The Mitchell capital. (Mitchell, Dakota [S.D.]) 1879-1918, 1912-11-07
Former Hurleyite Ex-
posed Conditions In
Steel Plants @
HE IS
Committee of Stockholders
Makes Report Confirm
ing Fitche's Findings.

Yankton, S. D.-The recent import
ant action of the United States Steel
Corporation in undertaking an inves-
tigation of conditions of labor and
living among its w employees is
the outcome of the work of a South
Dakota young nan Mr.. John A Fitch,
formerly of Huron, this state, who
al educated at Yankton College
both in his preparatory and college
courses, graduating in 1904.
The history Oh the affairs, as re-
ported i'm an article in the October
number OF the American Magazine
entitled "A Great Corporation Inves-
tigating Itself" is briefly as follows:
In 1909 Mr.. Fitch published IN
Charities and Commons (now The
Survey MagaZine) the results of his
investigation of labor conditions in
the steel industry at Pittsburgh. MIR.
Fitch's report, which was widely com
mented upon, was taken in hand by
Mr.. Charles M. Cabot, of Boston, d
stakeholder of the Steel Corporation
who realized his share of responsible
ity as Il stakeholder for the existing
evils of labor conditions in the steel
industry. Mr.. Cabot secured the cont
sent of Judge Gray the executive head
of the Steel Corporation, to the plan
of having Mr.. Fitch prepare an article
to be mailed to each of the $1,000
stockholders of the Company, setting
forth the conditions hat needed rem
edy and advocating progressive poll
cies in general. That article was pre-
pared by Mr.. Fitch, and, in order to
bring public sentiment to bear upon
stockholders, was first given publi-
cation in The American Magazine of
March, 1911, under the title "Old
Age at Forty"
Judge Gray Baked.
Although Judge Gray was after all
unwilling to allow Mr.. Fitch's article
to be mailed to the stockholders OF
the corporation, the appeal of the
article was so strong and public sem
timent everywhere so strongly arous-
J, ed, that upon further pressure now
brought to bear by Mr.. Cabot, the
Steel Corporation appointed it's OWL
committee from among it's stockhold-
+ ers, with Stuyvesant Fish former pre-
!. sjdent of til Illinois Central, as
!, chairman, to look into the truth OF
Mr.. Fitch's report of labor conditions
in the steel company.
, The report of this committee, re
: Gently issued, amply confirms all that
+ Mr.. Fitch had previously published
: regarding the terrible evils OF the
~Itwelve-hour day, of Sunday labor
E and of the system of speeding as
practiced in the steel industry. Tn
committee recommends to the Stee
Corporation a progressive policy il
: regard to the social and human prob
lens connected with it's vast industr.
and expresses confidence that tn
= men who have so successfully led tn
:. administration of that great enter
prise will lead and achieve The o
j, ton Of these problems.
V The further outcome OF this stel
on the part of the Steel Corporation
J remains TO be seen. 1t is certainly
significant action, perhaps epoch
making in it's Importance.
Mr.. Fitch, to whom so much credl
is due for this movement, now resid
es in New York City, where he is on
of the editors OF The Survey" an
recognized as one of the ablest in
y vestigators of the country in the fiel
y of labor problems.