Middletown transcript., 1904-12-03
INDUSTRIAL WELFARE WORK
A Phase Of Factory Life interestingly
Shown at Worlds Fair

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Among the most instructive exhibits
at the Worlds Fair at St. Louis we're
those which demonstrate the develop
ments of the Industrial betterment"
idea. Few people realize how much is
being done all overthe county by manu-
tacturers and other employers of labor.
not only to make the room pleasanter
where employees work, but to give them
advantages of pictures, entertainments,
musicales and other educational helps
which in the ordinary course of things
the factory employe would not have.
These things are set forth in an inter-
esting way at the exhibits of many con-
Germs at the Fair, notably so by Ii. ].
Heinz Co., Pittsburg, the National Cash
Register Co., of Dayton, Ohio, and the
Mccormick Harvester Co., of Chicago.
These concerns used stereopticons, model
etc.. to illustrate the various scenes about
their factories, and much of what was
shown seemed more like great beauti.
full house than factory. The concerns
mentioned are leaders in this work,
showing degree of development not
found in other exhibits, but it could be
seen that most leading concerns among
the exhibitors were aiming in the same
direction, and that the comfort Of en-
ployes and their upliftment to a higher
plane OF life are the objects of many great
manufacturers.
What this ''Welfare Work" as it is
sometimes called, consists of may be
best illustrated by brief description of
single plant, where the idea has been de-
veloped to the highest degree, and we
have selected for the purpose H. J. Heinz
Co. winners of the Grand Prize as our ex-
ample. In the first place the construc-
ton OF the Heinz Factory buildings
which occupy sixteen acres of floor space
at the Main Plant at Pittsburgh, provides
perfect lighting and ventilation, and the
factory rooms are kept scrupulously clean
and comfortable. This provides physical
and mental comfort during working
hours. For the noon hour there are
great dining rooms where lunch is eaten
with pleasant surroundings of pictures
and music. Hot coffee is provided.
There is rest room for women, library
and reading room, roof gardens and an
hospital. Dressing rooms,
lockers and free baths sufficient for all
are provided. Good pictures hang every.
where throughout the Factory. One of
the factory buildings contains beauti-
Auditorium built ON the plan of a'theatre
with seating capacity for 1900 people to
which lecturers, good music and other
entertainments are frequently brought
by the firm. Many of these entertain
ments take place on the firms time,
others in the evening. Music, sewing
and cooking classes receive free instruc-
lion, and choral society, under a COM
petent director engaged by the firm,
studies the best music and gives credit
able concerts.
Every pleasant day, party of the
roung women employees are taken for a
irive throught thesParkEgir handsome
drawn by team of the fam
,us Heinz black horses.
The result of all this is good fellow
hip among the employees, a spirit of con-
ent, an aspiration to do the best, and
With this in view 1t is hardly to be
at that they should turn out
PRODUCTS which won for H. ]. Heinz Co.
mother Grand Prize, namely for the
purity and general excellence of its food
PRODUCTS we'll known as the "57 varieties
iood workmen produce good work, and
uch treatment by any firm is bound to
ttract and develop good men and women
hey take pride in each bottle OF Heinz
Pickles, each jar of Heinz Preserves, each
an of Heinz Baked Beans, ETC. Why
houldn't they? The firms shows an in
crest in them, and human nature, unless
is of the grossest fibre, is bound to re-
pond with the best that is in it.
This "Welfare Work" is indigenous in
his country, but is spreading to other
ountries. 1t is hopeful sign of the
of the slumbering sense that
II men are brothers.