company, would is
sue an eight-cylinder this season.
Every- day since the announcement
was made lie has been answering in
quiries or receiving orders.
As a result of these activities a num
ber of Cadillac eights are seen in the
streets of Harrisburg every day. Men
who have never owned automobiles
were so greatly impressed with the
new product of the Cadillac company
that they immediately closed deals
with Mr. Crispen for the purchase of
the new Cadillac.
Speaking 01' the Cadillac eight, Mr.
Crispen said to the Telegraph auto
ijiobile man: "The Cadillac company
has never relaxed the pursuit of that
power principle which would prove to
be ultimate and final. It sought the
medium by which the car would bo
endowed, not with an approximate
freedom from gear shifting or ap
proximate hill climbing ability on
high, or approximately the highest
possible form of these three charac
teristics.
"The Cadillac company has given
serious consideration to every reput
able type of motor, endeavoring to
scrutinize with scientific impartiality
the virtue and limitations of each and
every one alike.. Building and experi
menting in turn with every type of
engine, from the single cylinder the
company has carried forward the
■!—■■■■ mm ■■■■
"Car of the American Family"
A car of unusual grace and beauty with every feature that makes for driv
ing comfort. The new Hupmobile is a large, roomy, powerful car that cannot
help but appeal to the most discriminating taste. Riding comfort has been one
of the chief aims of Hupmobile engineers in designing the new car. The springs
are unusually long and built of the highest grade spring steel, which makes for
exceptional resiliency and gives the greatest riding case under all road conditions.
s J passenger Touring Car with sedan and mohair tops $1365
2-passenger Roadster with coupe and mohair tops $1325
5-passenger Touring Car with mohair top only SI2OO
2-passenger Roadster with mohair top only .SI2OO
4-passenger Touring Car or Roadster, model "HA" .SIOSO
Westinghouse electric lighting and starting systems on all models.
Trices F. O. Bi, Detroit.
The Lewis VI Dart Trucks
Monarch of the Sixes From one to three ton
SI6OO $875 >° $1950
F. O. 8., Racine, Wis. - F. O. 8., Waterloo, lowa.
Exhibited at Kelker Street Auto Show.
ENSMINGER MOTOR CO.
Sales Room, 3rd and Cumberland
SEIRVICE STATION GREEN AND CUMBERLAND
highest form of frequent impulsive
Imotor—the V type, eight cylinder.
"The principal advantage of the
eight-cylinder engine is, of course, its
continuous torque and continuous uni
form genration of power. There is no
pause or lapse between power im
pulses, of. which there are eight' in
each complete cycle of the engine,
four to every revolution of the crank
shaft, or one every quarter turn. The
firing alternates from side to side.
The continuous torque produces an al
most utter absence of vibration at
both high and low speeds. The fact
the motor is no longer than a four
cylinder type and does not take up as
much room as a four-cylinder en
gine. The pistons and for the same
wheelbase car.
"The eight cylinder motor weighs 60
pounds less than last year's Cadillac
four-cylinder engine. The and
connecting rods weigh exactly one
half of those used last year.
"The design. of the cylinder block
castings of the engine Is unique arpong
motor cars by reason of the fact'that
removable water jacket plates are lit
ted at each end of the block. Thus
an entirely new scheme for the casting
of cylinders enbloc has been put into
operation in the Cadillac foundries.
The usual practice provides no open
ing into the water circulation space
that surrounds the, cylinders.
"The new Cadillac practice affords
several advantages. One of these is
that it permits the cores to be an
chored before the casting is made,
which prevents slipping of the cores
and insures uniform thickness of the
cylinder walls and uniform space for
the water, both of which are neces
sary to efficient cooling of the motor.
"Another is that, through the open
ends of the water space, inspection
can be made to be sure that webs of
metal have not formed which would
interfere with the free circulation of
the cooling water —for such interfer
ence is likely to have serious results.
"The third advantage is that the
user of the car can detach the plates
and remove any sediment that may
have been deposited by the water
used in the cooling system. The re
movable plates are amply large to
permit close inspection of the water
sp(*cc.
"The Cadillac eight engine is a mo
tor of uncommon accessibility in all
respects and the cylinder block con
struction carries out the general idea
completely. Removable caps provide
for cleaning carbon out of cylinders
without removing cylinders from the
base. The pistons can also be taken
TRUCKS
A TRUCK FOR
EVERY PURPOSE
REPUBLIC
1,500 pound capacity, (rear
driven truck, complete with body
$995.00
Bessamer Trucks in Various Models
Sold by
I. W. Dill
SEE THEM AT THE ALTO SHOW
ARENA AND REX GARAGE
from the cylinders through the bas«
without removing the cylinders."
The Crispen Motor Oar Company
maintains one of the best equipped
service stations in Central Pensyl
vania. Here all parts of the Cadil
lacs are kept on hand. Only expert
workmen are employed and careful
attention is paid in the repair or over
hauling of all cars submitted.