Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1915-08-04
announcement of More
Voluntary Pay Ad-
vances by L ar G e
Firms Is Expected.
,.aux Of Great Munition Orders
From Allies Cause Corre-
snonding Rise in Employees
pov-Two Companies Act.
More to Follow.

.,.,.r IN the manufacturing indus
,.,a. i and about Philadelphia are soon
W. -. r. n the benefits of the prosperity
- This country by the immense
"ol ruropean war orders The gen
'a' ,dsnev toward an advance in
.,s.s which has been apparent for some
!. heqinnlng to materialize into con-
.otion Already two local firms
~. Granted an advance of 10 per cent.
= heir employees, and IT is expected that
,.hsr large plants will follow.
m. largest Philadelphia Arm to ad-
-. The wage scale is the machinery
49,, of William Sellers g. Co. Several
,housand men will be affected by this in
.-..ss which went into effect at the be-
.,rn,nv Of this week. The other Arm is
,hs Autocar Company of Ardmore. which
Ass also granted an increase of 10 per
o.nt About 500 men will be benefited by
this action.
II ia pointed out that workmen in many
nisnts will be benefited by the war orders
without a formal advance in the pre-
sailing wage rate. In shops like that Of
tbe Baldwin Locomotive Works, where
each workman is engaged in an unchang-
Inc operation. and where specialization is
carried to the highest possible level, work.
srs will be able to produce much more
shan under normal pressure. Since most
os these operations are paid for on
oleee-work basis, the men engaged in
them will earn a substantial increase over
the normal wages.
"The Increase in wages" said a repre-
sentative Of several large plants in this
oIty today, lis in line with the settled
poicy of local business men. Phila-
dephia has ben noted as a non-union
city and also has been noted as a city
where ability in workmen has been ap-
preclated This is not spoken Of so
often as II deserves, but 1t is, neverthe-
less, fact, and the small influence of
labor agitators in the city is the best
proof that II Is true The manufacturers
who are granting 1.-The present increase
are giving 1t as war bonus, and their
object seems to give the worker a share
in the general prosperity which he is
helping to create.
"Ihere was mucn ado some time ago
at the prospects of a general strike of
worltmen for share in the profits aris-
ing from war orders. This alleged spirit
OF agitation, which was said to have
reached this city. existed only in the
fertile imaginations of those who made
the Statements. There has been no spirit
Of dissatisfaction among the workers in
Philadelphia, and they have shown
willingness to cooperate with the man
ufacturers in getting a maximum pro-
duction"
The largest plant in which an increase
Of WAGES has been awarded to the work.
ers Is that of the Bethlehem Steel
Works. Beginning this week the workers
ht the steel plant will receive increases
In all departments amounting to about 10
per cent This advance will increase the
payroll of the company about a5OO.00O
annually. In a statement explaining the
reason for the company's action President
z. G. Grace said the advance has been
granted in recognition of the loyal and
faithful service the company has received
from its employees. and 1t is made pos
alnle by the general improvement in busi-
ness conditions"
Officials of the labor unions profess to
see in the increased wages a scheme to
prevent trouble. They assert that strike
Tor higher wages was certain unless the
companies took some such action as that
which has been done by the three con-
Germs mentioned. II the plants in Phila-
delphia grant their employees better wages
and better working conditions. they say,
they will feel that the threat of labor
trouble was justified.