Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1902-12-10
THE CIVIC FEDERATION
Arguments For and Against the Piece
Work system-Labor Leaders
TT Against It.

The secchd days meeting OF the indus
trial department Of the National CIVIC
Federation took place in New York yes
| terday with q large attendance. Ex-Presi-
dent Grover Cleveland was one OF tne
early arrivals, He and Senator Hanna
spent some time in conversation, aIter
| which Mr.. Cleveland met number OF
other gentlemen. On entering the meeting
hall he was greeted with applause. I'M
mediately after his entrance Chairman
Hanna called the meeting to order.
Several of Mr. Mosely's party OF English
labor leaders were in attendance. The SUD
ject for discussion was Restriction OF Out
put" and the first speaker was John n.
Commons.
Mr.. Commons devoted the greater part
Of his address to a discussion OF piece
| work, and, among other things, said'
The object Of piece and premium sys-
TENS is to increase output. The induce
ment offered is higher pay for greater OUT
put. If the workman increases his proouc-
ton 50 per cent when put on plece-Work,
does 1t prove that he has been cneatins
his employers when he was paid by the
day? II .,.
There can be no lasting solution OF TINS
problem as long as each side beiieves the
other Is dishonest. There are also num-
Der Of questions which employers ana en-
ployes should agree upon in advance ana
bind themselves to abide by. II unions re-
strict output can they not frankly ADMIT
it and give their reasons? Ii employer
provoke restrictions, can they not frankly
admit it? Cannot the two thus come to-
gether, eliminate the false reasons and
remedy the true reasons? 1t Is an encour-
aging sign that through the trade-agree-
ment system employers and workmen
themselves are taking up the question In
a scientific way. The present conference
is an outgrowth of this system. Cannot
this conference raise the question to a
high level Of discussion and lay down
sound principles that will lead to its So
lution?'
The chairman then introduced Frederick
Halsey, editor Of the American Machinist.
Mr.. Halsey's topic was THE Premium
Method Of Payment" He said:
1.-The system of premium payment Is
In sense intended to split the difference
between day work and piece work. BY
| that / mean that 1t has at bottom rate
of payment per day just like day work,
but above that Is placed an additional
output, the net result being that the en-
ployers pay Increases with the output, but
not SO rapidly as the output. In that re-
spect 1t differs from piece-work alone.
With piece-wOrk the pay Is In proportion
to the output With premium payment
1t Increases with the output, but not so
rapidly. The result is the employer gets
part Of the gain and the workman gets
portion OF IT, the eihpaoyer receiving MS
portion in reduction Of the cost Of his
goods. Therefore in q sense, the system
Is cooperative"
James OConnell, president Of the Inter-
national Association Of Machinists, fol-
lowed Mr.. Haisey and opposed the piece
work and premium plans.
Mr.. Gompers said in answer to the ques-
ton DR.. Rainsford had addressed to Mr..
Halsey that the question in America is
no longer the limitation of the number
of apprentices who learn a trade, but the
limitation 6of the number who learn an
inf1nitesimal part Of trade. The reason
why some of the large manufacturing con-
Germs of this country send to Germany and
to other European countries to obtain
men for their shops and factories is because
they can there obtain men who understand
an entire trade; while In this country the
Mr.. Gompers said he would be opposed to
trade schools. e9but would be heartily In
favor Of manual training schools.
Following the discussion aroused by Mr..
OConneI, Harry White. general secretary
Of the United Garment Workers Of Amer
lea. spoke, on the Problem of Machinery"
At the afternoon session Prof. George
Gunton, editor of Gunton's Magazine, spoke
on "The Philosophy of the Shorter Hour
Movement" He said:
THE capitalists function Is to go on
providing. 1t Is the business of a laborer
to see that the laborer receives better pay,
that he receives opportunity to improve
his condition and better his capacity as
market furnisher: and the shorter hour
problem is the one that offers the first
opportunity to the laborer to better his
condition All should cooperate to gradu-
ally reduce the hours Of labor until the
eight-hour day has been secured"
A. F. Weber, statistician Of the New
York bureau of labor, discussed "the eight
hour movement"