Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1916-04-27

exhaustive reports that has ever been
made on the various profit-sharing plans
that are in force or have been tried IN
the United States was made public to-
day by the Welfare Department OF the
National Civic Federation. Civic workers
have been engaged for ~ months past in
investigating more than 800 so called
profit-sharing schemes and their report
covers the analysis of some 200 plans.
1.-THE work was undertaken" says
Chairman Ralph M. Easley, of the Elk
ecutive Council, lin response to many
requests for up-to-date information from
men interested in the subject in a prac-
teal way. There has been a marked
growth of interest in the proflt-sharlng
idea during the past year and large
number of new schemes have been
launched, but thus far the newspapers
have been the only source of information
with regard to these recent experiments,
some of which are far-reaching IN ex-
tent"
The report itself comes to no set con-
illusions, for or against the profit-sharing
idea. but it devotes more than 260 pages
to an exposition of the many plans in
force today or tried and abandoned. and
sets forth a group of interesting opinions
and discussions both from prominent en-
ployers, representatives of organized la
bor and special students of the subject.
George w. Perkins, Charles M. Schwab,
Samuel Gompers, president of the Ameri-
can Federation of Labor; Warren S.
Stone Grand Chief of the International
Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers.
w. d. Mahon, president of the ANAL
gamated Association of Street Railway
Employees, and many others, are quoted
at length.
The views Of the leaders of organized
labor appear unanimous in opposition to
the general theory and practice of profit
sharing, while large number of the en-
ployers whose plans are analysed in the
report, consider profit-sharing success.
Many reasons" says the report, 'are
given by these employers for their faith
in the idea" Among these are that it
promotes more continuous service. re-
duces cost Of production, secures more
regular attendance at work, builds ur
confidence and creates a spirit of CO.
operation, gets rid of rolling stones, and
encourages home building, enables the
company to keep it's employees during rush
seasons, induces statesmen and others te
work harder, promotes efficiency, interest
and loyalty; and increases the profits Of
the business.
yet" the report continues, "employers
who have had experience on the subject
are by no means unit as to it's practi.
cal value. Some employers express dis
appointment that the efforts of theil
companies were not appreciated by the
men, that they seemed to prefer their to.
! tai earnings in fixed wages, with nc
variable element, that they were sus.
picious of the employers motives, thai
they insisted upon joining unions an6
presenting demands in spite Of the com
panies' efforts to give them an extra
share of the business, that, when stock
was sold to employees upon favorable
terms they would dispose of it at a prof.
when its value rose, and so get the habit
Of watching the stock market, that WheT
the profit distributing was large, the EN-.
ployes learned to expect a similar bonan
"a every year and were disgruntled II
they did not get it, to say nothing OIL
their discomfort If conditions forbade
any extra payment at all; and that al
schemes Of this sort are necessarily com.
plicated and hard to understand, so tina,
the workers, especially of the less intelli.
| gent grades, are not easily convinced
that the system really benefits them and
is not merely device to withhold a part
Of what they might otherwise demand
and get.
THAT difficulty of comprehension is
real and not imaginary, must be ac-
knowledged by investigators of the great
number of schemes attempted, hardly any
two being precisely alike. and many of