The age-herald., 1901-12-05

uutndns dnu lutStnBeHt Aheu anu WoAASA who caae to hear Dr. William S. Tol- man. secretary of the League for Social Service, discuss industrial betterment Dr. Holman not only explained in tho clearest and most practical manner the best efforts of employers to better the condition of employees. but he brought tc his aid 1sO lantern slides, each of which told deeply interesting story itself. The entire entertainment was extremely inter esting as well as valuable
 Dr. Holman began by telling of tht work of William H. Lever, of Lever Bros, Limited, at Port Sunlight, Eng. land.
 In 1885 William H. Lever was a grocer in Bolton, England. Becoming convinced that there was a large market for pure and cheap soap, he opened a factory at Birkenhead, rear Liverpool. After three years he awoke one morning to find thai his profits for that year were e5o,OOO. As he had tersely stated it. q felt I had moi earned the money. I did not expect like result and that I had no right to it. ] sat down and considered to whom the money belonged and found it difficult matter to decide I reached this conslu- cion, that whatever I did I must share my prosperity with those who had helped me make it."
 His solution of the problem was the provision of decent homes for his em- ployes. The problem Of prosperity y-shar- ing was worked out at Sunlight village today consisting of coo houses reading rooms. bowling alleys, swimming pools, schools, entertainment halls, summer open-air theatres and recreation grounds. The village now represents an expendi- ture of a40O0o0.
 One form of prosperity-sharing was q rental so arranged as to cover taxes, re- pairs and maintenance Houses with par Tor, kitchen, scullery, pantry, four bed rooms and bath rent for 72 cents a week.
 At the outset MT. Lever encountered the usual degree of suspicion, distrust and lack of appreciation, but he had made Up his mind that what he was do- ing was right-nothing could turn him from his purpose The very men who made trouble at first now frankly admit tkeir mistake and are doing all they can to help on the communal welfare.
 The village community built up by MT Richard Cadbury and MT. George Cad bury, at Bournville, near Birmingham, England. consist of AGO acres, and con tains many cottages for the employees now numbering nearly 2,0Oo. The lowest rental of these cottages is S1.50 week, for which the tenant gets three bedrooms, kitchen, a parlor, and a third room downstairs, and a bath. The houses are in the best sanitary condition, and a large garden goes with each house. The village is laid out very attractively, with it's winding streets, it's trees and it's open spaces. There is a large recreation ground, swimming pools, a dining room for the girls, boys club, light and well ventilated work rooms. A block of beau tiful cottages forming quadrangle, beau tifully kept up with turf and flowers, has been set aside for homes of the old or semi-dependent. They are called Houses of, Rest Each home consists of three rooms, and may be occupied by an old lady who can pay, either her self or through relatives fivepence a week. There is also convalescent home Every summer thousands of children from the tenements of Birmingham are turned loose on the farms and meadows for a days fresh air and pure food. The slum workers of the Salvation Army in London also who are worn out with their labors, are entertained during the sum- mer in one of the houses set aside for | their use.
 In this factory are nearly 2,000 girls and women, who may buy at cost warm midday meal we'll cooked A man is employed to buy the best fruit in the market at wholesale to get the best prices The fruit is then sold to the employees at cost. A simple form of en- tertainment is an open-air swimming poo for men, large enough for a good swim So far all this is interesting as an un- usually excellent example of good socia life for a working community. But the significance of it is that it has led to and is part of unique plan for socia betterment-a great social trust, which is new institution, and a new kind oi benefaction, planned and managed in 6 most business-like way, for MT. Cadbury founded last year what he called the "Bournville Village Trust"
 MT. Cadbury has given to the trust 33O acres, on which 37O cottages are al ready built One hundred and forty three of these have been sold at cost or leases of 999 years, and the remainder 22 l are rented by the week, the rentals be- l ing paid into the trust. The total rem roll is $26 2SO year, and fair valuation | of the gift is S900,0O0.
 The Westinghouse Ar Brake Company