The Detroit times., 1912-04-08
PAYS TO TREAT EMPLOYEES
LIKE ONE BIG FAMILY


nun SohietulnS concrete 10 talk ABOUT
instead of=the =rague= distractions
which lead no-whither. For here he
would see his dream of industrial ius.
tice and equity come true. lie would
see an utter defiance OF the outworn
utilitarianism which for years has
been preaching the gospel OF Things
as They Are. He would see the fac
tory OF 20 years hence In actual oper-
alton today.
Philanthropic intent and a genuine
effort at industrial reciprocity are EVIL
dent wherever you go In this factory.
Here the "one big family idea Is car
ried out In a way that leaves no doubt
as TO the broad-minded policy behind
II, and yet the whole enterprise is so
daZzlingly new as TO suggest dubious
experimentation If not Utopian
munificence. But the proprietors mod
estly resent this intimation, and de-
clare that the whole scheme Is based
on what they consider common sense
and sound business principles.
In the first place the building is alb
solutely freproof. This word means
nothing, as all newspaper readers
know, save where the essence OF the
idea of safety to employees Is per.
fectly conserved, and nowhere has
this been done with a broader margin
for contingency than in this factory.
On every factory floor in the building
are fireproof partitions, SO arranged
that either one side or the other Will
be instantly available for fire-imper-
lied employees, who can either retreat
at once TO the broad outside tire es-
eQn ar rch
exits 10 a concrete fire-tower. extend
ing from roof TO cellar inside the
building and roomy enough TO pro-
vide quick shelter and speedy egress
for every occupant or the place. The
outside fire escapes are provided with
wide. easy stairs-not steep. narrow
steps. In fact, they are the largest
in the city. AS for the fire tower,
none that | have seen so nearly APP
proaches the ideal or gives such a
convincing promise OF safety 10
panicky crowd OF people rusnAs dwIy
from fire as the one TO be found in
this factory. All the exits are marked
by large signs and by red lights and
frequent druls accustom employees to
the use OF them. Besides these ex-
cellent precautions there is a we'll
drilled fire brigade.
The health OF all the employees in
this factory, who are chiefly women
and girls, Is safeguarded in every pos
sible way. All the air in the immense
workrooms on the seven factory floors
is let In high above the street through
large ducts. after ii has been washed
free from dust by . spraying device
which brings to sRffftafy humidity
On being famed into the ducts this
fresh pure air is warmed 10 6S de-
grees Fahrenheit in winter, while In
summer IL may be cooled 10 temper
AZURE 13 degrees lower than that out
side the building. This washing, hui
modifying and tempering the atmos-
phere produces an energizing enect
upon the employees, frightening their
vitality and enabling them TO over
come that greatest OF all factory all
ments, nervous debility. The en-
ployers are as healthy and cheerful
looking lot of people as may be found
anywhere.
By the process described, the air in
each room is changed every six
minutes. There is probably not an
office in New York that is better Ven
ltilated than the rooms in which these
corset.makers work. and it certainly
is far more sanitary than that OF the
! tenements from which most OF them
come.
Formerly the lights in the sewing
rooms were down on a level with the
heads OF the operatives, which result
ed in eye-strainN and headaches. Now
| all the lights are several feet above
their heads and so we'll diffused that
they cast no shadows on the work.
THE headaches are thing OF the
past.
/ A perfectly-equipped hospital is
provided for the workers, and there
are trained nurses and physicians In
regular attendance. II a girl becomes
| I'll she is at once taken 10 cot and
cared for. II an accident occurs there
lis at hand every facility for minor
or major operation. Accidents from
machinery, however, will be rare, be-
cause of the minute precautions TAX
4 en- against them. For one thing, all
shafting is so placed that employees
will be unlikely to come in contact
with IL. The machines are operated
Iby electric power, let in by wires that
are encdSeu In sletl lupcs o5 10 eiSo
the case with the lighting wires
thus insuring the best OF insulation
and being a further safeguard against
fire.
! To one who takes a humanitarian
Interest In working women II Is CRATE
Iful 10 note the means provided Tor
their comfort in this factory. On each
| OF four factory floors are Kitchen
and lunchroom, the latter planned TO
seat 200 persons. Here the girls are
served with good, nourishing food at
actual cost. They may order and eat
bowl of clam chowder, a sandwich,
a chop or other food, with coffee, tea
| or milk, at less price than they can
possibly procure II for at the poorest
res taurant, and the quality Is OF the
iDr. Wiley standard The food is all
cooked by steam, so that there are
no noxious fumes OF gas.
! The boon which such lunchroom
II 10 the working-girl Will be under
stood when one visits the unsanitary
eating places which many OF them'
not blessed with such humane EN-
ployers. are obliged to patronlze.
Each OF the operatives has her IN
I1ividual locker. or closet, where she
hangs her wraps and hat. or slows
lother things she brings In Tor safe
keeping.
The water supplied for drinking is
carefully filtered and cooled. The un-
sanitary drinking cup is abolished