company's problems. Carried to an extreme, this procedure can lead to rubber stamp directors who can be counted on to support the management in either its wisdom or its folly. In the case of the G. E. Board the Directors choose the Directors and do so after each Director has been invited to submit the name or names of those that he considers worthy candidates. These names are carefully screened and fully investigated. They are evaluated against the needs of the Board for strengthening itself in whatever ways may be needed - - geographical representation, age distribution, the kind of business experience desired. Later the name is voted on after a full discussion by the Board before the invitation is extended. Obviously the new Director will be well-known to some of the Directors who are in a sound position to vouch for his capabilities. Others will get a reading on him through their own channels and will satisfy themselves that the candidate represents an excellent choice. Another factor that has lent special strength and stability to the General Electric Board has been the willingness of the Directors to select young men and to identify the young men of special promise early in their careers. The average age of the directors when first elected to the Board was 47 and only two of them were over 52 when they first came on the Board. The average age of the General Electric Board is now 58, with a range of 46 to 70. The median age is 58, compared to 62 on the Boards of Westinghouse and of General Motors. On the G. E. Board there are 8 or us that are under 55, compared -9-