Class of 1923
This, the second in a series of short biographies appearing in this column, is about the career of George Lauderdale Plant, B.S. '23, M.C.S. '24. There are two things which seem to me of particular interest in his career; one is an example of what a man can and should do early in the game to get started in the right direction; and the other is an example of how shifting social and political conditions can convert what was yesterday "just a job" into what is today a position of responsibility and importance. And with this intimate example of what change often does for a man, assuming of course that the man is sincere, conscientious, and hard-working, as is the case with George, there is little reason for any of us to get discouraged. The very order of the day is "change," and' who can tell when some ladle may stir the pot bringing the peas underneath on top.
George was born in Washington, D. C., January 2, 1900. He attended primary school in that city, also Tech. and Central High Schools, and sandwiched in a summer at Culver. After four years at Dartmouth and a year of post-graduate work in Tuck School, George found himself looking uncertainly into the future. His father was an executive of the Southern Railroad, but he frowned on the idea of George starting his business career with that company, and fortunately there was no disagreement between father and son on that score.
If the reader will recall the American philosophy at the time the class of 1923 was graduated, he will remember that Warren G. Harding had somewhat earlier been elected 011 the slogan, "Back to normalcy"; big business was recovering rapidly from the post-war depression—just getting under way in fact for the big blow-off, and most of us neophytes had plenty of ambition to crash the gates of said big business. But how? On every hand we were told that salesmanship was the way. Have something to sell. That's where the big money was—selling.
It must have been somewhat discouraging for one who felt that he did not want to "sell" to find himself so lukewarm about that which was held out as the only sure road to success. But George knew enough not to "try it," feeling as he did, and here is where example No. 1 comes in, namely, the business of getting started in the right direction. One of the first things George did after leaving Hanover was to look up a good vocational counselor and have a talk with him. He found a man who knew his business, one who was retained by a number of large industrial companies to advise on matters of personnel, charged a fancy fee. But his advice that George should get into some sort of industrial research or trade relations work seems to have been worth all it cost. It seems also to be sound procedure to stop and appraise your own ability, or have it appraised, and then go forward with what God gave you, rather than trying to follow some other road which may for the moment look to be a more direct road to success.
George has had only two jobs since he left college. During the first four years he was with the U. S. Chamber of Commerce in Washington (not a government department), doing research work along the lines of marketing and distribution. For the last five and a half years he has been with the National Retail Dry Goods Association in New York, engaged first in the important work of trade relations, to which was later added the problems of efficient store management. It was in his capacity as secretary of the Trade Relations Committee combined with his detailed experience along this line, that illustrates the second point of interest in his career, namely, that changing conditions often convert just a job into a position of importance.
Late in 1929 there was a slight disorder in the stock market and the worst depression the world has ever known was under way. In 1932 a new president was elected, and with him came new ideas. One of these was the NR.A, to be effected by arranging suitable industrial codes for business. Almost overnight, the work which George had been doing in a more or less obscure way for five years reached limelight importance. Equitable and profitable relationships between buyers and sellers became a major part of the National Program for Recovery. Most of the work in safeguarding the interest of retailers against unfair and discriminatory provisions in manufacturers' codes fell on his shoulders. In addition, the task of interpreting the provisions of the retail code has been his, and that is no small job, since this code includes more individual units than anyother. A while ago, when code hearings were being held in Washington, George was making about two airplane trips a week to that city. It is his opinion that the work of effecting better trade relations between buyers and sellers is only started, and he expects some real benefit to come from the power which national recognition has given to this type of work.
There are one or two other points of interest which could not be omitted even in a short biography of this man. On October 8, 1928, Miss Marion Bennett Grimes of Washington, D. C., became Mrs. George Plant, and on September 14, 1929, George Lauderdale Plant Jr. made his bow to the world.
Those who have known George well have recognized that one of his most likable qualities is a very dry sense of humor. I asked George not long ago to sum up briefly his college honors. Here is his reply:
1. "Perfectly willing to 'heel' for something but not elected." 2. "Ran Cross-Country and ate pie—had to give up Cross-Country." I asked him also from what experience or experiences during his whole life he thought he had derived the greatest benefit. His answer,—"Undisturbed sleep."
In a more serious vein, however, he replies to the question, "What quality do you think helps men most to get where they want to go businesswise?" I quote his answer here because it comes from one who, for the past ten years, has enjoyed a number of exceptional contacts with men of recognized business ability. In George's opinion the quality which got most of them their business success was—"Plain gall, exaggerated self-assurance, and a touch of 'quasi dishonesty' which is frequently referred to as exceptional business astuteness."
A couple of weeks ago the New York Herald Tribune interviewed Mr. G. L. Plant relative to the industrial codes affecting manufacturers and retailers. This in itself is interesting, but even more so is the fact that the Herald Tribune story was reprinted in full in the Journal ofCommerce, a publication seeking only uncolored and authoritative facts.
It is obviously impossible for the writer of this column to know what many men in the class are doing, and doubtlessly a lot of good subject matter for these short biographies is being overlooked simply because of that fact. Therefore, Mr. Subscriber, if you know of anyone in our class who has done or is doing an unusual piece of work, please let me know.
The basis on which biographies are selected was stated in the October issue, but for those of you who missed it, it is reprinted herewith.
"Financial achievement will not be considered first, in fact, will not even beconsidered second, worthy as such successmay be. The first prerequisite is that a manmust have carved his 'niche' under nonebut his own power; and the second is thatthe niche must be distinctive."
Send in your suggestions with as many facts about the man as you know.
Secretary, Box 14, Wall St. Station New York
