One of the startling things about men of initiative is the way they come forward in times of trouble.  We don’t have to point to Andrew Jackson in the War of 1812.  We can look around us.  Take, for example, a great fire.  Haven’t we often read of the brave fireman who sprang forward and by doing the right thing instantly, saved a multitude of lives?  Well, such a man is possessed of self-reliance.  He is trained for the hazardous life he leads.  When the emergency arose he was ready in a jiffy to do the work expected of him.

It is safe to say that without training such men would have botched the job and instead of being praised to the skies would have sunk into oblivion under the heap of public scorn.  Sometimes it happens that a man accidentally becomes a hero, but it was no accident that he was able to become one.  He must have had initiative—­he must have had self-reliance.  Archibald C. Butt was such a man.  He went down on the Titanic.  The last act of his life was to help women and children into the boats and calm their minds as they were lowered away.  Astor was of the same metal—­both sublimely oblivious to the terrible fate which hung over them.  Here was initiative and self-reliance in its highest form.

And this sort of man is everywhere.  The car in which we ride to work every morning contains one or more of them.  Let something happen and we will see them spring forward with a line of action already formed.  At their word of command we automatically obey—­and then when the worst is over a kindly voice reassures us and we go on our way rejoicing.

What would the world do without these men?  History is filled with the tales of heroes and heroines.  And for every Joan of Arc there are thousands upon thousands who have done heroic things without a word of praise.  Moreover, the really brave soul declines all ovation.  No real hero claims reward. To have done the right thing at the right time is reward in itself.

This quality of self-strength and self-dependence is not confined to any race of people, but in nations where personal liberty survives initiative is at its best.  Somehow, whenever the emergency, the man comes forth to do and dare.  The great world war, still raging as these lines are penned, has furnished untold thousands of examples of courageous action—–­enough to last until the end of human affairs, but they will go on and on in multiplied form, each day’s score superseding those of the day before.  It would be bully to know that we are doing our share in safeguarding the supply of Initiative and Self-reliance needed in this world.

We must keep moving.  The fellow who gets in a rut through lack of initiative finds that with advancing years it becomes harder and harder to get out of it, so that the best plan is to make the move now while there is time to succeed.  When we come to think of it, there are plenty of positions in the world for the right man, and if we have something to say for ourselves that lends credit to our ability we stand a chance for the job.