Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-11-03
RAPSTAYLORSYSTEM
Mr.. 0'ConneII Says Men Will
Not Submit to It.
DECLARES PLAN is UNJUST
Thinks Walk-Out Will Follow if
Adopted by War Department.
MIR. STIMSON'S STATEMENT
Believes Scientific Management"
Means Betterment Of the Con-
ditions of Labor.
DECLARES PLAN is UNJUST
STIMSON'S STATEMENT

\
IF the Taylor system is put into opera
| ton in government shops by Secretary
Stimson. as he has stated, one Of two
things will result-either Congress will
enact legislation relieving machinists OF
the unjust rigors of the so-called 'scien-
tific shop management or there will be a
cessation of work" This Is the statement
made today by James O'Connell presi-
dent of the International Association OF
/ Machinists.
President OConnell did not mince
words. Neither did he put any undue en-
/ phaSis upon them Speaking with quiet
conviction. the wage-earners' representa-
| tive stated that the machinists are famil-
lar with the Taylor system. know what 1t
entails and are unalterably opposed to 1t.
MIR. OConnell said:
The men employed in the shops of
the War Department are high-grade
workmen and compare we'll with the
standard of the average American ma
chinst, who is acknowledged to be with
out "A peer in any country.
"They do their work well and receive
none too much in return for it. Their
wages have been advanced In recent
years. but not to such an extent as to
keep abreast with the increased cost of
living. There is nothing new in the Tay-
Tor system. 1t is simply parts of old sys-
TENS welded together by Mr.. Taylor. All
its features. timing of particular jobs
regulation of raw material, bonuses, etc,
have been put in operation in various
places years ago. The whole thing simply
resolves itself into driving the Workmen.
Any number of instances can be quoted
where corporations or factories nave
adopted similar systems. always with the
feature of increased pay to the worknen
strongly dwelt upon.
Assurances to Men.
assurances have been made so often
to the workmen that we place no limit on
your earning capacity. and the more
money you make, the more We make.
that the statements have come to bear
stereotyped look.
1T has invariably been the case that
ultimately the employer will announce
he is unable to bear the burden of ex-
penSe due to the increased earnings or
the men and a reduction follows. j cha1-
lenge any one to show me an instance
where this has not been true.
The machinists have no objection to
having their work facilitated by the
Introduction of any system that Will
enable them to turn out work faster
by reason of having material made
more available, by having the proper
tools placed conveniently near them
The proposition. however. of taking a
highly proficient man working under
advanta geous conditions and comput-
ing the time he spends on specified
jobs and making it a standard is un-
just as well as faulty for many rea
sons.
Chief among them s that there is no
set standard After one has been fixed
and it is attained by the men by strain
ing, it is raised by some few workmen
better equipped physically. and, instead
of having attained the goal, as he sup
posed. the average workman Is Informed
that the state of efficiency he has reach
ed is no longer the standard: that it has
been raised. This is kept up indefinitely
Standard Never Reached.
THE standard is never reached 1t is
always just beyond the point attained
By the great body of average machinists
Then when mans health breaks after
speeding along on high gear. SO to speak
the workman who takes his place is not
permitted to start where he did. but is
shown where his predecessor left off, and
is told to start there.
Many of these systems are all right,
theoretically. Their points have been
worked out by men at desks, using pencil
and paper. These men know the rated
capacity of the machines used by the
men. The humanitarian side of the ques-
ton is given no consideration. however.
In their computations the theorists make
no allowances for the bandaging of a
skinned shin or a smashed thumb with
the result that a man working under the
sy stem who may meet with an accident
must disregard his injuries and keep
grinding away at the job or fail to finish
/ it in the required time If a man cannot
complete the work In the allotted space
| lie is cast aside and replaced by some
one who can.
probably the most ridiculous feature
\ of these systems is they are always in
| troduced with the announcement that
| they are being done to better the work
| ingman and improve his general condi-
| ton Why not allow the workingnan
to work out his own salvation, and by
| his own efforts obtain better conditions?
Surely he knows what is best for him
self. or whether any specified innova ion
Will rebound to his advantage, or be
harmful to him. The machinfsts know.
! with certainty, in this instance or the
/ TAYLOR SYSTEM and that is why they
are SO firmly opposed to 1t. We have
passed the experimental stage. We know
what measures will benefit us and what
will not and no gold bricks. no matter
how highly assayed or brightly polished,
can be worked off on u.s..
/ According to President OConneli, Mr.
T,aylor's own admission that his system
cannot be installed in a shop In less thar
| two years, and very often four or nve
wears is necessary. Referring to Score
tary Stimson's statement regarding the
trial of the Taylor system at the water
| town arsenal, President OConnell pointed
out il had been experimental with there
only two years and the experiments have
not been in the shops proper, but with the
| administra tive and clerical forces largely
! and only in isolated instances with the
machinists How then, asks MI. O'Con-
nell, can the efficacy OF the system be
I regarded as proven?
/ Saws Men Will Walk Out.