Evening star., 1914-04-16
HOLD STOP WATCH
RETARDS WORKMEN
Labor Witnesses Oppose Ef-
ficiency Systems Before In
dustriaI Commission.

Louis D. Brandeis of Boston was a
witness this afternoon. before the
United States commission on industrial
ion of industrial experts regarding the
effect of scientific systems of shop
management on the working man.
James Duncan of Quincy, Mass. first
vice president of the American Fed
Grafton of Labor, told the commission
that he believes workmen are now ef-
fcient.
He said they are taking advantage of
every opportunity to improve their work
but that they are opposed to the use of
the stop watch, as it destroys their IN
dividuality. their loyalty 10 their work
and their ambition.
I'VE believe" he said, that the eff
cheney systems usually result in reduced
wages. In my opinion shorter hours and
restricted immigration are the proper
cures for industrial unrest.
John Golden of Fall River, Mass. gen
eraI president of the United Textile
Workers. expressed the opinion that the
institution of efficiency systems has up
set shop conditions and resulted in
strikes and dissatisfaction You will
have to change human nature, he said.
before you can make a man piece OF
machinery and an automaton.
The members of the commission were
rated today in part as to their own ef-
ticiency by Harrington Emerson of New
York, one of the experts who appeared
before them.
Aside from other qualities. Frank p.
Walsh, chairman, was told he was alert,
positive, determined. tense. impatient;
Mrs ]. Borden Hartman. that she was
broad-minded. sincere, decided. critical
and with good sense of humor;
Prof. Commons, that he was OBJ
tious; Frederick A. Delano, that he
was a good organizer. of good
judgment and sef-contained; Harris
Weinstock that he was clear-headed,
quick. critical and amiable; S. Thruston
Ballard that he was deliberate and
considerate; John B. Lennon that he
was conservative. a good reasoner ana
persistent; James OConnell that he
was sincere and determined, and Aus
tin B. Garretson that he was conserva-
tive. deliberate and of good judgment.
Attitude of Union Men.
Union men are opposed to the efficiency
system and as long as the employers re-
fuse to open their books and give work
ers a fixed percentage of the profits it is
mand a fixed daily wage rather than to
have their pay fixed by tax and bonus
or by a premium system This opinion
was expressed by;N. II. 3AHfasr represent
ing the machinists IN the government
service, affiliated with the american Fed
Grafton of Labor. as a witnesss before the
commission at the hearing yesterday on
the effect on labor of the so-called eff
cheney and scientific systems of shop
management.
Organized labor, Mr.. Alfas said. object
ed to being reduced to a scientific formu-
la, and was opposed to the stop watch
time studies and to the elimination of the
man who can't keep up with the intense
pace set by efficiency systems.
A ]. Berres of the metal trades de-
partment American Federation of Labor
said efficiency should come from within
and that none of the efficiency experts
had ever knocked at the door Of labor
conventions to try to explain their sys-
tens.
Sanford E Thompson of Newton High
lands, Mass. and H. L. Can't of New
York, efficiency experts. spoke in favor
of the systems.