The Name of Wagoner
I shall miss Rick Wagoner. It is, quoting Martin Amis (I think), such a 'rangey, big-cocked name' that it always makes me laugh. Also it is precisely the right name for the boss of a car company. People should do the job suggested by their name. That would have prevented Jacqui Smith becoming home secretary and left her hammering horse shoes in some village or other. I should own an orchard, I suppose.
# posted by Bryan Appleyard : 6:36 AM
28 Comments:
At March 30, 2009 7:47 AM,
richard said…
This post has been removed by the author.
At March 30, 2009 7:53 AM,
richard said…
It's a good name, on the face of it. According to Wikipedia Wagoner made CFO in 1992, President and COO in 1998, CEO in 2000, Chairman in 2003. So it's worth quoting the normally very reliable Edwin Black at some length, summing up GM's ongoing efforts to suppress the facts of its involvement with Naziism and other shocking misdeeds of the period (in contrast to Ford, which also potentially had a great deal to hide):
As for GM, it commissioned eminent business historian Henry Ashby Turner Jr. in 1999 to conduct an internal investigation and report his findings. Turner, author of several favorably reviewed books, including "German Big Business and the Rise of Hitler," was well known for, among other things, his insistence that big business did not make a pivotal contribution to the rise of Hitlerism.
GM, however, declined to release Turner's internal report or discuss the company's Nazi-era or New Deal-era history or archival holdings when contacted by this reporter. In February 2006, corporate spokeswoman Geri Lama twice refused to give this reporter the location of the company archive. In November of this year, Lama was again asked for an on-the-record response. She said she was referring the question to "staffers," but after more than a week, no reply had been received.
GM has maintained a special combative niche in the annals of American corporate history, achieving a reputation for suppressing books, obstructing access to archival records and frustrating critics ...
Yale archivist Richard Szary, who supervised the accession of the collection, said that for the approximate half-decade that the documents have been on file, he knows of only "one or two" researchers other than this reporter who have had access to the papers. Szary, who was previously said to be the only Yale staffer who understood how to access the materials, facilitated this reporter's on-site access. He has since left Yale. By late November, however, in response to an inquiry by this reporter, a senior Sterling librarian said her staff would "figure out how to make it available" by reviewing technical details.
Simon Reich, who compiled Ford's Hitler-era documents, bristled at the whole idea. "Ford decided to take a very public, open and transparent route," he stated. "Any serious researcher can go into the [Henry Ford] archive, see the documents in paper form, and have them copied. Compare and contrast this with the fact that GM conducted a very private study and the original hard-copy documentation upon which the study was made has never been made available, and today cannot be copied without the GM legal department's permission."
Between the unpublished GM internal investigation, the restricted files at Yale and the little-known insights offered in Turner's book, the details of the company's involvement with the Hitler regime have remained below the radar.
Nonetheless, GM's impact in both the United States and the Third Reich was monumental.
The full four articles from George Mason University are worth study. I don't claim to know who made all the decisions leading to such extreme measures to hide the past but I do know the name of a man who was in a position of great responsibility at GM throughout. I very much doubt he should be mourned.
At March 30, 2009 8:16 AM,
Nige said…
Don't forget Porter Wagoner.
At March 30, 2009 9:22 AM,
malty said…
The chancellor would have gone to the RSAMD and become a thesp, Vince would be carrying data, Ed... best not go there.
Some entry on your CV that is, made redundant by Mr President, get you a job anywhere.
At April 03, 2009 10:29 PM,
Knox said…
Isn't it 'a rangy, well-travelled, big-cocked name'?
Figure Rick in happier days, presiding over his General Motors fiefdom with deep and laughing self-satisfaction, occasionally bursting into a spontaneous, full-chested rendition of that Watersons song with the refrain 'who wouldn't be for all the world a jolly wagoner?', and just try to fight back the tears.
At May 04, 2009 11:02 AM,
Anonymous said…
This post has been removed by a blog administrator.
At May 04, 2009 11:03 AM,
Anonymous said…
This post has been removed by a blog administrator.
At May 04, 2009 11:03 AM,
Anonymous said…
On the other hand,hair straighteners Han in May GHDthis year, softwarechi hair straighteners companies havereplica handbags been "dancewholesale handbags group" thereplica designer handbags development of thereplica watchcompany's acquisitionswiss replica watches of T3 replica rolex watchesEntertainment, puma shoesthe "dance group" nike shoesoperating womens clothesin Japan is ed hardy clothingalso tantamountreplica handbags to their replica watchesown game operators.Designer clothingTurbine's president Designer replica handbagsand chief CEOJim Crowley Wholesale jewelryparticipate Replica rolex watchesTGS2008 last replica handbagweek disclosed Replica Handbagsthat they are Replica Watchesplanning the end replica designer handbagsof the year for Coach Handbags"The Lord of the Rings Gucci HandbagsOL" to launch anRolex Watches online social networking site.
At September 24, 2009 8:04 AM,
Anonymous said…
????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????
At September 24, 2009 8:04 AM,
Anonymous said…
???????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????
At September 24, 2009 8:06 AM,
Anonymous said…
This post has been removed by a blog administrator.
At September 24, 2009 8:06 AM,
Anonymous said…
This post has been removed by a blog administrator.
At September 24, 2009 8:06 AM,
Anonymous said…
This post has been removed by a blog administrator.
At September 24, 2009 8:07 AM,
Anonymous said…
???????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????
At September 24, 2009 8:08 AM,
Anonymous said…
????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????
At September 24, 2009 8:08 AM,
Anonymous said…
????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????
At September 24, 2009 8:08 AM,
Anonymous said…
???????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????
At September 24, 2009 8:09 AM,
Anonymous said…
????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????
At September 24, 2009 8:09 AM,
Anonymous said…
???????????????????????????????????????????????????????????AV?????
At September 24, 2009 8:10 AM,
Anonymous said…
????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????
At September 24, 2009 8:10 AM,
Anonymous said…
???????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????
At September 24, 2009 8:10 AM,
Anonymous said…
???????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????
At September 24, 2009 8:11 AM,
Anonymous said…
???????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????
At September 24, 2009 8:11 AM,
Anonymous said…
????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????
At September 24, 2009 8:11 AM,
Anonymous said…
????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????
At November 03, 2009 3:05 AM,
Jordan shoes,ugg boots said…
Thank you! I was attracted when saw the air jordan men,there are lots of beautiful lv high boots, sex and gorgeous puma high men. The design of gucci high women response that the Paris is real romantic and fashional, someone:?Pairs je vous aime?. Yes,you will fall in love with Christian Louboutin as well. they will give you causal sexy allure that we all look for http://www.nikejordanshoes2sell.com/
At November 03, 2009 3:05 AM,
uggboots said…
Thank you for the message offer!There are amazing ugg sienna miller,ugg kid boots and ugg night fall sale promotions on our company to thank for the customer of http://www.uggboots2buy.com/ and to embrace the coming Thanksgiving.You can Get One belt or hat or wallet free once you buy an ugg boots,such as ugg anniversary or ugg bailey buttonon our website. Action is louder than speak. Hurry up and you may be the first one get the gift.
At November 03, 2009 3:06 AM,
Nike Jordan shoes,UGG shoes,ED hardy shoes said…
Thank you for your article!A light heart lives long. Early to air jordan women bed and early to rise, makes a nike shox man healthy, dior high boots wealthy and wise Sloth , like ed hardy rust, consumes faster than labor wears. gucci boots life is the art of drawing sufficient conclusions from insufficient premises. http://www.onestop-onlineshopping.com/
Post a Comment
Links to this post:
Create a Link
back to blog home