The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1911-06-18
NOT AIDED
MUCH BY CONGRESS
Very Little Legislation of
Great Benefit Passed in
Recent Years.
eY RoDERIck cLIFFiRp

BY RoOERick cLIFFiRD
Washington, June 17.-Aside from
matters Of state. the house of repre-
sentatives and the senate of t he Tn.
tied States some day are rally going
to ct down to business and do some
| thing tangible for the benefit of the
people.
During the past two sessions Of the
National congress, little If any real
work was accomplished that has had
| a far reaching beneficial effect upon
| the millions of people in the United
| States. 1t is true that a number OF
bills OF nature designed to benefit
certain sections OF the country were
passed, or perhaps legislation approx
ed that some day in the future will
demonstrate its efficacy, but the peo-
pie of today do not feel its protecting
cloak. and SO far as the yare concern
ed, congress has simply met and
transacted its business because the
Constitution of the United States re-
quires that body to meet on the first
Monday in December in every year.
There are pending in congress some
few bills equally as important to the
people of the United States as the
Sherman antitrust amendments. Can.
adam reciprocity and the free list on
materials of foreign manufacture or
growth.
| Standard Of Labor
| One of thes delayed bits of legisla-
ton is a bill designed to fix the stand
ard OF labor. The government fixes
the standar dweight of pound, and
the standard length of a yard stick.
Why should it not fix a standard of la
Dor?
The question has been brought up
in the house of representatives and,
looking at the bill and studying its
purposes, one sees that it would have
a far reaching effect, designed to ben
eft every man, woman or child that is
in any way employed in wage earn
ing capacity. 1t is likely therefore,
to become one of the most serious
questions considered by congressman,
and one upon which they will have to
vote either in the affirmative or the
negative, for the Inconsistencies
will demand it. The bill contemplates
the fixing of a standard of physical
and mental effort with the purpose OF
definitely establishing what consts-
tutes days labor.
The bill is an outgrowth of an ex.
tended hearing held by the Interstate
Commerce several months ago, when
Louis A. Brandeis, a Boston attorney
introduced a number of witnesses who
told the commission a great deal
about scientific management"
Later the matter came up before the
labor committee of the house in con-
nection with a hearing on the Pepper
resolution providing an inquiry into
what is known as the Taylor system
OF Scientific Management. This is
one of the so-called systems. 1t has
been introduced at the arsenels of the
war department at Watertown and
Springfield and is about to be intro
duced at the Rock. Island arsenal. I'm.
der the Taylor system, the standard OF
efficiency is the amount of work that
can be done by the most effective
member of a number of men whose
capacity is tested.
:. A Standard Needed
Consequently it has been argued
that a standard of measure is required
! in ascertaining the work of employees,
: Just as a standard is needed to de-
termine how many yards are in bolt
that is sold across the counter by a
merchant, or how many pounds of
! meat a butcher sells to a customer.
The standard yards protects the buy.
err of cloth just the same as the stand.
. ard of weight protects the buyer OF
meat.
In some respects, organized labor
has registered itself as decidedly
J against the introductions of the Tay.
J lor system, either in the departments
or shops of the government service,
or in the general marts OF business
; Labor leaders say that the Taylor sys.
! tenn is mankilling system, under
which only the strong survive and the
weak give way. Statistics were laid
before the committee fthe house by
a delegation of labor men, showing
the effects of the system upon employ
ees of a number of Western railroads
where it has been in operation for
years. In antithesis to the stand TAX.
en- by the labor leaders. several other
! witnesses who were called before the
committe took opposite views. o. P
Stimson. Efficiency engineer of the I'm
iversal Audit company. Of New York
declared that the establishment OF
such a system on general basis
throughout the country would be OF
decided benefit and protection to the
employers and employed. He pointed
out that it would prevent soldering
on the part of employees, an on the
, other hand would protect the labor
ing man against the greed of vora
cious employers.
In New Subject
} The subject, however, is an entirely
new one to the committee, and in fac,
it is new subject to most persons
Precedents for the establishment oil
, such system by other governments
, is lacking. as nowhere could it be
/ hat hoI No.