The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1902-11-28
MISS BEEKS PREVENTS STRIKES.
Her Work in Some of the Large West
ern Factories.
Philadelphia Press.

Philadelphia Pres.
Miss Gertrude Beeks. OF Chicago, is
making history for herself faster than
almost any other woman. 1t is alto
gether new kind Of history. too Her
occupation is one that has never before
been undertaken by a member OF her
sex
Mss Beeks is the instigator OF
scheme for averting strikes. She has the
rare faculty Of putting a stop 10 labor
troubles and of reHonciling capital and
labor And she is exercising her extra
ordinary ability 20 great advantage. She
has just brought about a most amicable
state OF afSirs in the Mccormick Har-
Yesting Machine Company's works in
Chicago. Observation-Disclosures had been a
not iafrcquent source Of great trouble
10 the firm and its employees alike. and
both sides look upon Miss Beeks as one
specially raised 10 perform a duty by
which they both benefited greatly. In
trying 10 change the old order OF things.
Miss Beeks always kept in mind her
pet idea which she calls her Industrial
5etterment work" which takes in every
human being. the employer as well as
the emDloye.
Miss Beeks is the head OF what IS
known as the sociological department
OF McCormiek's. but she does not conhne
her labors 10 this company alone. as
other big concerns are calling her into
requisition- Whenever her services are
required she starts out cautiously. In
her latest achievement she began among
the 400 girls employed in the Irvine
binding department Of McCormfck's
There was dissatisfaction throughout the
department and murmurs and threats
or revolt were common. She saw that
somethiEE must be done to avert the
strike 'sniCh was imminent
The first thing she did was to place
large mirrors in the girls dressing
room. One small looking glass was All
these 400 girls had been allowed This
Inconvenience Of itself was enough. so
they thought. TO breed discomfort. Then
she organized d girls club. making II
. center Of amusement as well as one for
mutual Improvement From one end OF
the establishment 10 the other Miss
Beeks went about. suggesting improve
ments for men and women alike.
The men are quick to see that sbe
has their welfare at heart She visits
their families. II sickness is there. and
their wages do not permit Of adequate
treatment. medical service is extended
and wholesome food is provided.
Miss Besks' employers adopt her sug-
gestions almost invariably. She makes
them SO plain that there is nothing else
TO do. She plans all sorts OF Nntertain-
ments for the employees. Where there
are employees OF several nationalities she
finds that IL is necessary 20 use both tact
and wisdom. Miss Beeks did not under
take her work on the spur Of the mo-
ment- She has looked into sociological
activities. All her deeper study has
been along these lines. She has been
associated with business women and
with broad-minded. so-calfod women os
leisure who recognize no difference In
the social scale. simply because neces-
Eity impels their sisters to do their
work in practical way.
Her efforts TO better the 5000 en-
ployes OF the Mccormick Company has
brought her into greater prominence
than ever. Her thoughts have been di-
rectec especially 20 the Improvement OF
sanitary matters 20 toilet facilities
pure drinking water. etc. She wants the
public library made accessible by hav-
Ing books delivered TO the employees OF
great industrial establishments az their
VOrkroOms
She does Il all from the humanitarian
standpoint. and simply because Il is
right For all that she has ACCOMPLISH
Cd so much, Miss Beeks says that her
work has just begun. II has become
arduCus enough already to require an
assistant, ana her present employers are
going 10 give her an understudy at once
She says thar there are great posslbili-
tieE IN what she had undertaken
Miss Beeks was born at Greenville
Tenn. She lived on a fruit plantation
Then she spent considerable time among
the primitive but interesting people in
the Great Smoky Mountain near Del Rio
She was educated at the home Of her
grandfather. Robert Breckenridge, Of
For~ WAYNE Ind