The Ward County independent. [volume] (Minot, Ward County, N.D.) 1902-1965, 1903-12-09
WHERE WORK Is
A PLEASURE
The Labor Problem Is Solved at The Great
Shoe Factory Of the Thomas q. Plant
Company

In these days of strikes and lockouts,
when it seems sometimes as il the
whole country were in the midst of an
industrial revolution. it is refreshing to
turn to the consideration of another
method of solution of the relations be-
tween employer and employed, as sue
cessfully exemplitied by the Thomas &.
Plant Company at its great shoe factory
in Boston.
Let it be clearly borne in mind that
the chief cause of the present industrial
conflicts is the disappearance of that old
friendly relationship between master
and men. which existed when the owner
lived near his factory and went in and
out daily among his workpeople.
Today, in great industrial establish
ments, such as personal relation is, per-
haps, no longer possible: but there is
another way of "getting together an
other way Of showing that friendly con
sideration which makes for industrial
peace~-and tho Thomas G. Plant Com
pany has evidently studied the problem
and splendidly mastered the solution.
It is only an elaboration of an old
precept called the golden rule, but in
point of fact it is sound business eco
Monies.
The "Queen Quality" shoe factory is
not only the largest shoe factory in the
world making women's fine shoes, but
it is probably the most advanced and
progressive in it's methods.
Take. as single feature, it's profit
sharing. sick and death relief and saw
ing fund department, which is model
of ORGANIZATION. It operates along the
lines Of encouraging the workmen to
higher efforts. He receives special con-
siderations in proportion as he is frugal,
| industrious, neat and constant at work.
| In the final division of profits, in promo
tons, in the matter Of steady employ.
| ment, and in all cases Of discharge,
preference is given to the most deserv-
! ing members of this department. The
''Book of Regulations is model OF
what such regulations should be, and is
| to be heartily commended to every en-
ployer of labor.
Take another instance. One OF the
most successful of the cooperative de-
! partments is the recreation department.
The gymnasium is very complete; it is
in charge of one of the best professional
instructors in the country: there is also
a woman instructor from the Boston
Normal School of Gymnastics. The meth
dds of class work are admirable. Sixty
members can be drilled in evolutions on
the floor at one time. Sixty baths are
with devices for graduation of temper
| ature of the water. All have separate
dressing rooms Gymnasium suits are
dried in a large hume by the hot fresh
air system. There are four or five differ
ent classes each evening. About one
half of the $500 employees are members
of the gymnasium.
The library and reading room is an
other feature, 1t is in charge Of reg
ular attendant librarian. 1t is open at
all times and is branch of the public
library of the city OF Boston.
!, The bowling alleys and billiard room
! for men, and the music, dance and rec
reation rooms for women, need not be
specially described They are very pop
ular with the employees. There is a
model lunch room, which supplies clean,
healthful food at the actual cost of its
preparations. The company provides for
its operatives two free beds at the Elmer
gency Hospital and all cases requiring
surgical attention are sent there, with
no cost to the individual. Itproyides at
the factory couch and a woman at
tendant: any one taken sick on the
premises is at once made comfortable.
70 begin with, the Thomas G. Plant
Company realized that it was good
business policy to help the employee to
health: that only working people of
healthy mind and body do good work;
and mind and body must play as we'll
as work to be really vigorous. Hence
the establishment of the gymnasium,
recreation, lunch and reading rooms
(devoting to the above total floor area
of % 600 square feet, and system of
fresh air ventilation which changes the
air throughout the building every Is
minutes: workrooms light and airy and
a marvel of cleanliness.
These are only outlines of some feat
ures of the system in force at the
"Queen Quality" shoe factory, but they
reveal certain industrial possibilities
which are worth considering. With i'm
proved conditions comes Industrial
peace. A workman who knows when he
is we'll off prefers not to strike: an en-
ployer who is making money prefers to
keep things going smoo thly. This may
be cold materialism, but it is common
sense. Shoe factories have been no
toriously the scenes of labor conflicts in
the past;but the relations of the Thomas
q. Plant Company with its employer
shows that it is possible to have vastly
improved conditions in the shoe factories
of New England.
One of Our Rambles.
In his rambles over the city the
other day. the Independent man