The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1910-05-28
60 oURTEsY oIfARAc AcTERIsI1o
: OF WORKERS IN GERMANY

Especial rresRontlence by w .ssIs
McEwen.) @--"fs&s = zse-...,.s - -.
BERLIN sGern1a ny, May %23, 1910.
. = After leAving Belgium our first stop
was on the German bofder. at Herbe-
stah1. where our baggage was ex-
<anined most carefully by the. kaiser's
customs officers. / We were. obliged
to change cars here, and it was our
first experience In riding in govern
ment owned railway coaches on a
railroad operated and Controlled by
the government. :;. .>,>.>
While the irains do not run SO
fast in Germany as they do in Eng
land the equipment and accommoda-
tions are far superior, have often
heard Of the alleged "evils'' of GOV
ernment ownership, and D.. how far
governments would be behind private
capital in the: event of the socializa-
ton of transportation companies, but
Germany, with its naturalization of
railroads sets the pace of theHcontin-
ent for every accommodation in trav-
cling: I wish every country had as
good means of transportation as ex-
lists In the German empire One can
ride cheaper In this. country than
In any other country in Europe.
Our destination for the night was
Essen. and after short. stop at
historic Cologne, we arrived at the
home of the Krupps shortly after the
bells had tolled the midnight hour.
We were not long in finding a hotel
and getting to sleep. In the morning
We presented our letters to 4 repre-
sentative of the Krupps and were
shown unexpected courtesies.
The greatest Individual iron and
steel factory in. the world Is located
at Essen. 1t was started by Fried
rich Krupp in 1911. Like others of
irhe worlds great industries It had its
ups and downs, and like most OF the
great original promoters OF industry
Friedrich Krupp died without realiz-
ing the fruits Of his exceptional crea-
tive powers It was for his son to
carry on his work, and for his grand
SON to- complete it. =. s:s.ss -. -
During the life Of Friedrich Krupp
his plant was forced to close down
many times. and the sum total OF
his employees never numbered moro
than six. Today there are employed
IN the great works of the Ilrupps
more than $1,000 men,. The progress
Of: this great, institution has been
wonderful. This tells the story Of its
growth: In 1926 the Industry em-
ployedse 6 men. >in 1885 1t employed 81,
in 1s46<#its had work for 142, five
years later SEQ men were on the pay
roll.. then iHals66 the number had
increased to ost1.000: From this time
on It grew by4tleaps and bounds, and
In 1866 its. workmen totaled 5000.
In 1873 there were $1,000 employed;
in 1893 there were $4,000, and today
there are $4,000. ..t= i, i @2:: j
In the early development Of the
industry the elder Krupp made pro-
vision in a modest way for the care
Of his sick, injured and aged en-
ployes. but. today. 1t has grown Ito
mammoth proportions. It seems tina,
every social desire Of the workingmen
IN this great plant .is appeased.
I visited every nook and corner 81
this great steel Industry. Il was hook
/ Ing for evil, but 4 am free tols cofess
that + failed to find n. Some critic
ism might be- of ffered to, the character
ot housing the single men; bit Il have
seen so much xorse In America tsiai
any judgment Z might pass could 1fha
offset Nv ref eferen ceA ri AS finitely
worse condit itions 1T 4home
lh8 IS the ney of the krupp