C. R. Smith

Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
For the American engineer, see C.R. Smith (engineer).
C. R. Smith
18th United States Secretary of Commerce
In office
March 6, 1968 – January 19, 1969
PresidentLyndon Johnson
Preceded byAlexander Trowbridge
Succeeded byMaurice Stans
Personal details
Born
Cyrus Rowlett Smith

(1899-09-09)September 9, 1899
Distinguished Unit Citation[1]
Air Medal[1]
Distinguished Service Medal[1]
Legion of Merit[1]
Commander-Order of the British Empire[2]

Cyrus Rowlett "C.R." Smith (September 9, 1899 – April 4, 1990) was the CEO of

Air Transport Command during World War II, and the United States Secretary of Commerce for a brief period under President Lyndon B. Johnson
. He is regarded as one of the titans of U.S. airline history.

Early life

Smith was born on September 9, 1899, in

University of Texas despite never having graduated from high school.[4]

Upon his graduation, Smith worked as an accountant for the accounting firm of Peat Marwick Mitchell. Smith later ran a number of businesses, including a Western apparel store and a firm that sold state records of new mothers to manufacturers of baby supplies.[4]

Airline career

Smith's abilities were first recognized by Texas industrialist

E. L. Cord, hired Smith to run the nationwide network based on his able management of the Southern operation. In 1934, he became president of American Airlines.[2]

In business, he was known for an informal, no-nonsense leadership style that stressed close relationships with both executives and employees.

Douglas Aircraft that led American to become a key adopter of the Douglas DC-3 and DC-6: he was also one of the early proponents of what is now LaGuardia Airport in New York City.[6]

One of Smith's most famous acts was the publication of an advertisement entitled "Why Dodge This Question: Afraid To Fly?" in 1934.

Airline safety had been a taboo subject at the time, and Smith was credited with being the first airline manager to discuss it openly with the public.[6]

In 1946, Smith began to break

Admirals Club, the first member's only airline lounge system.[6] In the 1950s, he helped American become the first domestic jet carrier in the US by selecting the Boeing 707 aircraft, which came out months before its rival Douglas DC-8
.

Smith was instrumental in lobbying for the FAA to implement a mandatory retirement age of 60 for commercial airline pilots in large part because he was eager to remove older, more expensive pilots from his cockpits and replace them with younger pilots with lower salaries. Smith was convinced it would be easier to train younger pilots for the new jet airliners, as there was some anecdotal evidence suggesting that older pilots on average took longer to adjust to the new jet airliners which had very different control characteristics than airliners with propellers.[7] The age 60 retirement rule was publicly justified on the grounds that pilots might experience health issues past the age of 60. This rule remained in effect from 1960 until 2007 when Congress voted to raise it to 65 on the grounds that the age 60 rule was outdated and it was now much easier to screen pilots for potential health risks.[8]

In 1953, Smith was having dinner with a

CBS radio executive who complained of the lack of advertisers willing to have their commercials aired in the middle of the night, even at reduced rates. Smith struck a deal and bought the block of hours from 11:30 pm until 6:00 am exclusively for American and created the show Music 'Til Dawn.[6] It was played on nine major CBS radio stations in American's network with classical, semi-classical, and easy listening music with only subtle advertising. Music 'Til Dawn lasted for 15 years and became an award winning radio show with millions of followers.[9]

Smith left American in 1968 to become the

US Secretary of Commerce. He agreed to return to American in 1973 for six months, following a period of corporate mismanagement and scandal, while the board of directors searched for a permanent replacement. After the six month period was over, Smith retired for a final time stating that he was "thinking with a DC-6 mind and this business has changed. Yet if you don't take my advice, I'll get upset."[6]

Military career

Franklin Roosevelt Jr. at the Casablanca Conference

With the outbreak of

Air Transport Command. Due to his informal but results-oriented management style, Smith won high praise during the war. Referring to Smith and ATC commander General Harold George, Chief of the Air Force General Hap Arnold wrote that, "no matter what mission I gave them, I could count on its being carried out 100%".[10]
After the war, Smith returned to run American Airlines.

Political career

Smith was exceptionally well-connected politically, beginning with a Fort Worth and Texas base. He was close friends with many prominent Texan politicians, including Lyndon B. Johnson, Jesse Jones and Sam Rayburn. Smith was also on very close terms with the Roosevelt family, especially Eleanor Roosevelt and her son Elliott Roosevelt.[11] Eleanor Roosevelt would habitually call on Smith for travel arrangements.[12][13] Smith introduced Elliott to his second wife, served as best man, and persuaded him to move to Fort Worth.

Smith's friendship with

Alexander B. Trowbridge. Smith served until the age of 69, from March 6, 1968 until January 19, 1969.[14] However, he often clashed with the civil service because of his aversion to bureaucracy: on his first day, he objected to having four secretaries and asked that three of them be fired.[6]
This culture shock caused him to leave his post after only serving for 11 months and enter his first retirement, before being called back to American in 1973.

