Page:Man's Country (1923).pdf/114

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See that thousand car job, over and above the hundred already sold, that we have to build. You admit that you can build 'em for six hundred dollars a-piece. I think we'll do it for five hundred and fifty. We sell them at a thousand, dealers' commission twenty per cent. leaving us eight hundred. Out of that margin of profit we allot this fifty thousand for advertising."

Milton Morris gave a fine imitation of a shudder.

"Remember, Mr. Morris," challenged George, "there are two sides to this enterprise—building and selling cars. It's clear you can build the cars—that's already been figured out. Success thereafter depends not upon you, but upon me—upon my ability to have one thousand purchasers standing ready with the money in their hands as you roll the cars out to 'em. That's what I want the fifty thousand for. That's what I have to have it for. Don't you see?"

"I see the gamble, all right," admitted Mr. Morris. "I see; but it's awful hard on a conservative man like me to just pitch fifty thousand up in the air when—we are going to want so—so much—Say, young fellow! Do you realize that there's got to be something like five hundred thousand dollars for payrolls and materials poured through the cashier's window in order to swing this job?"