United States Steel: A Corporation with a Soul. Arundel Cotter

Every business enterprise, however great, reflects in its dealings with its competitors, customers, employees, and the public generally, the individuality of some one man. Curious as it may seem at first glance, this personal touch, far from being lost, is particularly evident in the greatest of all business enterprises, the United States Steel Corporation.

Many men, including some of the ablest financiers the country has produced, have assisted in a measure in making the Corporation what it is to-day. Morgan, Frick, Perkins, all these and others, have helped with their counsel in bringing the Corporation to the pre-eminent place it holds in the industrial world. But one man has stood out among all these—Elbert H. Gary, its chairman and chief executive officer.

Throughout its ramifications the Steel Corporation is everywhere a reflection of Gary’s spirit. His influence, from the time of its incorporation nearly twenty years ago, has shaped its policies and, almost from the beginning, has dominated its counsels. For what the Corporation is, whether good or bad, Gary must accept full responsibility.

Judge Gary himself would probably object to the use of the word “dominated.” He would doubtless prefer “guided”, for his dominance has never been autocratic. But his colleagues, except perhaps in the earlier days, have confidently accepted his opinion on all matters pertaining to the Corporation’s welfare. And the events of the last few years have proven that they were right in so doing.

Not the Corporation alone but the entire steel trade, the most important manufacturing industry in America, has benefited from Gary’s wisdom. As the chief executive officer of the leading interest in the industry his competitors have always looked to him for leadership in periods of stress. And whenever occasion arose, as in the dark days of the panic of 1907, he proved his right to lead.

There have been times when this leadership was in question if not doubt. One such occasion was as recently as 1919 when the great steel strike threatened.

Gary’s attitude toward labor was well known. He believed in “leaning over backward” in the matter of giving justice to the worker. And when union organizers and radical agitators attempted to force the closed shop on the industry many of his competitors feared that he would yield to the demands of the labor organizers.

But Gary had never flinched from responsibility, however great. Here was a question of principle involved, concerning not the rights of the employer alone but those of the very large number of unorganized workers. Although pressure was brought to bear upon him from high quarters to compromise and avoid a strike, and later to settle it once begun, the head of the Corporation unswervingly stood his ground and led the steel trade to a signal victory. He proved to those who doubted him that, though he might usually adopt the attitude of “suaviter in modo” he knew how to assume that of “fortiter in re” when occasion warranted.

On October 24, 1919, the annual meeting of the American Iron and Steel Institute was held in New York City, at the Hotel Commodore. Some sixteen hundred of its members, including the majority of the leading figures in the steel trade, attended. The steel strike had been going on for some weeks and the steel men were gathered to hear what Gary had to say.

The entrance of the Judge into

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