Personal life

Smith married Elizabeth L. Manget, in

Washington DC townhouse. At the age of 85, he moved to Annapolis, Maryland, to be closer to his son and grandkids.[6]

Smith's passion when not working was

trout fishing, and was known for giving expensive fishing poles as gifts to friends and associates throughout his career.[6] When speaking of retirement to a colleague, Smith said, "If you don't fish, there's nothing else to do."[6] Smith co-owned a ranch in Ennis, Montana, where he trout fished and raised cattle.[15] Smith was a Baptist.[16]

Art collection

While living in New York City, Smith felt homesick for his native Texas and started collecting fine

University of Texas, which are on display at the Blanton Museum of Art in Austin, Texas. This collection includes art from Henry Farny, Maynard Dixon, and others.[18] Smith donated a western oil painting The Romance Makers by Charles Russell to the University of Notre Dame and it is on display at the Snite Museum of Art.[19] A book was written about Smith's art collection and donations in 1988, titled Collecting the West: The C.R. Smith Collection of Western American Art.[20]

Smith also had a vast

Admirals Clubs throughout American's route system.[6]

Death and honors

C. R. Smith's grandfather clock at the American Airlines C.R. Smith Museum

Smith died from a cardiac arrest in

Arlington, Virginia.[21]

References

  1. ^ a b c d "Cyrus Rowlett Smith (1899–1990)". Texas State Historical Association. Retrieved 13 December 2020.
  2. ^ a b c "Biography of C.R. Smith". C.R. Smith Museum. Retrieved 9 December 2020.
  3. ^ Smyrl, Vivian Elizabeth (15 June 2010). "Minerva, TX". Handbook of Texas Online. Texas State Historical Society. Retrieved 18 September 2017.
  4. ^ a b Hoover, Gary (28 January 2020). "Proud Father of the Modern Airline System: CR Smith and American Airlines". Archbridge Institute. Retrieved 11 January 2021.
  5. ISBN 9780801470493
    . Retrieved 2 September 2021 – via Google Books.
  6. ^
    ISBN 0-312-22453-2
    .
  7. ^ Francis, Gavin. "Origins of the Age 60 Rule". ALPA.org. Retrieved 12 January 2021.
  8. ^ "Fair Treatment of Experienced Pilots Act (The Age 65 Law)" (PDF). FAA.gov. Retrieved 12 January 2021.
  9. ^ "Music 'Til Dawn". The Peabody Awards. Retrieved 12 January 2021.
  10. ISBN 1299434258
    .
  11. ^ "Jan.14. Thursday Night, Casablanca". Roosevelt House - Public Policy Institute at Hunter College. Retrieved 11 January 2021.
  12. ^ "My Day November 4, 1938". GWU.edu - The Eleanor Roosevelt Papers. Retrieved 11 January 2021.
  13. ^ "My Day July 20, 1940". GWU.edu - Eleanor Roosevelt papers. Retrieved 11 January 2021.
  14. ^ "Secretaries of Commerce". US Department of Commerce. Retrieved 11 January 2021.
  15. ^ a b c "C.R.Smith, 90, Dies". Washington Post Obit. Retrieved 9 January 2021.
  16. ISBN 978-0-313-26593-8
    . Retrieved 2023-01-22.
  17. ^ "C. R. Smith Collection of Western American Art". Jack S. Blanton Museum of Art. Retrieved 10 January 2021.
  18. ^ "Go West! Representations of the American Frontier". Blanton Museum of Art. Retrieved 10 January 2021.
  19. ^ "American". University of Notre Dame - Snite Museum of Art. Retrieved 10 January 2021.
  20. ISBN 9780292711129
    .
  21. ^ "Cyrus Rowlett (C. R.) Smith". arlingtoncemetary.net. Retrieved 10 January 2021.
  22. ^ "Past winners (p. 186)" (PDF). HoratioAlger.Org. Retrieved 17 December 2020.
  23. ^ "Enshrinee Cyrus Smith". nationalaviation.org. National Aviation Hall of Fame. Retrieved 28 February 2023.
  24. ^ "Past Recipients". TonyJannus.com. Retrieved 12 January 2021.
  25. ^ "1992 – Maj. Gen. Cyrus Rowlett (CR) Smith". Airlift/Airtanker Association Hall of Fame. Retrieved 9 December 2020.
  26. ^ "Cyrus Smith". San Diego Air and Space Museum Hall of Fame. Retrieved 9 December 2020.
  27. ^ "Nominations, 1968: Hearings, Ninetieth Congress, First and Second Sessions". books.google.com. 1968. Retrieved 12 January 2021.

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to C. R. Smith.
Business positions
Preceded by
American Airways becomes American Airlines
 American Airlines CEO
1934–1968 		Succeeded by
Preceded by American Airlines CEO
1973–1974 		Succeeded by
Political offices
Preceded by U.S. Secretary of Commerce
Served under: Lyndon Johnson
March 6, 1968 – January 19, 1969 		Succeeded by
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=C._R._Smith&oldid=1216247476"