Atlanta Georgian. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1912-1939, 1912-08-05
UNITED SHOE MACHINERY COMPANY
Organization Put an End to Litigation
Which Threatened Prosperity of
Big Industry.

The invention of many machines SINH
lar to those turned out by Mckay and
Goodyear, about the year 1890, threatened
| to bring about disastrous industrial;
war
! There was great business competition
at first, then the various inventors and
manufacturers of machines began a legal
war, on the ground that their patents
were being infringed.
This brought great hardships TO the
manufacturers of shoes. who found them
selves in many cases. prohibited from
using the machines which they had in
stalled for making their shoes. They had,
IN fact, to bear the brunt of the strife
winch was being waged between the in
Ventors IN the one case and the manufac
iurerS OF machinery in the other.
injunctions against the use of machines
carnage suits and litigation of all kinds
became the order of the day. These con-
dltlOnS threatened to kill the shoe indus
try of the United States, or, at least, to
seriously cripple ii.
But fortunately. all this trouble was
brought to an end by the formation of the
United Shoe Machinery Company in 1899
by purchase several of the more impor-
tant concerns making shoe machinery
We're brought together in one company.
All the litigation, all the injunctions were
terminated. a harmonious management
was brought about under which all the
Jealousies and bitterness of the past were
wiped away
PRESS MPLIMENTS CORPORATION.
The formation of this company. which
plays such an important part in the or
Ganization and development of the great
shoe industry, was recently commented
upon by an editor of one of the largest
shoe trade papers in the country, as fol-
lows:
Il suppose that every corporation with
sufficient capital and power to accomplish
any great undertaking will always be
me OBJECT Of certain amount of suspi-
ClQn and abuse from those who are pess-
unsteady inclined, and the United Shoe
MachIneTy Company was certainly no ex-
Ceptlon to this rule. for In it's earlier DAYS
rev companies have been more grossly
maligned or so unreasonably assaled
Anyone, however, who reviews impair
TALLY the record of happenings that i'm
mediately preceded the formation of this
company and those which have transpired
IN the succeeding years can not be other
wise than surprised at the wonderful
change and Improvement that have taken
place IN conditions affecting the manu-
facture OF shoes, as the plans Of those
VINO directed its affairs have been un-
folded"
LIKE TREATMENT FOR ALL.
The company treated all manufacturers
alike. They soon came to realize that
each could obtain from the COMPANY ma
chimes and service at the same prices
that all the others had them This prin-
ciple Of equality to customers has been
maintained at all times by the United
Shoe Machinery Company, and it has
borne splendid fruit
The new company determined that if
would have the best whether in brains
or Workma nShip, and the best inventions
were taken up, the best machines were
employed and the best and fairest business
methods were adopted.
The men who were best fitted To solve
Jpe problem OF the trade were made to
teel that the company offered them a
rear opportunity for advancement. While
they helped the company they were help
ing themselves. The company has paid
a nigh premium for ability along all lines
ana this course has engendered a friendly
rivalry among the men in its employ.
GENERALIZATION OF PRODUCTION.
When the company was first formed
it found itself in possession Of q num-
her of manufacturing plants in various
parts Of the country only by centraliza-
ton could the company hope to attain
the higher economics for itself and it's
customers which it hoped to obtain.
The officials OF the company realized
that its manufacturing interests must be
brought e gether With this idea in
mind a committee spent a whole year Wis.
itius; the various plants owned by the
company This committee gathered data
which eventually resulted in the con
srlction Of the great plant at Beverly
Mass which has been declared by emf
neDt engineers to be one OF the finest