Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-10-15
SLOCAL Plan
OF PROFIT SHARING
w. F. Ham of Washington
Features Meeting of Electric
Railway Men Today.
WELFARE OF employees.
ATLANTIC CITY TOPIC
Tells National Convention Accidents
Have Decreased Since the Opera
ton Of the System.

| ATLANAIC CITY, n. j.. October 15.-
Welfare of employees and profit sharing
among the men who run the cars were
prominent subjects before today session
| of the annual convention of the Ameri-
can Electric Railway Association.
W. F. Ham of Washington. D. c., vice
president of the Washington Railway
| and Electric Company, in an address on
profit sharing with employees told of the
plan adopted by his company. After the
payment of wages, and damage claims.
he said, the remainder is shared with
the employees. Since the plan was put
in operation, he added, the number of
accidents have materially decreased.
The company has been deeply inter-
ested for many years In welfare work
among its employees and their families,
said Mr.. Ham, land may, perhaps, be
considered one of the pioneers in such
work. Its relief association was organ
lied in 1900. not only to furnish health,
accident and death benefits to it's men,
bers. but to provide a social organization
in which its members and their families
| might take an active interest.
For Savings and Loans.
The association has since established
savings department where members are
privileged to deposit savings which draw
) per cent interest per annum; a loan de-
partment where members can borrow
money at per cent interest per annum;
a bonding department in which fidelity
| bonds are furnished to members at prices
considerably less than those charged by
| the regular bonding companies: central
clubroom equipped with bowling alleys,
| pool tables. music, game and reading
rooms; and most recently branch of the
| Public Library, whereby members are
given all facilities of the main Public
| has maintained an efficient medical de-
partment whereby all employees receive
| free medical attention.
"a pension system was inaugurated In
| 1907 for the benefit of employees grown
| old in service.
"a graduated scale of wages for train
| men was put in effect early in 1912 In
| order to encourage longevity of service,
| and a little later. after a careful study OF
| the merit and demerit system of discipline
| the plan was adopted, mainly for two rea-
| sons. First, it enables the company to
| recognize mertorious service by merits
which Offset demerits. and second, 1t
| obviates suspensions and the consequent
| hardships upon the families due to loss
| of wages.
Uniformed Trainmen Share.
Early last year the management der
cided that the time was ripe for the
adoption of some plan by which the uni
formed employees Of the company should
share in it's profits. Good service was
being rendered the public and the stock
holders. after years of waiting, were re-
ceiving a small return upon their invest
ment. 1t was decided that the trainmen
should share In whatever Improvement
could be made over the results OF the
year 1e11 Naturally. the company de-
sired to formulate and adopt the plan
| which would be most simple and most
| effective in stimulating the men to great
err efficiency I'm other words, that the
men could see how their own efforts
could assist in making the plan sue
| cess, thereby benefiting themselves as
well as the company.
1.-The uniformed employees are the agents
| of the company who deal directly with
the public. The company has transporta-
| ton to sell and the uniformed employees
are the agents that sell 1t. The company
has made it's uniformed employees sales
men on a commission, with guaranteed
| salary
Profit Fund Set Aside.
| "It was found that during the year 1911,
of the gross passenger receipts. after de-
Quoting the per cent tax paid the gov
eminent, 22la per cent was absorbed by
trainmens wages and 3h per cent by the
| settlement of damage claims. 1t was
therefore. decided to set aside 90 per cent
| of the gross passenger receipts. after de-
Quoting the above mentioned per cent
tax, as fund to cover trainmen's wages
| and settlement of damage claims.
| ITO make this entirely plain-frst, we
deduct from the gross passenger receipts
| the 4 per cent tax, leaving the gross
earnings which in reality belong to
the company. OF this sum, 26 per
cent is appropriated for the purposes
| above stated. Whatever remains of
this rs per cent after payment Of wages
of conductors and motormen and settle
| ment of damage claims, goes into the
| Notwithstanding fund for distribution"
The report of the committee on well
| fare of employees. presented by j. j. Bur-
! leigh of Newark, n. j., took advanced
! ground as to the duty which corporations
| owe to their employees.
Many Benefits Recommended.
| The report recommended sick and death
benefits, insurance, pensions, accident
benefits, profit sharing. savings funds, loan
4 ,,,or;% cvcfayo 0f rawards and tho