Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1915-01-19
SILENT REVOLUTION
HELPING WORKMAN,
SAYS IDA TARBELL
Investigator Tells u. S. Com
mission Scientific Manage
ment Marks New Day
for Labor.
By JOHN EDWIN NEVIN

NEW YORK, Jan. l9-Scientific man
agement is a silent revolution aiding all
workmen, In the opinion of Ida NJ. Tar
bell, original muck ralSer She So testi-
fled today before the Federal Commission
on Industrial Relations.
Several OF the commissioners took eX-
ception, Commissioner Garretson heckled
Miss Tarbell somewhat severely, but she
held her own well in the face of a series
OF questions destined to show that the
plan, instead of making for industrial
democracy and better relations between
employer and employed, really created in
dividual despotism that threatened the
humiliation of the entire labor move
ment
Miss Tarbel admitted she realized that
in the past bonus systems had been used
to increase production and reduce wages.
But she insisted under the present sys-
TEN the American employer rapidly is
taking the position that the more wages
man earns for himself the more dvi-
dends he produces for his employer
Miss Tarbell said she had been engaged
in literary work for many years and re-
Gently had been investigating relations
of golden rule to business"
You say there is a silent revolution
going on in busnesS?' asked Chairman
Walsh. Tell us just what you mean"
COMMON MAN GREAT THING"
Business today is finding out that the
common man is the great thing in this
world" she answered. ITO give him full
justice and opportunity Is now the idea
of many employers of labor. The per-
sonal equation and the individual man is
now the big subject confronting EN-
ployers. / believe there are In this coun-
try today more employers than ever be-
fore who ralize that unless the common
man is properly cared for they themselves
cannot hope to make their affairs properly
Miss Tarbell explained at great length
the investigation she has completed re-
Gently as 10 scientific management
Wherever the question of scientific
has been worked out hon
estly and definitely" she said, lit has
the worker, but there has
been a great deal of taking In this re-
gard IT Is because of this taking that
labor has complained OF scientific man
agement which had for its object only
speeding up, When scientific management
is rightly In force, il makes for collec-
tive action between capital and labor.
When you have this cooperation, the
business interests OF this country will
benefit greatly and so will the workers
This Is new day in American labor.
have watched 1t in the iron and steel
she said. II recall the strike
OF 1870 In Pittsburgh. / know the steel
workers and managers OF Pennsylvania.
| know the crimes OF the steel business.
When the steel corporation w7- sormed Il
some OF the worst and some
OF the best labor policies then In ex-
lstence. Take the F'rtck Company It's
first He was the man who Induced the
steel corporation to develop that as one
Of it's policies and today It Is increasing
this policy and intelligently applying IT,"
FRICK POLICY TOWARD LABOR.
At this point Chairman Walsh asked
what the policy Of the Friek company
was toward labor
Their mines were run on the open
shop policy" Miss Tarbel continued, but
hey did their best for all Of their
workers. The unspeakable coke villages
II the Pittsburgh district are now at least |
sanitary and At for human occupancy |
md no longer mere parts OF the ash pits. |
And the steel trade also has applied /
he eight-hour day 10 from II to 25 per |
,ent OF It's employees" she said The /
Commonwealth Steel Company Of Granite 1
,ity. ILL., whose head has refused 10 make i
! fortune manufacturing shrapnel 10 XIII /
men. no longer has the 12-hour system at 4
ID. u uses tha eight-hour system mostly /
nd II does so because seicntinc manage
ueut showed best results are obtained
.t rH frf -fdae.