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ntial： a purpose。 Then he backed up the purpose with effort and an ever…ready willingness to work； and to work at anything that came his way； no matter what it was； so long as it meant 〃the way out。〃 He did not pick and choose； he took what came； and did it in the best way he knew how； and when he did not like what he was doing he still did it as well as he could while he was doing it； but always with an eye single to the purpose not to do it any longer than was strictly necessary。 He used every rung in the ladder as a rung to the one above。 He always gave more than his particular position or salary asked for。 He never worked by the clock； always by the job； and saw that it was well done regardless of the time it took to do it。 This meant effort； of course； untiring； ceaseless； unsparing； and it meant work； hard as nails。
He was particularly careful never to live up to his income； and as his income increased he increased not the percentage of expenditure but the percentage of saving。 Thrift was； of course； inborn with him as a Dutchman； but the necessity for it as a prime factor in life was burned into him by his experience with poverty。 But he interpreted thrift not as a trait of niggardliness； but as Theodore Roosevelt interpreted it： common sense applied to spending。
At forty； therefore； he felt he had learned the first essential to carrying out his idea of retirement at fifty。
The second essentialvaried interests outside of his business upon which he could rely on relinquishing his dutieshe had not cultivated。 He had quite naturally； in line with his belief that concentration means success； immersed himself in his business to the exclusion of almost everything else。 He felt that he could now spare a certain percentage of his time to follow Theodore Roosevelt's ideas and let the breezes of other worlds blow over him。 In that way he could do as Roosevelt suggested and as Bok now firmly believed was right： he could develop himself along broader lines； albeit the lines of his daily work were broadening in and of themselves； and he could so develop a new set of inner resources upon which he could draw when the time came to relinquish his editorial position。
He saw； on every side； the pathetic figures of men who could not let go after their greatest usefulness was past； of other men who dropped before they realized their arrival at the end of the road； and； most pathetic of all； of men who having retired； but because of lack of inner resources did not know what to do with themselves； had become a trial to themselves； their families； and their communities。
Bok decided that； given health and mental freshness； he would say good…by to his public before his public might decide to say good…by to him。 So； at forty； he candidly faced the facts of life and began to prepare himself for his retirement at fifty under circumstances that would be of his own making and not those of others。
And thereby Edward Bok proved that he was still； by instinct； a Dutchman； and had not in his thirty…four years of residence in the United States become so thoroughly Americanized as he believed。
However； it was an American； albeit of Dutch extraction； one whom he believed to be the greatest American in his own day； who had set him thinking and shown him the way。
XXIV。 Theodore Roosevelt's Anonymous Editorial Work
While Theodore Roosevelt was President of the United States； Bok was sitting one evening talking with him； when suddenly Mr。 Roosevelt turned to him and said with his usual emphasis： 〃Bok； I envy you your power with your public。〃
The editor was frankly puzzled。
〃That is a strange remark from the President of the United States；〃 he replied。
〃You may think so；〃 was the rejoinder。 〃But listen。 When do I get the ear of the public？ In its busiest moments。 My messages are printed in the newspapers and read hurriedly； mostly by men in trolleys or railroad…cars。 Women hardly ever read them； I should judge。 Now you are read in the evening by the fireside or under the lamp； when the day's work is over and the mind is at rest from other things and receptive to what you offer。 Don't you see where you have it on me？〃
This diagnosis was keenly interesting； and while the President talked during the balance of the evening； Bok was thinking。 Finally； he said： 〃Mr。 President； I should like to share my power with you。〃
〃How？〃 asked Mr。 Roosevelt。
〃You recognize that women do not read your messages； and yet no President's messages ever discussed more ethical questions that women should know about and get straight in their minds。 As it is； some of your ideas are not at all understood by them； your strenuous…life theory； for instance； your factory…law ideas； and particularly your race…suicide arguments。 Men don't fully understand them； for that matter； women certainly do not。〃
〃I am aware of all that；〃 said the President。 〃What is your plan to remedy it？〃
〃Have a department in my magazine； and explain your ideas；〃 suggested Bok。
〃Haven't time for another thing。 You know that；〃 snapped back the President。 〃Wish I had。〃
〃Not to write it； perhaps； yourself；〃 returned Bok。
〃But why couldn't you find time to do this： select the writer here in Washington in whose accuracy you have the most implicit faith； let him talk with you for one hour each month on one of those subjects； let him write out your views； and submit the manuscript to you； and we will have a department stating exactly how the material is obtained and how far it represents your own work。 In that way； with only an hour's work each month； you can get your views； correctly stated； before this vast audience when it is not in trolleys or railroadcars。〃
〃But I haven't the hour；〃 answered Roosevelt； impressed； however； as Bok saw。 〃I have only half an hour； when I am awake； when I am really idle； and that is when I am being shaved。〃
〃Well；〃 calmly suggested the editor； 〃why not two of those half…hours a month； or perhaps one？〃
〃What？〃 answered the President； sitting upright； his teeth flashing but his smile broadening。 〃You Dutchman； you'd make me work while I'm getting shaved； too？〃
〃Well；〃 was the answer； 〃isn't the result worth the effort？〃
〃Bok； you are absolutely relentless；〃 said the President。 〃But you're right。 The result would be worth the effort。 What writer have you in mind？ You seem to have thought this thing through。〃
〃How about O'Brien？ You think well of him？〃
（Robert L。 O'Brien； now editor of the Boston Herald； was then Washington correspondent for the Boston Transcript and thoroughly in the President's confidence。）
〃Fine；〃 said the President。 〃I trust O'Brien implicitly。 All right； if you can get O'Brien to add it on； I'll try it。〃
And so the 〃shaving interviews〃 were begun； and early in 1906 there appeared in The Ladies' Home Journal a department called 〃The President；〃 with the subtitle： 〃A Department in which will be presented the attitude of the President on those national questions which affect the vital interests of the home； by a writer intimately acquainted and in close touch with him。〃
O'Brien talked with Mr。 Roosevelt once a month； wrote out the results； the President went over the proofs carefully； and t