The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1890-05-01
TINE KRUpP srsrRM.
Howtho Great German Mhnnfhetursr Helps
Hts Employees 60 be Comfortable.

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| How the Great German NhanfAetursr Helps
Hts Employees TO be Comfortable.
DR.. Won Jodlbauer, Bavarian Official with
strong prejudice in favor OF Industrial
I pnternalism, has been lSoturing In Munich
! recently about the benefits which the great
| Krupp has conferred on the people of Essen OF
late years Forty years ago Essen had but
| 5000 inhabitants
Steam machinery, tho railways, tho telo-
| graph. and the modern mode OF warfare" said
DR.. Jodlbauer have altered all tho conditions
OF life there since then. In the year 1883 there
worked In the establishments Of this one man
1905 men. They had 18,0S3 children IN the
obligatory school years and 92,G93 other per-
sons dependent on them for support .
In Krupps works there woro 659S1
persons. Most OF them had immigrated to
Essen. They lacked much that they bad been
accustomed to-schools, churches, hospitals
and the like 1t Is evident that such condi-
tion OF affairs must have evil results. The In
crease OF Essens population increased the
price OF land. The owners OF tho land grew
rich. The workinRmens quarters were eXpen-
sive. crowded, and unwholesome. Tho lack Of
living room pushed the men into tho saloons
which rose ia number from three to seventy.
The middlemen and money lenders we're null
tirlied skiold. The discomfort swelled with
the accumulation OF debts. The increasing
evils OF the situation led to the reform. In 1854
Krupp introduced death and illness fund. It
cost tho workinRmnn 2 per cent. OF his wages.
and the factory paid the rest. Tho total an
nual number OF illnesses is now 21.OOO; the
amount OF the insurance fund, $300.GOl.
in 1854 Krupp also established pension
fund. which now amounts TO 100000. The an
nual pensions arc about sos 600. and incrcuse
$500 every year. The workingman's contri-
button to the pension fund Is per cent. OF his
wages, to which tho factory adds its share OF
the burden. The average monthly pension Is
$l3 for the man himself and 37.95 Tor his
Tin 1857 the factory began negotiating life
insurance policies FOR tho worltingmen. In
that is. about 1915 each Tho cost OF insurance
was 80 cents for every s25.
paid for by the factory. and was participated in
by the workinpmen. The Administrative Com
mittee consists Of a President and u member
chosen by tho general convention. Refusal OF
an election T. tho committee is punishable with
AS mentioned. the factory workingmen
must pay per cent. to the illness and death
fund, per cent, to the pension fund, and 86
per cent for life Insurance. IL they wish to
leave thor families with good income Mt
their deaths Beyond the Ier cont, there.
absorb Go per cent, Of the workingman's an:
nual wages that Ia; about twenty-three days Of
nlB LABOR. InlS burden IL nplyy. 1t Is
considerably liRhtened by the arrangement
that he gets all the necessaries OF life-like
clothes, food. and house furniture at low prlcos
from the central istri5uting concern. This
concern is conducted by tho factory. buyS in
large quantities. and cells almost at cost for
cash. 1t includes bakery. q slaughter house,
shoe. cloth and furniture warerooTns. u coffee
roasting machine with an enormous daily
capacity, and petroleum storehouse for sew
enty barrels.
ct his own expense In 1862 Alter twenty years
The tenants got gas at cost ana water for 81
cents per year. The rents return no profits on
the invested capital. but only q low rate OF in
tefest. krupp helps any employee who wishes
to build and own house. Since 1889 he has
had fund OF $l25.0U0. on which any OF his
worklngmen, married aud under co. can draw
that he has been three years in hrupp's SER
vice. ami has an annual income OF at least
$3.50. He must pay SIS down and the rest Of
the loan in twenty-five annual insIalments
with per cent, interest. The workingman
must then live in his own house and own no
other. The cost OF the preliminary
work on the house and the plans are paid by
krnpp.
THE public schools, with their twenty classes
factory also supports q private school with six
teen classes, and housekeeners' school, with
cheap dinners for motherless children. and
i've industrial schools with female Instructors.
The increasing size OF the city. and the CON
seQuent competition for land and houses, re-
suits In neither higher rents nor notice to
leave for the workingmen IN the factory The |
yet, but the acquirement OF their houses has |
been rendered compnratiyely easy for them"