New-York tribune., 1908-10-19
PROFIT SHARING
Christian Socialist Dream$-Trcde,
Union Realities.



before there were central boards and promoters
councils for organizing similar movements IN
o+bsr trades. but brilliant was the iezdersnfo
and jealous as were the missionaries OF social
nrogress these projects were unsuccessful under
religious direction. and were finally abandoned
The Christian socialists themselves DISAPPEARED
after securing the passage OF an act for reg1-
lstfnz the incorporation Of cooperative bodies,
and the movement was carried on oy working.
mems clubs and broadminded phiianthroDIsts
on business principles without religious nsr-
ro,,las for the reconstruction OF society. Thar.
yrare many failures but also a few notable s-,c-
cesses Sir George Livesey. who has been car
rfed 90 his grave by a procession OF his own
vorkmen, made profit sharing renunsrativs
policy for the South Metropolitan Gas Company
Mr. T C. Taylor has been equally fortunats IN
taking his Yorkshire workmen into partnsrshfp
and in creating a model woollen mandatory
After the crude socialism OF trade unionirs
and radical Hotspurs comes practical orer
from Sir Christopher Furness FOR the avoidancs
of strikes in the shipbuilding trade by pront
sharing He does not quote texts from sfsne-
Maurice or Kingsley, nor repeat their plea that
genuine Christianity must be substituted Sor
conventional or seculartst doctrines, but he
draws the sensible conclusion that Industrial IN
terests created by energy and enterprise havs
been sacrificed during a protracted labor con-
fict and that better state OF feeling nust
exist between masters and men Il there is % Be
any hope Of conducting business prohtably. Hs
has invited twenty trade unions to send dele
gates 70 a peace conference. and has laid before
them two definite proposals for disposng % his
immense business at West HartlepooL One IN
| that the trade unions shall buy out lis works
and business at price to be determined BY
! arbitration, and the other IS that the workman
| employed by him shall become his partnerA Hs
| foresees Immediate rejection OF the first ofar
| but urges serious consideration Of the second
| proposal as a practical measure for averting
calan1itous strikes and restoring ths prosperity
| Of a trade IN which immense Investment Of
| capital has been made A great business g
| brought 10 the verge Of ruin by federations u
| labor outside the works. He IS confident that q
| federation Of goodwill between masters and men
/ inside the works will the undertaking from
| destruction.
| How does Sir Christopher Furness propose 70
bring about copartnership with his working
force7 Virtually BY Sir George Livesey's and
Mr. Taylor's methods, With less lioerality az ths
| outset. II the trade unions Will not buy him
| out and go into business on their own account IN
place Of capitalist employers. he offers TO con-
vert his working people into special shareholders
| Mr. Taylor at Bailey began by giving paid-up
! round shares 70 vorlun en-two for a wage
| Garner getting over IS and one for earnings
| below that level: and he ended by alotting
bonuses in proportion TO the wages. Sir Georgs
| Lfvesey has distributed bonuses on the South
| Metropolitan Gas payroll until over I've thou-
| sand workers are shareholders in the profits ot
| the business and have as much as s1.750000 IN
! vested in the industry. Sir Christopher Furnsss
prefers to have his men earn their special shares
| by agreeing to reduction Of per cent IN their
| wages The deductions will continue until the
/ oS f= a--1 4
cent interest IS guaranteed. with the right 0t
| selling the stock to a fellow worker az an arhl-
| trated value whenever the sharehOIder leaves the
| company's employ. Obtaining their shares By
| easy payments. the men would receive in addi-
tion to the fixed interest dividend based upon
the profits of the business after the requirements
| of depreciation and reserve funds and appor-
tionment of per cent for the service Of capital
| have been met The South Metropolitan ard
| two other London gas companies allow their
! workmen representation the boards Of man
| agement Sir Christopher Furness does not open
the directors room to representatives elected b.
| the trade unions. but he is willing TO set up a
works council and conciIiation board. By which
friendly relations will be promoted between the
management and the working force.
The Radical shipbuilder's offer remains open
for two months. A. the close Of this period the
trade unions will have 70 decide upon the a.
! ceptance or rejection Of his terms; and from ths
codness with which the proposals are discussed
by leaders Of the Labor party It Is evident thai
their action viii be unfavorabIe. Under tns
trade union acts labor organizations can1o'
carry on any Industrial business. although thsJ
can invest money at pleasure; and hence Trey
are excluded from the interesting operation Of
purchasing Sir Christopher Furnsss's plant
shlpyards and goodwill Profit sharing hy
wOrkmen as shareholders IS not popular ponCv
with trade unionist organizers and labor leaders
They know how il works at Bailey and IN Soula
London where the worknen have become rofs
thrifty and conservative. and have become less
dependent upon organized effort The trade
unions have lost their grip upon worIrnsn VINO
acquire the dignity Of shareholders and pron'
earners. Mr.. Macdonald Mr ThOrne and otneT
champions Of organized labor condemn the West
Hartlepoo1 proposals as subversive Of the n
terests OF trade unionism.
Profit sharing. as they explain the results.
subordnates the workmen TO their masters ana
detaches them from the working world II
makes small capitalists OF them and puts them
out Of touch with organized workers. who are
not corrupted" with share Of dividends anu
working profits
The spectacle witnessed today OF thousanos
OF Sir George Livesey's wOrkrnen falling behinl
his business associates and fellow managers an1
honoring the burial OF berefactOr IS an IN
pressive reminder Of the vitality Of ideas
Maurice and Kingsley preached Christian 50
ciaEsm. with cooperative industry as IFS WoiA-
ing policy and the associations organized 'E
them speedily shriveIed u2 and perisNed Toe
seed seemed to have fallen on stony ground. YET
here and there IT has brought forth a hundred
fold. A few broadmlnded men Ike Sir Gecrse
Livesey and Mr.. Taylor have shown what c'a
be done by throwing open a great industrisi