The Washburn times. [volume] (Washburn, Wis.) 1896-1976, 1903-05-14
Carnegie on proit-sharine


blind optimism of the man who
without weighing the practical diff
culties of a problem envolves hope
out of his own bouyancy of tempera-
ment It was the optimism of a
man of experiment who understands
human nature and who has a faith
in it. The central thought in his
remarks was that if employer and
employee could know each other
personally there would seldom be
any want OF harmony, that while in
a few exceptional cases there were
bound to be thoroughly selfish en-
ployers and unreasonable workmen,
in almost all cases if the two parties
could be brought together in such a
way as to understand each other
there would be that warm personal
respect and mutual regard which is
so comonly found in the small shops
and in the home.
But while recognizing that the
conditions of modern industry with
it's hugh organizations makes prac-
| tically impossible that contact be-
tween the employer and individual
workman out of which grows NUT
ual respect, sympathy and kindly
interest. Mr.. Carnegie saw in pro-
lfit-sharing in its various forms the
germ of solution of the vexlng pro
blem of restoring harmony between
lbor and capital. He left no doubt
that he believed that the employe
should share in the prosperity of the
concern to the success of which he
contributed his mechanical skill as
the managers contributed their bust
ness experience, and he strongly
intimated a belief that in making
labor the partner of capitol was the
only practicable way to insure an
alliance of effort for mutual profit.
That profit-sharing in any specific
form was practicable in all lines of
business or in all concerns of any
particular line of business Mr.. Car
negie was very far from asserting.
He explicitly stated, for instance,
that not every corporation was in a
position to take the possibility OF
inducing its workmen to invest their
savings in it's securities, as the steel
corporation has done, but where this
could be done he believed that it
promised not only mutually of in
terest but was bound to bring out
that spirit of LOYALTY without which
the best results cannot be obtain
ed.
The value of hearty cooperation
has never been better expressed
than by Mr.. Carnegie in the follow
ing words, which might be thorough
ly taken to heart by every employ
er Of labor whether large or small
and by every depar tmental lead
with much profit to himself and to
the country.
1.-THE great secret of success in
business of all kinds, and especially
in manufacturing, where a small
saving in each process means a for
tune, is liberal division OF profits
among the men who help TO make
them, and the wider distribution the
better. There lie latent unsuspect-
ed powers in willing men around us
which only need appreciation and
development to produce surprising
results. Money rewards alone will
not, however, insure these, for to
the most sensitive and ambitious
natures there must be the note of
sympathy, appreciation, friendship.
Genius is sensitive in all it's forms,
and it is usual, not ordinary, ability
that tells even in practical affairs.
You must capture and keep the
heart of the original and supremacy
able man before his brain can do it's
best, Indeed this law has no limits.
Even the mere laborer becomes
more efficient as regard for the en-
ployer grows. Hand service, or
head service, it is heart service that
counts. =
In suggesting that in q partner
ship between labor and capital lies
the solution of the labor problem Mr..
Carnegie did not intimate that he
believed the day was close at hand
when proft-sharing could be made
UNIVERSAL. The fact is that while
there are probably very few lines of
business in which it could not be
anr,lipd in some form ~. o4I,n,. 4 lnY,o