Business: We’ll Call You

Seeking reasons for the auto slump, the Wall Street Journal pointed a finger at lazy salesmen in a memo to dealers: “There are hordes of people driving the streets today who are ready and able to buy a new car, if you’d only ask them.” Last week the Journal got a rise out of William O. Neale, vice president for sales of Los Angeles’ Harger-Haldeman, Plymouth-Chrysler-Imperial agency. Wrote Neale: “The fact is, our fellows don’t spend time talking about the recession. They’re too busy doing something about it—with phone calls, personal letters, direct-mail pieces. We’d like to invite you to drop into either of our showrooms, so we can sell you a car. (In fact, a salesman will be calling you today for an appointment.)” The Journal printed the letter in its letters-to-the-editor column, with the dry comment: “The salesman didn’t call.”