216 DEEP FURROWS 



the unfortunate deal in oats, bubbled along to a boil 

 with the fat finally in the fire at the annual meeting of 

 the shareholders. The consequences were ladled out 

 during 1913 and the bill was settled in full at the 

 annual meeting that year with a cheque for nearly a 

 quarter of a million dollars. 



Like most internal troubles in business organizations 

 the personal equation entered into it. Certain of the 

 directors were inclined to criticise other directors and 

 to be somewhat dictatory as to how the farmers' busi- 

 ness should be conducted. With the idea of improving 

 the system of management, the directors at this stage 

 abolished the Board of Control and the President 

 was made Managing-Director with supervisory and 

 disciplinary powers. 



Not long after this, at a special meeting of the 

 directors to consider future management, four of the 

 nine directors introduced a resolution to declare the 

 position of Managing-Director vacant. They failed to 

 carry it and promptly resigned. 



This occurred in March. In the June columns of the 

 Guide these four directors addressed an open letter to 

 the shareholders, urging full representation at the 

 forthcoming annual meeting in order that their criti- 

 cisms might be threshed out. President Crerar joined 

 in the request for a full meeting of shareholders. If 

 the loyalty or ability of any director was to be ques- 

 tioned because he refused to surrender his judgment to 

 other directors who might disagree with him on certain 

 matters, it was time to have an understanding. So far 

 as he was concerned, he could not agree to become a 

 mere speaking-tube for others who might want their 

 own way against his own convictions of what was in 

 the best interests of the farmers. 



