The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1915-02-24
WOULD ABOLISH
EFFICIENCY TESTS
LABOR UNION PROVISION, HOW
EVER. rs STRICKEN OUT
BY SENATE.
WOULD ABOLISH BONUS
SYSTEM WHICH ENABLES MORE
PROFICIENT w0HkMEN TO EARN
LAR WITH LABOR LEADERS,

Washington. Feb. 23.-A determined
eHort by union labor to abolish eff
hclency tests and payment OF prem
iums TO proficient workers in govern
ment plants, was today defeated by Il
narrow vote in the Senate. In recent
years there has been introduced in
the government arscna.s so-called ef-
hclency tests, by which the more
proficient men are paid more and the
less Industrious smaller pay. Union
labor mas now brought its powerful
influences to hear on This system and
Is seeking to compel common
level OF wages-to bring the more
proficient man down to the level of
the average. This effort is being
made because, they contend 1t will
mean more jobs for more men,.
AS the army Appropriation bin pass
ed the House ii contained provision
IN accordance with demands of the
unions, preventing tne use of stop
watches o. other efficiency tests under
the so-ca led Taylor system, and also
prohibiting the use OF bonuses or
premiums 20 encourage rapid or good
work. No superintendent or foreman
permitting such tests or premiums,
under the terms of the provision,
could draw any salary from the gov
eminent.
Strike Out Provision.
The Senate Military Affairs Com
mittee, however, after hearing pro-
tests against this deprivation of
premiums from the employees OF the
Frankfort arsenal in Philadelphia,
decided to strike out the House pro-
vision. Led by Senator Hughes. OF
New jersey. tho pro-labor senators
made an effort to strike out the
committee amendment, which would
have the effect of prohibiting the use
of bonuses or the stop watch method
OF determining efficiency
On the stop watch amendment the
vote was 81 to 20 to sustain the COM
mittee. while on the premium amend
ment the vote was 80 to u to sustain
the committee.
Speeches were made in favor of
permitting the arsenal heads to use
an efficiency system Of Senators
Weeks, Root, Lippitt, Thomas and
Gallinger, while many others Joined
in the general debate. Senator Hughes
did most of the talking for the OPP
ponents Of the efficiency statement.
Speeding Up"
An amusing feature Of the debate
was when Senator Hughes described
the speeding up. as he called il. of
operatives in the silk mills of New
Jersey. Senator Smoot took issue
with him about Il number of his
essential facts, declaring that the
more efficient the operator of u loom.
the more work he could do with the
same physical exertion.
THE senator from Utah has more
transformation about weaving than
anyone L ever came in contact with, -"
retorted Hughes.
"Of course" responded Senator
Smoot, las all the information | OBJ
tanned about weaving was by work
ing for years in a mill, weaving mill
lions of yards of cloth and filling
every position from loom operator to
superintendent. l could not know as
much about 1t as the senator from
New jersey
Senator Hughes asserted that the
superintendent and foreman of the
Frankford arsenal in Philadelphia
had coerced employees of that insti-
tuition to sign the petition which was
presented in favor of the bonus sys-
tenn.
After the settlement of this ques-
ton the Senate passed the army APP
preparation Till in virtually the same
shape reported by the Senate COM
mittee.