Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1914-02-25
IRREGULAR WORK
HELD GREAT EVIL
Brandeis Suggests Ways of
Handling Problem of
Unemployment.
COOPERATIVE PLANNING
TO END WASTE, URGED
Declares Men Working Their Forces
Only Part of the Time Should
Be Penalized.

Suggestions for ending irreSularity of
employment. with its accompanying
evils. urged by Louis .. Brandes of Bos-
ton. were made public today b. the
United States commission on industrial
relations.
As one of the principal causes OF sea-
sonai unemployment. irregularity OF en-
ployment is said to be of especial interest
TO the commission at this time.
Mr.. Brandeis told the commission of
progress already made toward bringing
about cooperation between various
branches Of the same industry in order
that the workers might be given contin-
uous employment.
The promise of Detroit automobile
manufacturer that hereafter he will have
his slack season fall in the summer,
when farm laborers are needed, was cit
cd as another example of what might be
done. Mr.. Brandeis said this plan might
Re followed by many other employers
in industries where a reorganization
within the industry to provide continuous
operation was impossible.
Unemployment Benefits.
ployers and employees for the eImina-
ton of waste. Mr.. Brandeis declared his
belief that d fund for unemployment ben
Gifts could be created and that both en-
rloyers and employees would profit from
such an arrangement.
Mr.. Erandeis' most striking statement
vas that employers vino neediessly work
their men only part time should be pen
allied the same as for working their
men overtime.
Friendly relations between employers
and employees, necessary to such planning
as he suggests. can be brought about. Mr..
Erandeis believes. through the operation
OF trade agreements Ike the protocol IN
the New York garment trades.
Arguing for scientific management as n
necessary part of his plan for ending ir-
regu arity. Mr. Brandejs told the COM
mission that the employees must be rep
resented py unions and have u voice in
fixing conditions and compensations II
the new efficiency methods are TO be in
stalled on basis that is fair to the work
men. He deplored the opposition of some
branches of organized labor TO scientific
management and suggested that it was
narfly caused by the coincidence that
certain prominent advocates Of the new
efficiency methods are personally opposed
to labor organizations. These organiza-
weak in Philadelphia, where rhe scien-
ttic management movement has had its
greatest strength.
Duty of Commission.
Il think the part this commission
should accomplish is to make the coUn-
trY-reaiize the moral wrong there is In
ilresularity, Just as our. people have
been made to see the moral wrong III
CHILD labor and the excessive labor of
women said Mr.. Braneeis. .-If il is
once recognized that irreguiari,y OF en-
pioyment IS social wrong. ano you add
TO the recognition of that fact the in
centive Of profit. YOU will soon find that
rien vii! invent ways of accomplishing
the desired results.
NO one Lsan knows hou to meet this
situation. but II can and will be met az
soon as the evil Is fully recognized. Most
social Industrial evils have existed be-
cause they we're accepted with resigna-
tion. The mind OF mar which has been
able to invent the aeropiane, the teie-
phone and the telegraph II once add ress-
of employment will surely achieve even
greater successes.
shall We treat the employer who works
his employees six days and the one who
works them three days differently? I
say. yes. think employers should be
pcnalized who habitually give their en-
ployes less than full work as Well as
those who work their employees overtime.
on nave tue GlHerence N overhead
charges whether your factory runs full
time or not. u is q mere tradition that
turns a working man out o. doors and
makes him day. laoorer.'
Get Orders Ahead.
Mr. Brandes told how a printing estab-
Iishneut had been able to get orders
far enough ahead to provide steady opera.
ton He said the same idea had been
worked out In the shoe business and by
large manufacture of jewelry boxes.
Urging TIE meet. OF tbs labor union
when scientific management is introduced
into q plan, Mr. Brandeia said
ORGANIZED labor has just as great a
place in a scientifically managed BUS ness
as II has anywhere else. Methods. stand
ards and rates of payment have to be
determined. and for all these purposes
you require collective bargaining or an
equivalent determination just as much
as you need II in other plants To intro
iuce scientific management without q
labor union to look out for the labor END
would to my mind be almost as dangerous
as to vest in the owner Of the ordinary
business power to deal with the employees
individually.
Even where the employer IL humane
intelligent and benevolent. it Is not proper
that the settlement Of the rights of hi.
employees should rest wholly upon .his
will Both sides should be represented
And for this our trade unionism is es
sential'