Evening star., 1915-01-22
.EXPRESSESFA|TH
|NPROF|T SHARING
George W. Perkins Explains
Wage System of the U. S.
Steel Corporation.
HIS TESTIMONY BEFORE
FEDERAL COMMISSION
Henry Ford Explains the Working
of His Plan for Compensa-
tion of Labor.

| NEW YORK. January 22-The ex-
animation OF George w Perkins was
continued when the hearing was re-
suned today by the federal commissio or
of industrial relations into the grea,
philanthrophic organizations and the
cause of industrial unrest. Mr.. Perkins
explained in detail the wage system OF
the United States Steel Corporation
Only 22 per cent of the employees in the
mills and mines were forced to work
twelve hoursra day, he said. He de-
| MED that the system of allowing the
employees to purchase stock in the cor
poration had a tendency to curtail the
| personal liberty of the employees by
preventing them from making COM
| working hours.
The witness believed that profit
sharing was the missing link between
capital and labor" and that it's general
establishment would do much to de-
| crease industrial unrest and bring
| about a better feeling between en-
pioyes and employer. Mr.. Perkins
| said he thought it advisable to have
the employees of the steel corporation
represented in the board of directors
and that such a question had recently
received considerable attention Of the
board.
The witness believed the present con-
dition of business and the failure of
the steel corporation to earn profits
at the present time were due to the
new tariff law.
Retarded by Sherman Law.
Mr.. Perkins testified yesterday that he
believed the Sherman law had worked to
! retard the industrial development of the
| United States that legislation bringing
labor organizations under the control of
the federal government was needed, and
that cooperation and not competition was
the life of trade. Further, he said, in his
opinion big business was able to do more
for the workers OF the country than the
small units.
He did not believe. he said, that the
government would improve upon the pres
ent methods employed in the administra-
ton of the funds of the phiianthropic
foundations, but that it should require
statements concerning the detail of the
administration at regular intervals. He
was in favor of organized labor, providing
honest, efficient men were at the head of
ii.
Explains $5-a-Day Plan.
Henry Ford of Detroit. automobile
manufacturer. detailed the working OF
the wage system which he introduced
at his plant last year. under which no
employe receives less than $5 a day.
Mr.. Ford said that since the plan had
been introduced the following benefits
had accrued to the employees:
Bank deposits had increased more
than 130 per cent.
The number of life insurance policies
taken out by employees and the num-
ber of homes bought by them had
greatly increased.
1ntoxication among the employees had
decreased. 1t was rare thing, Mr.. Ford
said, for an employe at his plant to be
arrested. The plan. he added. was based
on the belief that work well done should
be rewarded.
No Discrimination Allowed.
No distinction was made against
former conyicts. Mr.. Ford said. The
other employees, however. are not al
lowed to know which Of the men have
| been in prison. A man properly fed and
clothed will right himself. Mr.. Ford said.
AS to the accumulation and perpetua-
ton of large fortunes. Mr.. Ford said he
to make many men comfortable than to
make few rich. He said the great
philanthropic foundations probably did
some good, but they were not adequate.
Il do not think any man can do good
work mentally and physically for more
than eight hours per day
Mr.. Ford said in his statement that
under his plan. as in operation. men
were made men,.
prison and who are cripples who are
making good. We would guarantee to
take every convict in Sing Sing and
make a man out of him..