Wheeling majority. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1907-192?, 1915-09-02
Industrial Commission
Continued from Page ~
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confirm and accentuate the state
Iments of the Federal Industrial Com
mission which reported in 1902: The
result of this system (share holding)
is that the renters rarely ever sue
coed in laying by surplus. On the
contrary, their experiences are sc
discouraging that they seldom re
main on the same farm for mofe thar
a year. They are not only unable tt
Lay by any money, but heir children
remain unednlcated, and half clothed
The system is APPARENTLY one of the
most undesirable, so far as its effect
on the community is concerned
Corporations and Wage Farmers.
i Discussing existing relations be
tween employers and employees, the
report points out that he typical form
of industrial organization is the cor.
poraItion
in transportation - says Mr.. Nan
ly, approximately 100 per cent of the
wage earners are employed by corpo.
rations; in mining, 80 per cent; and
in manufacturing, rs per cent. More
over, it is under this form that the
great problems of industrial relations
have developed"
After analyzing the elements that
go to make up a typical corporation,
Mr.. Manly Says:
'"The ordinary stakeholder in a
large corporation actually occupies a
less direct relationship to the corpo-
ration in which he is interested, has
less knowledge of its actual opera
tons, and less control over its man.
agement han the ordinary citizen has
over local, state and national govern
ments.
Boards of Directors in theory are
responsible TO rand would naturally
be expected to maintain supervision
over every phasce of the corporations
management, but, as matter of fact,
we know that such supervision is
maintained only over the financial
phase of the business, controlling the
acquisition of money to operate the
business, and distributing the profits
Actual direction generally exists only
through the removal of executive Of
ficials who fail to oliver the expected
profits, and through the appointment
of their successors.
"Under the testimony Of fnanciers
representing, as directors, hundreds
of corporations, the typical director OF
large corporations is not only totally
ignorant of the actual operations OF
such corporations, whose property he
seldom; if ever, visits, but feels and
exercises no responsibility for any
thing beyond the financial condition
and the eslection of executive Of
ficials. Upon their own statements,
these directors know nothing and care
&I.S, 81, n "
duct, the condition and treatment OF
the workers from whose labor they
management of the business. 4
derive their income, or the general
$50 far as operation and actual
management are concerned, the ex-
ecutive officials are practically SUI
preme Upon their orders produc-
ton is increased or decreased, plants
are operated or shut down, and upon
tehir recommendation wages are
raised or lowered. BUT even they
have little direct contact with the
actual establishment OF, working con-
ditions, and no relation at all with
the rank and file of the workers. They
Tact upon the recommendations OF SUI
lperintendents, whose Information
comes from their assistants and fore
linen and from the elaborate statistics
of modern business, which account
Ifor every piece of material and pro
duct, show the disposition OF every
Ipenny that comes and goes, but igI
more, as though they did not exist
the man and women whose labor
drives the whole mechanism Of bust
ness"
The Big Question.
Here, then. is the heln of indus;
trial relations: Masses of workers on
the one side dealing in some manner
with foremen and superinte udents on
the other, behind whom is an organii
cation OF executive officials, repre-
| senting in turn the Board OF Direct
! ors, who are the chosen representa-
tives of the stockholders
"The crux of the whole question Of
industrial relation is: Shall the work
ers for the protection Of their inter
ests be organized and represented col
letcively by their chosen delegates
even as the stockholders are repre-
|1sented by their Directors and by thu
various grades of executive official:
and bosses?
I'm considering this issue the frs
lquestion that presents itself is: VIM
lshouId such representation be de
lmanded as a necessity The execu
Tive officials, superintendents and
Ibosses. some witnesses have urget
Ibefore the CSommission, are not onll
for the most part humane and well
Iintentioned men, but they know tina
1.-The interests of the bushes depenl
tuDon the welfare of the workers and
| iif an1hindered. will pay the best wage