The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1911-11-04
SYSTEM SURE TO
INVITE A STRIKE
Scientific Shop Manage
ment" is Objected to
by Machinists
PLAN is PROPOSED BY
SECRETARY STIMoON
President O'Connell of IN
ternational Serves No
tlce of Trouble for
Uncle Sam

WASHINGTON, Nov, 3.~-There no
longer IL doubt that the United States
government Will install either the
Taylor system of shop management
or one similar to II in all the navy
yards and arsenals.
The announcement of secretary Of
War StimSon that the experiments
with scientific management had con-
verted him to its use. Is considered
the preliminary step toward the re-
organization of the management or
government plants.
James O'ConnelI. president OF the
International Association Of Machin-
lists. criticised severely to-day 6ecre-
tary OF War Stimson's scientific shop
management"
The scientific management referred
to by MIR. U'Connell is the Taylor
system. which was exploited In the
newspapers with the approval of Sec
Rotary of War Stimson, il being al
legged in the official statement that the
results are highly gratifying At tho
WatertoNn arsenal and other shops Of
the government.
Sweeping Condemnation.
Mr. o'Conneii makes the following
sweeping comment Ia condemnation
of the Taylor system:
If the Taylor syatenl- Is dit into
operation in government shops by
Secretary Stimson. AS he has stated,
one OF two things will result-either
Congress will enact legislation reliev-
ing macninists of the UNJUST rigors OF
GC-called scientific shop management
or there Will be a cessation OF work.
THE men employed in the shops
o. the War Department are high
grade workmen and compare well
! with the standard OF the average
with tho standard of the average
American machinist. who is acknowI-
edged to he without a peer IN any
country.
'tThey do their work well and re-
| ceiVe none too much In return Tor u
! Their wages have been advanced II
recent years, but not 10 such an ex'
! tent as TO keep abreast with the In
| creased cost of living. There Is moth
| ing new in the Taylor system. 1T l:
| simply parts of old systems weidad
! together by Mr.. Taylor, All It's fea'
! lures, timing Of particular Job, regn
! la ton of raw material, bonuses. &C.
| have been put in operation In We
| rious places years ago. The whoi'
| thing simply resolves itself in Il
| driving tse workmen. Any number
| OF instances can be quoted wnere cor
| porations or factories have adoptes
! similar systems. always with the fea
! ture Of increased pay to the "orkmcr
| strongly dwelt upon.
Assurances have been made so CT
I ten TO the workmen that We place III
| limit on your earning capacity, ans
I the more money YOU make the NOR
we make that the statements h'IV'
come to bear 81 stereotyped look
Efficacy Not Proved
/ Referring to Secretary stimson
1 statement regar ding the trial OF tn
| TnvIor system at the WatertowG arse
| mai President CConnell pointed on
| n had been experimental with her
| only two years. and the experiment
| have not been IN the shops proper
| but with the administrative ana cieFi
cal forces largely. and only in isolate'
| INSTANCES with the 1achinista How
! then. asks Mr.. o'Conneli. can me en-
racy OF the system be regarded
| proven?
"You may safely say" Presiden
| o.Connen said. that IL tie Tayso
| system is introduced by Secre'a<
/ Stfmson in the shops of the War De
nartment the seven or eight thousa NJ
men affected will lay down their TOOL
| and quit"