Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-09-14
STRIKE MAY Be ORDERED
AGAINST TAYLOR SYSTEM
Columbia Lodge Opposes Pro-
posed Method at the WASH
ington Navy Yard.

! Should the Secretary of the Navy in
+, Sist upon the machinistS of the Wash
sington navy yard working under what
is termed the Taylor system, or any
similar system, it is declared. the
members of Columbia Lodge, No. A,
International Order of Machinists, with
which those employed at the govern
ment plant here are affiliated. will go
| on strike.
! 1t is not expected. however. that the
machnists will take such action in the
near future-that is, not until reports
tare received from their delegates to the
| conference which is to be held next
Monday. President Johnston of Column
bia Lodge left this city today to at
ttend the meeting Other representatives
! of the Trades Metal Union will go to
| the conference from Washington tomor-
row. Representatives Of all of the
United states navy yards and arsenals
will be in attendance at the conference.
Would Strike First.
| Ii was unanimously voted last night
at a meeting of Columbia Lodge, held
in Naval Lodge Hall. to strike rather
than work under the Taylor system,
or any similar system.
| 1t was declared at the meeting that
| Assistant Secretary Winthrop Of the navy
+; has already violated his promise that the
| new system would not be Installed untll
Congress had an opportunity to investi-
| gate it, The lodge finally voted to lay
| the entire matter before the American
Federation of Labor through the Inter
national Union Of Machinists.
committee recently appointed to in
teryieW Assistant Secretary Winthrop re-
ported that the latter had given assur-
| ance he would consider the benefits and
| abuses of the Taylor system before II
| would be put into effect, if at ALL
/ An order declared to have been issued
| to the commandment and the superinten-
| dent of the Washington navy yard, in
| which portions Of the Taylor system
| are features. directing him to put them
| into effect at once, was read at the meet
| ing 1t was declared that already two
| men have been appointed as estima tiers
on the new system, and that six more are
to be chosen soon
Resolution Adopted.
A resolution protesting against the Tay-
| lor system was unanimously adopted
The preamble and resolution set forth:
1.-The United States government
through two of its executive departments
is installing so-called new methods to
promote efficiency, better known as
scientific management or 'Taylorism.'
'Taylor's ideas have never proven q
success. except on rough and repetition
work, to do which he creates an auto.
matte workman, thereby lowering the
standard Of such trade by the elimination
to a large degree of the apprenticeship
system, and harming the all-around skill.
ed mechanic.
Instead of increasing wages and low.
ering labor cost, the reverse is apt TO OBJ.
tain, as such a system affects all work
even though not performed under. said
| system, because the cost of the system
i has to be borne by the work done under it
i The whole idea of such a system seems
! nothing more nor less than to put The
workman on the individual basis. thereby
causing industrial serfdom. The trades
union movement stands for the opposite
that men should be treated collectively
1t is undoubtedly plain, therefore, thai
the system is intended to eliminate the
trade organizations as "A factor in the
Industrial world. One Of the executive
departments has fatty refused to stay
it's introduction until the committee an.
pointed by Congress to investigate such
| system can make it's report by saying
that this was not a congressional matter
but was purely executive,
instruction to Delegates.
Therefore. be it resolved, That CO.
| lumbia Lodge, No. ia. l. \. of NJ. does
and hereby instructs its delegates to the
! conference of government employees and
| it's delegates to the grand lodge con-
|! vention, to be held in Davenport, Iowa
! on September IL, that the convention be
asked to instruct the general executive
board to do all in its power to prevent the
| adoption of such system In any gov
eminent department, even IL it is neces-
sary to allow the machinsts to strike.
| And be 1t also further resolved, That
| the grand lodge convention be requested
/ to instruct the delegates to the American
| Federation of Labor convention, to be
1 held in Atlanta, Ga, to have the A. +. of
l.. do all that can be done to eliminate
such insidious system from mechanical
establishments by extensive publicity and
| congressional action