"Pure, Green Greed"

Men of wealth were startled last week by a newspaper interview issued by Charles R. Flint, 77-year- old, white-whiskered Manhattan multimillionaire, honeymooning in London with the second Mrs. Flint.

Mr. Flint was asked why a man like himself, "after he has amassed millions, goes on increasing his collection instead of retiring and en- joying life." Mr. Flint replied: "There is only one reason. Greed!" The interviewer protested: "Is it not because of ambition, a craving for power?" Mr. Flint repeated: "No! It is pure, green greed. . . . Greed, and greed alone, is the reason for a man's wanting to swell his wad million after million!" Mr. Flint, who as the "Father of Trusts"-- made his money in shipping, electric lighting, rubber, chewing gum, munitions, etc., was asked the secret of moneymaking. Said he: "Well, God has favored some men highly and has given them gifts which they use to make money." He cited the case of a man employed by him whose salary had jumped from $25,000 to $150,000 and a percentage, in one year. "God has been good to that man," said Mr. Flint. Chicagoans recalled that last month their townsman, Julius Rosenwald, chairman of Sears, Roe- buck & Co., 115-millionaire, issued a statement on the occasion of his 65th birthday. Mr. Rosenwald said: "I was lucky, not a genius. With rare exceptions, the man who accumulates wealth displays no more genius than the prize-winner in any lottery. It is by luck that a man gets hold of a good thing at the right time and more by luck that he holds on to it."

--He took a prominent part in the organization of 21 companies aggregating a capital of $300,000,000 and was the first to publicly advocate industrial consolida-tions.