(Testimony of John G. Graef)
Mr. Graef.
exactly when he got out of the Marines or was discharged, but the impression that was left with me and I suppose he told this to Mrs. Latham--was that it had been a very recent thing, because I recall that that's what she told me, and that's what he told me when he came to me---when I asked him.
Mr. Jenner.
That it had been very recent?
Mr. Graef.
Oh, yes ;it had been very recent, because when I asked him about his last employment he said, "The Marines," he had just gotten out of the Marines, and then I recovered, you know, and said, "Oh" because Louise Latham had already told me this. At any rate, he seemed the applicant with the best chance of success that had been sent over.
Mr. Jenner.
Would you go back a little bit?
Mr. Graef.
Certainly.
Mr. Jenner.
What inquiries did you make of him with respect to your qualifications for this position--his prior experience, if any?
Mr. Graef.
None none. I assumed that--now, he was sent over, if I remember right--I was also told by this Mrs. Latham, something about that he had perhaps some photographic experience in the Marines or there was some there was some quality there that helped. And I believe it was that he had had a little bit of photograph experience in the Marines that might be helpful. In other words, he was a little familiar with the processing of film and so forth and, of course, this would add a little weight to his becoming a successful employee.
Mr. Jenner.
I take it from your recital Up to this moment that you are primarily interested at this point, having in mind the nature of the business, that this man would embrace ultimately what you were looking more for--let's say--general character, whether he seemed like a man who was going to be in this community a while?
Mr. Graef.
Yes.
Mr. Jenner.
Whether he was sincerely interested in obtaining employment that you expected to rely upon your teaching--I mean your company--under your supervision and direction--the teaching and training of this man for the position which you ultimately would seek to fill.
Mr. Graef.
Yes; very well put.
Mr. Jenner.
And it might even have been that if this man had no photographic experience whatsoever, but seemed--well, let's say clean cut and eager and intelligent, just out of the Marines and seeking to obtain employment and settle down, that that might have been sufficient qualifications for you?
Mr. Graef.
Yes--if, of course, there was no one with any better promise that came along.
Mr. Jenner.
Yes.
Mr. Graef.
There have been several times when we have needed someone, when they would send two or three people over, and it was necessary for us to pick someone who had practically no experience in this work because you don't find anyone who is experienced in the type work we do. It is a very highly specialized trade.
The best you can hope to find is perhaps, and I'll tell you as I told this Mrs. Latham, the person that stands the best chance of success is perhaps someone who is industrious, willing to work, and not afraid of work, who perhaps has some artistic ability, because the area is opaquing of negatives with brushes and so forth, and possibly has some photographic experience, where they may know about paper and at least there will be some processes that they may have already learned or become familiar with and we won't have to begin-from the very beginning.
Mr. Jenner.
You are talking about photographic paper?
Mr. Graef.
Yes.
Mr. Jenner.
For example, some young man who has had an abiding interest in amateur photography, in developing his own film----
Mr. Graef.
That's correct, and so you see he would become familiar with quite a few things in his hobby that he would know about when he came to work for us. We wouldn't have to start from the very beginning and say, "Now, this is film, and this is paper," and the difference between the two and start from the very beginning. So, to explain a little bit about why I didn't make any inquiries, I didn't frankly feel that any were necessary.
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