The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1899-03-18
A Typical "a City.
The Scope of Our Labor Shall
Be the Welfare of the Come
munity.
n HERE is town in Germany

called Essen. Tt is there that
the Krupps build, the wonderful guns
by which disputed points among Euro
pean nations are arbitrated with pre-
cision and dispatch. There also---and I
this is more Important orgaRized lab
or seems to have reached a point of
development unknown on this side.
incidentally, this is the town which
the late Mr.. Pullman pretended to re-ss
produce in Chicago, but only succeed
ed in caricat,fring. s
Mr.. E. A. Pierkowski Of Essen as
! tonished his listeners in Brooklyn rel
Gently by a summary of what the &C, O,-
600 workmen, who work for the Krupp
firm and who constitute three-fourths
of the entire population of the town
of Essen, have persuaded that firm to-
do for them. a. 83ss
! Aside from, the strict rules in res
gard to minimum wage and hours of
labor, which are made by mutual
agreement, the company makes these
provisions for the employe es' comfort:
It has invested $3,0OO,OOo in homes
for its employees, which are rented TO
them at rate to insure 2 per cent
profit on. the investment. Books part,
y kept By tie employees and open tosi
the inspection Of all. The buildings
are all modern quipped Wit gas
heat and all conveniences.
Any workman may own his own
house by paying $50 doWn and the
balance in monthly instalments. Price
Of the houses range from $3.50 to q
$4,000. Books determining value open
to all. 8 N
In addition to the accident liability
provided by wise German law, the
Krupps have established a fund to take
care Of persons disable leu from any i
cause, including old age. Half of this
fund is. raised by contributions from
T.
employees. and the other half is paid
into the treasury by. the firm lollar
for, dollar; This includes insurance
for the widow and children. &
! Hospitals. are maintained by the
firm itself for, any employe who is I
sick or disabled. They are absolutely
free. .,s 5s 3 s.
One hundred and fifty cottages for
aged and permanently disabled ems
ployes have been erected in one of the
mos beautiful portions of Essen.
There are fifty three supply stores
At the end of every year the profits
from these stores are figured up, and u
these profits are divided among the
employees just before Christmas in
proportion to their wages. Books are 4
kept by employees and open at all
times to every man.
"A school has been established by y
the company, where the. young wo-
men and girls are taught the duties Of
domestic life-cooking, knitting, sew
ing, etc. 1t is maintained entirely by
the firm. There is no charge.
These are a few Of the things that
organization has brought about in Es-
sen. }5l E5t
Mr.. Krupp has adopted for his house
this motto: The scope of our labor
shall be the welfare of the commnmn- IN
ity.~ But let no one deceive himself
into the belief that it is only Mr..
Krupp's disinterested generosity that
has brought about the conditions ]. !.
enumerated, or that his motto was
selected witho1 the urgings Of ne
cessity. Largeness Of heart is often
found in the individual. But business
is a tug of war-you get nothing ur-5
less you can pull little stronger
than the other fellow.
When shall we have an Essen over
here? n
BEDELETs.