have you ever realized how many people
there are who are 50 to 83 year old, or
will be? You can' t discoun t a solid section
of the public like that in figuring profits
and losses.
It's unfortuna te thaI we must recognize
the fact that we, as a people, are not a
hundred percen t physically perfect. We
must be aware of near-sigh ted ness which,
with color blindness, may cau e a loss of
some of the potential business. And
those who are hard of hearing-perhaps
their trade is lost beca use they can't hear
the bells or other sound effects provided
as part of the edification or usefu lness of
all sorts of devices. Take even the peanut
vending machine; what pleasure i there in
it for a customer who can't hear the pea-
nut rolling down into the little cage
after he's dropped in hi penny and pushed
the lever? He misses at least half the
pleasure of his purchase, and who can
blame him, then, for not squandering money
on half-pleasure. You see how it is-a
big-time industry would look into these
things.
After all, right or wrong, your customer
must be pleased and sati fied if he's to be
made to come back for more of whatever
you offer. As we said before: Take break-
fast foods, or neckties, or toothpaste, or
practically anything you want to (provided,
of course, you have any necessary ration
coupons, and enough spare chanj!;e in your
pockets), You see how it is. Even you
come back for more, and are you different
from anyone else? No, of course not. These
are big-time ventures. T hey've made sur-
veys, and they know.
So why should the Coin Machine In-
dustry be different? It isn't enough to
worry about license taxes and sales taxes
and income taxes and excess profits taxes
and victory taxes and bookkeeping and
red ta pe and all the other littl e odds and
ends. That's the trouble - the industry
eems to be cl uttered up wi th little wor-
ries like that, when it should be worrying
about finding out who its customers are,
and where they live, and how and why, and
sometimes when, as we once learned in a
journalism course. T hen everyone can get
together in a big meeting and elect a
board of. directors and hire a vault and
gather all the data into a huge file of
facts which tell everything about the cus-
tomer of the coin machine and put the
file in the vaults and forget about it, be-
cause by then the indust ry will be big-time,
in the sense of the word that all these
other industries are big time, and it won't
matter about all the data. ~od day, gen-
tlemen.
lit.
* *
"Darling, haven't I always given you my
salary check the first of every month?"
"Yes, but you never told me you get paid
twice a month-you low down, unprincipled
embezzler."
Infalm~
ANOTHER MONTB
NEARER VICTORY!
H"ELP BRING IT CLOSER -
MORE WAR BONDS
BUY
~~~
INTERNATIONAL MUTOSCOPE CORPORATION
PENNY ARCADE HEAD9UARTERS SINCE 1895
Manufacturers of Photomatlc and Other Famous Coin Operate d Equipment
44·01 ELEVENTH STREET, LONG ISLAND CITY I, NEW YORK
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* From Our Boys In Uniform *
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*
Dear Mr_ Blackford:
I'm living in barracks again after two
happy months in a tent. These coastal
blasts almo t blew our ten ts away several
times, so we've moved.
Though it's much warmer in the bar-
racks I prefer the tent where five minutes'
work cleaned the place. Here, we sweep,
mop and dust each morning and Friday
n ight's "b ucking" for Saturday's inspection
i a sight to make even a Buck-Sgt_ grin.
All that show are - - - and elbows moving
along the floors and walls.
Today we're preparing for a hearty
Thanksgivi ng Dinner. Otherwise this day
is the same as all others. For my group, a
P. M. student group, it means being awak-
ened at 5 :30 a.m., reveille at 6 a.m., chow
at 6 :30, th en clean-up, make beds, etc.,
until 7 :30 when the training program be-
gins_
Last week we were "promoted" to the
advanced lrai'ning group, which means we
are considered sufficiently strong to under-
take severe and gruelling tra ining. The
new ob tacle course is really tough. !t's
much longer than the practice obstacle
course and has many new devices. The
course must be crossed with fu ll field pack,
which is a real workout in itself.
Two of the obstacles are over water and
I almost fell in both times. A rope leap i
usually easy but in swinging over the water
I looked down and almost lost my hold,
but managed to reach land safely. Then,
PBII!
Write MILLS NOVELTY COMPANY 4100 Fullerton Avenue
Chicago, Illinois, for latest Coin Machine Information
in returning, we crossed the brook over a
log. r reached midway alright and then
started to look at my feet. For about a min-
ute I teetered like a tight rope walker on
the log with my pack dragging me down_
r made a dash for land and reached the
end of the log, leaped for the muddy ballk,
and slipped on the damp ground almost
sliding backward into the stream. I got up
triumphantly, muddy, but comparatively
dry.
We'll soon go on bivouacs which, in mid-
winter, should be a real thrill.
NEXT D AY. My letters must be written
in installments since I never have enough
time for a complete note. Thanksgiving in
the army was made memorable for us, not
so much by the meal, which was sumptu-
ous, as by the simple service which was
held outdoors by the Battalion Chaplain_
His simple prayer and our own personal
prayer made a deep impression on all of
us. In fact we were so deeply stirred that
when we left for the obs tacle course imme-
diately after the service, 10 fellows fell into
the water obstacle-including me-and I
came out wet, angry and anything but
thankful for God's goodness to me_
For Thanksgiving we had a fruit cup
turkey rice soup, roa t young turkey, dress:
ing and giblet gravy, buttered corn, cream
potatoes, candied sweet potatoes, cranberry
sauce, buttered carrots and peas, individual
lettuce and tomato salad, celery hearts, as-
sorted pickles, bread and butter, pumpkin
pie, ice cream, chocolate cake, assorted
candies and nuts, fruit cake, tokay grapes,
blended juices and coffee.
.
Last week marked my first anniversary as
a soldier. I celebrated it by working extra
hard for inspection so I could get a pass
for the weekend.
This past year has been an extremely
beneficial one and as happy as present day
conditions permit. I think I had the edge
on the advantages for I have been helped
terrifically physically and mentally by my
1943 trai'n ing. Next year I hope to be able
to help my comrades with greater work and
aid than would have been possible without
my preliminary instruction.
Private Harry Bortnick
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