The Washington times., 1911-04-29
GOVERNMENT FACES
PROBLEM OF FIXING
STANDARD OF LABOR
Getting at the Cost of Pro.
duction Shows Need of
Such a System.
By JOHN SNURE.

The Government fixes the standard
weight of a pound and the standard
length of yard stick. Why shouldn't
1t fix standard units of labor?
One of the questions that is already
up in the House and likely to become
a most serious problem has relation
to the fixing of a standard of physical
and mental effort with the purpose Of
definitely establishing what consti-
tutes days labor.
1t is argued that a standard is need
ed to measure the work done by en-
ployes just as a standard is needed
to determine how many yards of cloth
a merchant sells or how many pounds
of meat a butcher turns over to a
customer. The standard yard protects
the customer of cloth just as the
standard pound protects the buyer of
meat.
The question has come up before the
House Committee on Labor in connec-
tion with the hearing on the Pepper
resolution for an investigation into
what is known as the Taylor system
This is one of the so-called efficiency
systems. 1t has been introduced at
the arsenals of the War Department
at Watertown and Springfield and is
d
arsenal Under the Taylor system,
the standard of efficiency is the
amount of work that can be done by
the most effective member of a num-
Der of men whose capacity is tested.
Eliminates the Weak.
1t is insisted the Taylor system is
= man-killing system under which
only the strong survive and the weak
give way
Hearings are in progress before the
House Labor Committee on the Ques-
ton of whether to recommend favor
able action on the Pepper resolution
for an inquiry into the workings of
the Taylor system.
One Of the men before the committee
is H. F. Stimson, efficiency engineer of
the Universal Audit Company, of New
York. Mr.. Stimson is not opposed to
the investigation. On the contrary he
is seeking to impress on members of
the committee that the esta blishment Of
standard unit of labor by the Govern
ment is just as important as for stand
ards of weights and measures to be es-
tablished. Mr.. Stimson insists that the
establishment of such a standard would
be a protection alike to employers and
to the employed. He points out that
ii would prevent soldering" on the
part of employees and on the other hand
II would protect the laboring man
against the greed of voracious employ
erB.
The subject is a new one to most
members of the committee. In fact it
is a new subject to most people. No
government in the world so far as
known has sought to establish unit
or standard of labor.
Getting At the Cost.
Yet the Importance of the matter may
be illustrated in many ways. For in
stance, the Government, through the
tariff board, is now trying to find out
what is the cost of production of ar
ticles here and abroad. But it is prac-
ucally impossible to get at the cost
Of production in the true sense, because
there is nothing like standard of abor
Lengths of the days work vary, the
amount of work required in different
establishments varies and so on.
1t is entirely possible, in fact, prob
able that out of this proposed investi-
cation there will come a strong move
ment in Congress for establishment, af-
ter thorough scientific Investigations, of
a standard or standards of labor. OF
course, the Government could fix stand
ards only for Government work But
once the Government fixed a standard
or standards II is argued that the States
would follow suit and private eSta bliSh-
ments would have to do likewise.
That such action might go far to do
away with disputes between labor and
capital is seriously argued. 1t is also
pointed out that II this Government took
the initiative other governments would
pattern after it. Officials of the Ameri-
can Federation of Labor are bitterly
opposed TO the Taylor system. Presi-
dent GOmpers and Secretary Morrison
OF the American Federation of Labor,
have appeared before the COMMITTEES
to oppose it and to speak for the pro-
posed investigation.
Representative Pepper, author of the
hr1I h.
the Government establishing a stand
ard of efficiency, as it does in effect by
the adoption of the Taylor system in
the arsenals, is of such importance to
labor and to society, and such a radi-
cal departure, that thorough inquiry
ought to be made. Mr. Pepper urges
that the committee have the fullest
authority of investigation.