Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1916-06-26
PUSHING BILL TO
FIX MINIMUM PAY
FEDERAL WORKER
Congressman Tayenner Would Have
s. Per Day Lowest Wage Re.
ceived by Government Employe.
MEASURE BEFORE THE HOUSE
Rock Island Representative Congratu.
lated BY Labor Over His Fight
Against the Stop Watch.

Washington, June Representa-
tive Clyde II. Tavenner is receiving
the thanks and congratulations of
worklngmen's organizations from
many parts Of the United States as
result Of the passage of his amend
ments prohibiting the use of stop
watches.
There was for a time grave doubt az
TO whether or not the amendment
would win, as the manufacturers as
sociations throughout the country
were actively working against il. The
biz manufacturing interests of the
country took greater pains to defeat the
anti-stop watch bill than they have
any other legislation that has been
considered by the present congress.
On the other hand, however. Represen-
tative Tavenner has had the backing of
the American Federation of Labor
throughout his fight
Congressman Tavenner is working
with Congressman John l. Nolan of
California on behalf Of the latters bill
providing a minimum wage of Sc a dav
for all government employees. which
would be Of benefit if enacted into
law to many Rock Island arsenal en-
ployes and other OF Uncle Sans
workmen in the tri-cities Tavenner
has also introduced an old age pen
sion bill and is now engaged in study
ing the old age pension laws Of other
countries Nearly every foreign ma
ton is far ahead of this country in
legislation looking to the comfort of
the aged men and women.
Representative Tavenner's speech
against the use of the stop watch. was,
in part, as follows:
Many well-meaning employers. and
many men who are sincere in their
desire to see the conditions of work
ingmen improved. have been misled
as TO what the Taylor system is and
as TO the motive behind IT, l will
mention. for instance, Louis
Brandies of Boston, a man who more
than once has served the public and
that. too. without being on the pay roll
of the public. Mr.. Brandeis has spoken
approvingly of the Taylor system But
with all respect 10 Mr. Rrandeis. ! be-
lieve he is honestly mistaken in his
idea that the Taylor system was con-
ceiyed in the interests Of man. It
was not. II was conceived in the in
terests of greed. and in operation it
exploits man and does not benefit
him.
One out Of Five Could Keep Up.
i do not believe the man lives who
can successfully defend before an au-
dience Of average American citizens
the Taylor system as Mr.. Taylor him
self described it
Imagine Mr. Brandeis, or any other
man, confronted on the public plat
form with Mr.. Taylor's own words,
used in describing how he installed
the Taylor system at the plant of the
Bethlehem Steel company:
THE tasks were all purposely made
so severe that not more than one out
OF five laborers (perhaps even a small
Ter percentage than this) could keep
up
Mr.. Speaker I desire to repeat
that the motive behind the stop watch
and other speeding up features Of
Taylorism is not efficiency. as the
average man understands the meaning
OF the word, but an inordinate desire
loI greater pIOHl from the tOll OF
man, and back OF that desire is greed.
In its last analysis the Taylor sys-
ten is simply the scientific" grind
ing down Of the spirit, the hopes, the
ambitions. as well as the physical
bodies Of those who toll. and for what?
In order that dividends may be in
creased. The thing is too inhuman and
too murderous to be imposed on beasts
of burden. to say nothing Of imposing
il upon fellow human beings II may
be said to the credit of the average
American employer that he has re-
fused TO go to anything like the ex-
tremes that Mr.. Taylor has recon-
mended
This legislation is Of Importance to
all workingmen, whether they are en-