issuing a new, improved rate book. a new special Retirement Endowment for women and that the company would henceforth pay commissions on disability found an immediate response. (A discussion of these appears elsewhere in this issue.) Mr. Kenagy called attention to the fact that, of the men in attendance at the convention who had been with the company for more than a year, the average length of service was in excess of thirteen years.

At the afternoon session, Professors Borden and Busse of the staff of New York University presented their "How to Make a Sales Presentation Stay Presented" to an enthusiastic audience.

Bruce Parsons of the Chicago agency and company leader in volume of business paid-for in 1935 pre-sided as toastmaster at the banquet on Friday evening. Mr. Kenagy, scheduled as speaker, outlined during his talk a seven point program for success in life underwriting:

1. Set forth your objectives in the most compelling fashion.

2. Translate your objectives—your money goals   into a work pro-gram.

3. Commit yourself in irrevocable ways to your objectives and work program—so you can't back down.

4. Arrange for organized super-vision by others.

5. Arrange for competition with a man just a little better than your-self.

6. Set up forfeits or penalties for failure to achieve.

7. Set a time limit for attaining the success level you want.

Vice President Rhodes Honored

The high point of the convention was reached at the banquet with the awarding of a testimonial book, containing the signatures of all full-time Mutual Benefit men, to Vice President Rhodes in recognition of his fifty years' service with the company. General Agent DeGroat of Boston made the presentation.

President Hardin in commenting on the award added a tribute to Mr. Rhodes.

Awards made by President Hardin at the banquet were:

To Bruce Parsons, Chicago, a token in recognition of his leadership of the company in volume of business paid-for during the year 1935.

To William H. Cobb, Americus. Georgia. in the Atlanta agency, a token in recognition of his leader-ship of the whole company in number of lives paid-for in 1935.

To Henry C. Sherman of Providence three diamonds for his Veteran's emblem in recognition of his

completion of one thousand weeks, which we rate as twenty years, of consecutive weekly production.

To the Milwaukee agency the "President's" cup offered for the highest honors during the convention year. This cup was awarded for the best record of percentage of increase in volume of business during the convention period as compared with the production for the year 1931.

The Saturday Session

Paul W. Cook of Chicago presided at the Saturday general meeting while the convention heard addresses of Vice President Rhodes on the traditions and ideals of the Mutual Benefit; of Vice President J. S. Thompson on the financial position of the company; and of A. H. Kollenherg of Grand Rapids on selling and the "security" value of life insurance. (These speeches appear elsewhere in this issue.)

Awards to winners in the several sports competitions of the convention were made at the Saturday evening dinner. It was at this dinner that the climax of the entire convention came with the announcement of a fifty-day campaign in celebration of Vice President Rhodes' fiftieth service anniversary. The campaign begins on August 3 and will be participated in by every agency of the company.

PRESIDENT HARDIN'S WELCOME

I feel like a usurper in exercising this function of welcome. This, as I understand, is a convention or a conference of soliciting agents, and except by a title which Mr. Thurman once gave me that I was ex officio a soliciting agent, I haven't any business perhaps to take this prominent part in the opening of this program.

I think that it is especially usurping on my part, considering the very wonderful arrangements that have been made by the committee, and I

am not referring only to the committee of which Mr. Youngman is the chairman; I am thinking also of the ladies' committee. I understand that this is the most perfectly pre-arranged conference that has ever taken place anywhere in the United States.

The only criticism I have about the arrangements I and, of course, it is always pleasant to drop in a note of dissent, especially in these times) is the way they have things arranged here. This talking from a stage I

don't care much about. I am re-minded that a good many years ago a candidate for office in our part of the world who thought he was a very distinguished man—who really was a distinguished man   went into a political meeting and found himself on a stage, and he felt he ought to be cordial to his audience and the best way he could think of to do it was this: He said. "I am sorry this meeting is arranged in this way. I am afraid you may think that I am better than the rest of you because

FOR JUNE, 1936   5