Atlanta Georgian. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1912-1939, 1913-10-04


a7gsand men - and later on
-.gr thousand men-Will be
-.e,as not 10 mention the pleasure
+, .orrfort that the new order will
-r 10 the wives and families OF
asss men.
Tie general manager invited me to
..rf An informal talk he was to
rs ei,h number of employees
,..s~dsv afternoon. Undaunted by
aa.rge we plowed our way to
no meeting place, expecting to find
,-- few on hand. But there they
s-s almost everyone who could
,sy.hv get away.
This manager is one of the new
,o.. on such men must this coun-
Ply depend TO avert trouble between
o.,.. and labor. He forms a con-
rartsrg fink between the employers
and me employees sort of bond
J.. make this a surgical treatise but
holding the two together.
H. has struck the keynote that
\ reen persistently advocated here.
h yet rogether" re- establish the per-
ma. element in conducting a huge
.sfne.s enlist the interest of the
men 9y working for their best inter-
as.s mix with them. confer with
hem svmpathize with them when
a.sss8rv discipline delinquents with
pm -aud-in short, not only give
I'D fair deal but cultivate their
uaa.uance and friendship by ali
arab.c manly means.
.rarae years ago" he remarked to
DE-. when ! took charge, l found
rg of tho men In an ugly mood.
an had grouches. The bust
VAS suffering in consequence
s.. Mere losing trade instead of gain
Well I sized up the situation, /
aw that the men would have to be
aiken in hand. How to turn them
o .ovallsts instead of anarchists
my problem. Fortunately, l was
able TO understand them, as I had
been IN their shoes for years.
anne from among them, having done
ctly the work they were doing
Ne'orc I took charge of men. de-
fded 10 get close to them. to meet
.1an in a friendly, informal way and
ear their grievances.
AT first I was almost eaten up.
:. took courage to face a big crowd
0. them They did not believe l was
sincere when / told them l wanted
.o hear their complaints so that ]
10 sht help them. They were dis
rstful They were suspicious. Well,
.ou saw how they acted to-day"
The confab was such that other
managers might well initiate - and
envy The manager fraternized for
some little time with the men before
The meeting began. Then he out
ned what the company intended to
Do for them, and invited them to ask
questions or make comments. Sew
eraI did-rrankly and unabashed.
One fellow suggested that the
ompany should do a whole lot more
than was proposed-and the other
men jumped" on him in a jiffy, and
before they finished they had him
rather ashamed Of himself.
That the men we're loyalists and
No. anarchists was plain. One
,.e2ker from the floor assured the
manager that they would not wan:
Tie company to go so far in helping
hem that the business would suffer:
ana he was not sarcastic, either!
We know the company means to DC
right thing by us, and you know
.t' we want to do the right thing
10y the company" he added. We're
with YOU every time"
hN a unanimous vote the man
ger plan to help the men was in
.'sea and then three cheers were
SVEN tor him and the company
these days of labor unrest, of
.-,eFness, Of fighting and wrangling,
strikes ana sedition. 1t was re-
.7Sa-ns to witness such an exhibit
'a or loyalty and cooperation be
"''n men and their employers. This
"Hy condition, however, has not
..3" attlined without much thought
III" good will on the part of the
u. .alaement. A mere increase in
ages would not nave done it. There
ID. G" be bridging of the gulf be-
"ern the men and the corporation,
-i <tly the directors found a man
'A''ie Of doing it.
have before now suggested a
.Afse at some OF our universities on
ne Management of Men" Such Il
.-1N is more needed to-day than
before. The man who can
indie large bodies OF men, who can
mig out the best that is in them.
can inspire them with enthu-
a' who can win their co-opera-
$ worth fortune to any of our
h'.n business organiza tions. !.
more valuable to know men thar
now merchandise. for there arr