Musical Chairs

Talkative Kenneth Collins talked himself into an advertising job with R. H. Macy & Co. in 1926 by reciting a list of jobs he had never held. His chief asset was knowing a good thing when he saw it, and two of his good things, Margaret Fishback and Bernice Fitzgibbon, coined the glib slogans for which Macy's soon became famed: "Nature in the Roar," "Babies are Hard to Bear," "It's Smart to be Thrifty." By 1929 Kenneth Collins was an executive vice president of the Manhattan store; for that job his top salary was variously reported at $70,000 to $200,000 a year.

In 1932 Kenneth Collins and Macy's parted company. The Straus Brothers, Macy's principal owners, never liked the Collins passion for personal publicity, which included morsels such as a debate with Novelist Faith Baldwin on "Is Charm Vital to Business Women's Success?" Returning from Europe one time, he gave out a half-column interview which was published with a two-column picture. Below was the notation: "Also aboard was Percy S. Straus, vice president of R. H. Macy & Co."

Out of Macy's with Kenneth Collins went his faithful assistant. William H. Howard, whose previous occupation was teaching English at Wabash College, while Mr. Collins had taught English at Idaho University. Ex-Teachers Collins and Howard planned to start their own advertising agency, but went to Gimbel's department store instead, Mr. Collins as assistant to President Bernard F. Gimbel, Mr. Howard as assistant to Mr. Collins.

During the past six years, bustling Kenneth Collins has continued to get his name and picture in the papers, discussing anything from business conditions (which he usually approved) to women's fashions (which he didn't). Three years ago Mr. Howard left Gimbel's to direct advertising for Montgomery Ward, and three weeks ago Mr. Collins also left Gimbel's.

Last week Mr. Collins got a job -- assistant to General Manager Julius Ochs Adler of the New York Times, with advertising and promotion as his province. Wags wondered whether the Times's famed slogan "All the News That's Fit to Print" might be changed to "It's Smart to be Newsy.'' Last week Mr. Howard also got a new job -- executive vice president of R. H. Macy & Co., the position once held by Kenneth Collins.

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