The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1913-05-23
THE HARVESTER TRUST.

THE HAIRY 1EeOoA'
Following the general tendency or
the part of corporations lately to take
the public into their confidence, the Har-
vester trust has given to the. public It's
annual report for the year 1912. SUM-
marizing the statement therein set
forth the report says:
1.-THE year 1912 was one of exceptional
prosperity for the farming community
| throughout the world. The production
of the principal grains increased al
most 20 per cent over the preceding
year, and yielded a crop value cons1d-
erably larger than any previous record.
This created an increased demand for
harvesting machinery, tillage imple-
ments, and other appliances and en-
ab1ed the company to make a substan-
tial gain in the gross volume of sales.
| The increase effected in net earnings,
| however, was not proportionate to the
gain in volume, wing to the reduction
| in selling prices of the company's prin-
cipal lines.
The expansion of the foreign trade
continues. The sales of harvesting ma
and the sales of other farm imple-
IA per cent over 1911. The foreign trade
now exceeds 40 per cent of the total
business of the company, and contri-
butes more than proportionately to the
net earnings; while the domestic sales
of harvesting machinery and Irvine in
1912 were less than one-third of the To-
tai business
Under the head of welfare Work"
the report says:
The Employees Benefit Association
has maintained an average member
ship during the year 1912 of 29,257. As
were members, the company has again
contributed 900 to the association.
The association is in a prosperous con-
dition, having surplus of 1926, $40. As.
The company is fully committed to
the plan of compensation for industrial
accidents to it's employees; and in the
states of Illinois and Wisconsin, it is
operating under the compensation laws
of those states. Closely related to the
matter of compensation is the accident
prevention work which has been Vigor-
ously pushed under the direction OF
a chief safety inspector and the super
intendents.
The anti-tuberculosis work which
was started last year has been agrees
sively continued. Practically all of the
employees at the Chicago works have
been inspected, and every case of tu-
berculosis in any stage has received
such treatment as the company's med
ical staff has recommended, including
either sanitarium treatment or home
care. This investigation and treatment
is being extended to the works outside
of Chicago as fast as possible.
The company has expended during
the year nearly half a million dollars
for welfare features affecting the
working conditions, comfort, health.
and lives of its employees. This sum
embraces the following items:
Compensation for Industrial
accidents .-........-...-.. $135, 29S.91
Contributions to Employees
Benefit Association ....... 6S,1S6.25
Pensions to aged or disabled
employees ............ s1,765.os
Accident prevention ........ S2,9SS.4S
Medical. including anti-tu-
berculosis campaign ...... 55,0S022
Sanitation and ventilation sc, 224 Is
Education, clubs, matrons,
lunch rooms, etc. ........ Sc, 1891. y
$495, 434. AZ
In pursuance of the welfare policy
of the company. it has recently made
the following changes for the benefit of
it's employees: 1t has abolished night
work for women in all it's works, and
hereafter, whenever night shifts are
required. only men will be employed;
it has established for it's women work
ers a minimum wage of eight dol
lars per week at all the company's
domestic works, with corresponding
adjustments in piece-work prices
and for more expert labor; it has
adopted the Saturday half-holiday
throughout the year at all the COM
panys domestic works, without reduc-
ing average weekly earnings
Since the formation of the company
in the fall of 1902. the average wages
paid its works employees in the United
States have increased 80 per cent.
Accepting this report as true, what
is the ground of complaint against
this huge concern? Merely that its me-