MORNING SERIAL
THEN he waited for me to open my official notebook, not this one of course, and to scribble as fast as my fountain pen would allow.
His dicta, thus: “In England we are only now beginning to realise the attraction of Business, its core social and economic function, as our American cousins realised it long since.
“Think why it is that those Americans who have made vast sums of money still remain in business? Do they retire to the country? Do they adorn the gasbag chambers of political life?
“Not the Carnegies or Morgans, I can tell you. So why then? For more money? Not at all, not in the least.
“It is because, my boy, the greater their business grows, the greater they are enabled to employ all of their powers, of imagination and execution, the more, in short, they are enabled to do things.
“Business – write this down carefully, Arthur – business is the modern equivalence of war. War, then, is business by any other name. We must profit from both.
“Why, if Napoleon had been born fifty years ago in America he would have been a dangerous rival to Mr Rockefeller. Or …”, and here he squeezed my elbow and snorted a chortle, “if in South Wales, then to me! Eh?” He seemed to have finished and sat back in his armchair.
Arnold, who had perhaps taken down some such speechifying himself at some time, nodded to indicate I should not cap my pen as yet. Mr Thomas’ concluding words on the subject were to the effect that in Business, today, risk was for the brave to take and only a conqueror born could surmount its difficulties, and reap its rewards. “For the many who need from the few who can,” he added.
After this the conversation proved to be more focussed on the notations and communications he wished Arnold to prepare for his business arrangements to be met directly when we disembarked.
I was, it seemed, to be kept busy sanding away the subsequent files, accumulated information and confidential documentation.
There would also be a deal of cabling, queries and answers in both directions, to be sent and to be received.
CONTINUES TOMORROW