下载辰思小说免费APP
Hisfathersatsilentlyponderingforsomeminutes。Then，asifmakingasuddenresolve，hesaid:“Jack，Ihavebeenwantingtospeakwithyouaboutsomethingforsomeweeks。IhavecometoaplacewhereitisimperativethatIgetsomerelieffrommyload。
Yousee，Iamcarryingthewholeburdenofmanagementpracticallyalone。Ilookafterthefinancing，themarkets，Ikeepaneyeonproductionandevenuponthefactorymanagement。InnormalconditionsIcouldmanagetogetalong，butinthesecriticaldays，wheneverydepartmentcallsforclose，constantandsanesupervision，IfeelthatImusthaverelief。IfIcouldberelievedofthejobofshopmanagement，Icouldgivemyselftotheotherdepartmentswherethesituationatpresentisextremelycritical。Iwantamanager，Jack。Whynottakethejob？Now，“hecontinued，holdinguphishand，ashissonwasabouttospeak，“listenforamomentortwo。Ihavesaidthesituationisserious。Letmeexplainthat。
Thefinancingofthisbusinessinthepresentcrisisrequiresaman’sfulltimeandenergy。Markets，credits，collections，alldemandtheveryclosestattention。“
Jackglancedathisfather’sface。Forthefirsttimehenoticedhowdeep-cutwerethelinesthatindicatedcare，anxietyandworry。
Asuddenremorseseizedhim。
“Iamawfullysorry，sir，“hesaid，“Ihavenotbeenofmuchhelptoyou。“
Maitlandwavedhishandasifdismissingthesuggestion。“Nowyouknownothingofthefinancialside，butyoudoknowmenandyoucanhandlethem。Youprovedthatinthewar，and，inanotherway，youprovedthatduringthisrecentathleticcontest。IfollowedthatverycloselyandIsaywithouthesitationthatitwasaremarkablyfinebitofworkandthereactionswereofthebest。Jack，I
believethatyouwouldmakeagreatmanagerifyougaveyourselftoit，andthoughtitworthwhile。Now，listentome。“Thereuponthefatherproceededtolaybeforehissontheimmediatelypressingproblemsinthebusiness——thefinancialobligationsalreadyassumed，theheavyaccumulationofstockforwhichtherewerenomarkets，theincreasingcostsinproductionwithnohopeofrelief，butrathereveryexpectationofaddedburdensinthisdirection。
Ashelistenedtohisfather，Jackwasappalledwithwhatheconsideredtheoverwhelminglydisastroussituationinwhichthebusinesswasplaced。Atthesametimehesawhisfatherinanewlight。Thissilent，stern，reservedmanassumedaroleofheroinhiseyes，facingdesperateoddsandsilentlyfightingalonelyanddoubtfulbattle。Thesonwassmittenwithasenseofhisownfutility。Inhimwasbornadesireandaresolvetostandbesidehisfatherinthisconflictandifthebattlewentagainstthem，toshareinthedefeat。
“Dad，“criedhissonimpulsively，“Iamarotter。Ihavebeenofnohelptoyou，butonlyaburden。Ihadnoideathesituationwassoserious。“Remorseandalarmshowedinhistone。
“Don’tmisunderstandme，“saidhisfather。“Thisisnewtoyouandappearsmoreseriousthanitis。Thereisreallynoground，orlittleground，foranxietyoralarm。Letmegiveyoutheotherside。“Thenheproceededtosetforththeresourcesofthebusiness，theextentofhiscredit，hisplanstomeetthepresentsituationandtoprepareforpossibleemergencies。“Wearenotatthewallyet，byanymeans，Jack，“hesaid，hisvoiceringingoutwitharesolutecourage。“ButIamboundtosaythatifanysuddenoruntowardcombinationofcircumstances，astrike，forinstance，shouldarise，disastermightfollow。“
Jack’sheartsankstilllower。Hewaspracticallycertainthatastrikewasimminent。Althoughwithoutanyofficialconfirmationofhissuspicions，hehadkepthiseyesandearsopenedandhewasconvincedthattroublewasunavoidable。Ashisfathercontinuedtosetforthhisplans，hisadmirationforhimgrew。Hebroughttobearupontheproblemswithwhichhewasgrapplingaclearhead，wideknowledgeandsteadycourage。Hewasageneral，planningacampaigninthefaceofseriousodds。HerecalledasayingofhisoldCommander-in-ChiefinFrance:“Warisabusinessandwillbewonbytheapplicationofbusinessprinciplesandbusinessmethods。
GivenabodyoffightingmensuchasIcommand，
