Perth Amboy evening news., 1910-01-29
FEI,S-NAPTHA STORY.

revolutionized methods of washing
clothes and household cleaning, and has
done probably as much as any other
single invention to tighten the labors
of the housewife.
In 1876 Fels & Company began as
manufacturers of toilet soaps, and the
business continued along that line for
some years. But during much of this
time there was in the minds of the
brothers Fels a growing recognition of
a great human need-the need of strip
ping washday of its terrors, of emanci-
pating womankind from the dangers
and discomforts incidental to the use
of the washboiler and from the druid
gerry of the washboard, with its ever
lasting and backbreaking rub, rub, rub;
withal, of an all-round economy in the
washday practices of the period--not
alone saving the woman her strength
and time, but saving the clothes, saving
fuel, saving doctors bills--lifting a
part of the burden of the wage
Garner and making life easier and
pleasanter for the whole family.
The result, in nutshell, was the pro-
duction of -Naptha-a different
kind of soap for the laundry and gener
al household purposes. The introdue-
tion of Fels-Naptha soap was followed
by an instant and rapidly growing de-
mand; SO much so that the making of
toilet soaps was gradually abandoned,
and since 1896 the firm has devoted its
energies to the manufacture and dis
tribution of Fels- -Naptha. 1t is now
sold and used in every state and terri
tory in the United States, in every
ty of England and the United Kingdom.
Nearly all of the general grocers in
the United States have Fels-Naptha
on their shelves.
All this vast quantity of soap is made
in Philadelphia, in model plant, which
is one of the most important and most
interesting of that city's industries.
Twelve acres of land are occupied, most
of which is covered by buildings, and
new additions to the factories are con
stantly in course of erection. The build
ings are well lighted, perfectly sanitary
and comfortable, and are kept spot
lessly clean.
In factory work alone, from 500 to
600 persons are continually employed.
Another large force is engaged in col
lecting the best raw materials from
many parts of the world, and still
another department, with many employ
es, is employed in advertising and dis
tributing.
Fels & Company have worked out a
system of cooperation which has result
ed in most cordial relations between the
firm and its employees. The employees
are looked upon and treated as selfre
specting men and women, not as ma
chimes. The principal involved is defin-
ed thus by a member of the firm: Any
act of the employer respecting employ
es should be consistent and appropriate
to the relations between them. This re-
quires good wages, short hours, sanitary
and agreeable surroundings and respect
full treatment from firm and foreman
The employees should be paid good
wages. They can then educate their
families and live a rational life. No
employers can care for the private af
fairs of others, but it is true American
ism to give opportunity to the people,
on the average, they will take care of
themselves.
This policy has resulted in an un-
usual average of efficiency in the work
ing force, and in maintaining remark
ably high quality and uniformity of the
firm s product. There has never been a
strike In the history of the business.
In Introductory work and sales pro-
motion Fels & Company have employed
with notable thoroughness all forms of
advertising. 1t Is significant that,
aside from store signs, the Fels-Nap-
tha soap advertising is now nearly
all done in the newspapers.
During 1906, with the introduction of
the now famous Fels-Naptha character,
" Anty- Drudge" Fels s. Company sound
ed a new and refreshing note in news
paper advertising. "Anty Drudge was
created by the ireland Advertising
Agency, of Philadelphia. The Ageney's
copy-writers have endowed her with
wise sayings and its artists have shown
her in appropriate situations.
- FAnty Drudge" has become an in
ternational figure. She Is read and
quoted from Maine to California, and
in the United Kingdom. No other ad-
vertising character has ever attained
such a valuable host Of friends as can
ty Drudge"
In millions of homes throughout the
country she is better known and more
appreciated than any of the celebrities
who receive free exploitation in the
comic sections of the popular newspa-
pers. But "Anty Drudge" doesn t in
tend to be funny; she has a mission.
That is to make the world brighter
place to live in, to smooth out troubles,
to help her sisters with their household
burdens, and incidentally, to sell Fels-
Naptha soap; she has proven equal to
all.
The situation in which "Anty
Drudge" appears are the little every
day perplexities of American homes, us
ually amusing-to onlookers. Tom
spills coffee on the table cloth; Bobby
fights with another boy and gets blood
on his white shirtwaist; Mary is worry
ing because her hands are all red and
swollen from washing clothes in hot wa
ter; the bride is in difficulties with
housekeeping, when up bobs "Anty
Drudge" with a cake of Fels-Naptha
soap in her hands and advice which
makes the world bright again.
The advice which "Anty Drudge"
gives in the reading beneath her picture,
in the Fels-Naptha ads, seldom fails
to lead the reader to the more eompre-
hensive but not less plain and simple
body matter Of the advertisement. The
convincing qualities of the soap, its ad-
vertising copy and the media used, are
best shown by the enormous sales Of
Fels- -Naptha. Every year the output
has been increased even during panic
years, and the demand at times has even
more than outstripped the factory ca
pacity.