Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-07-26
NO PREMIUM SYSTEM
IT'S INTRODUCTION OPPOSED BY
NAVY EMPLOYEES.

Acting Secretary Newberry today gave q
hearing to representatives of the employees
OF the Washington Navy Vary In regard to
the suggestion recently made by Rear Ad-
miral Leutze, commandant of the yard
that the premium or piece system be in
troduced In that yard. 1t had been repre-
sented that the premium system had been
advantageously employed In most of the
large private establishments OF the United
States doing work somewhat similar to that
at the naval gun factory, and that its intro
ductton there might prove OF mutual benefit
to the employees and the government To-
days hearing. 1t is stated satisfied Acting
Secretary Newberry that the proposed
change of system was opposed by practical
~ all the men at the yard who would be at
fected by 1t, and cOnseQuentlyhe announced
that it would not be adopted by the NAVY
department, or, at any rate, not until the
men themselves advocated its introduction
Ihose taking part In the hearing were
Messrs. Emmett L. Adams. Francis &. ED
piey and E. L. Kirby, representing Column
bia Lodge. /. A. F. NJ, and Messrs John
y. Simering, g. D. Davis, John H. Bates.
!. f. Bromwell and Edward e. Kohler. rep
resenting the Navy Yard and Arsenal EN-
ployes' Association. These men. who rem
resented. all of the four thousand employees
OF the washington navy yard. both union
ana non -unton, Joined In opposition to the
proposition OF Commandment Leutze and
made 1t perfectly clear that they did not
regard the premium system as being in the
interest of either the men or the govern
ment.
Opposition to System.
Mr.. Adams who was the principal speak
er on behalf of the machinists, was very
emphatic In his opposition to the premium
system. He pointed out that In his opinion
1t encouraged task work. invited favoritism
and entailed other serious evils. He said
that the mechanics knew from experience
that the premium system would operate to
the disadvantage Of both the men and the
government, and said that there were other
methods which would give far more salts
factory results. The machinists regarded
the plan, he said, as a relic of the sweat
shop system. and declared that if 1t were
adopted by the government 1t would per-
haps develop greater revolution among
the industrial classes than any other change
that could be suggested. He asserted that
every master mechanic at the yard was OPP
posed to the premium system and that its
adoption would undoubtedly drive most OF
the expert machinists from the yard.
There was a general and informal ex-
change of views on the subject between
Acting Secretary Newberry and the labor
representatives, and at the close of the
hearing Mr.. Newberry said he had obtained
much valuable Information from his visit
ors. They also expressed themselves as
being very much pleased at the confer
ence and the consideration shown them by
the acting secretary.
Behind Closed Doors.
The hearing was heldtbehind closed DOORS
but at its conclusion Acting Secretary New
berry informed a Star reporter that as 1t
was very evident that If the employees of
the Washington navy yard, whom the pro-
posed system was designed to benefit, did
not want 1t. 1t would not be adopted He
explained that 1t had been represented that
the premium system had worked adj
vantageously In many large private estab-
lishments. and that the only idea OF in
Producing, 1t into the Washington navy yard
was to expedite the work of the government
and at the same time benefit the men by
enabling them to make a little extra money.
Until he had heard personally from the
men directly concerned he had been of opin-
ion that the plan would result to the mutual
advantage of the government and the men.
1t appears. however, he added, that the
men are almost unanimously opposed to the
system and that the government would gain
very little by Its adoption except in the
matter Of expedfting the completion of con-
Character of the employees at the navy yard
and said they were men OF the highest type
of skill and intelligence. He had been much
interested and instructed by the statements
made by the committeeman and was very
glad they came to see him. AS result, he
declared that the Navy Department now
had no intention of making any change In
the system of work at the navy yard and
would not introduce the premium system
there III til the men see the advantage of
advocating It's adoption.