SELLING: Life in the Old Salesman

To spur salesmen, Commerce Secretary Sinclair Weeks announced in January (in a TIME story on salesmanship) that he would not buy a new car until a salesman came around and sold him one. He was promptly bombarded by phone calls, letters and wires. The most persistent bombardier: Studebaker Corp.’s Board Chairman Paul Hoffman, who arranged for trial spins in Studebakers, orated on their good qualities. Last week Secretary Weeks finally gave in and signed up for the works: a black, four-door Land Cruiser with power steering, automatic transmission, radio, white-wall tires, and foam-rubber upholstery covered with blue nylon.