Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1916-01-28
Wages of
UncJednIineSS
By WOODS HUroHiNsoN, NJ. u.

II b abundantly within the rights OF the !
community to demand that none, OF Ns 1
members shall appear in public in a !
dirty, offensive or odorous condition |
First because they are source OF an
noyancs and discomfort TO their fellow
citizens; second. because they are at
least three times as likely 20 be tire
carriers OF some form OF infectious dis
ease.
But, II may be objected. would not
such a step in the present state OF of-
fairs be adding insult TO injury? Many
hard working and honest toilers are on
gagged In work of such a character as %
make It impossible to keep their hands
and clothing and even faces in clearly
and presentable conditions.
Would 1t not work a grave hardship
and injustice upon day laborers and fac
tory operatives going to and from their
. work in public conveyances7
At first perhaps it might. but the ulti-
mate result would be to benefit them
greatly. ana that surprisingly soon. II
there be anything which is forging rap
idly TO the front as the dominant note
In the new spirit in business and modern
up-to-dats methods OF factory and shop
operation, II s. cleanliness, almost spot
lesspess, of rooms, OF, benches, OF floors.
of processes OF manufacture, OF materials
handled and of the hands. clothing and
persons of operatives
A. dirty. untidy. sloppily dressed opera
tive couldn't hold his Job three days in
any modern model plant. even il he had
succeeded in sticking up well enough
IN cat bfraH IN Ne fIrat pIona
IT makes no difference whether the fac
tory Is handling foodstuffs. or wool. OF
cotton fabrics, or furniture. or hardware.
dirty methods mean waste Of valuable
raw materfal;, dirty machinery means
grinding out Of delicate bearings, quick
wearing out and early breakdown Dirty
worlSmen mean spoiled goods, careless
work. loss Of time and efficiency from
sickness and i'll health.
In fact Il is now clearly seen that dirt
wherever found means either waste or
inefficiency, and usually both. The dirty
work" OF which we used to hear so much.
because Il was going to be so difficult to
get anyone to do 1t in any of the social
Utopias, is simply stupid work, work
done with the hind feet instead of with
the head, work which has not yet been
made scientific, civilized and sanitary.
A couple of years ago the writer was
visiting a great modern tool and machine
factory employing some 1000 men.
The possibilities for dirt and CRIME and
black grease IN this industry can hardly
be excelled, and ten years ago the av-
erage machine shop was a cross between
Dante's Inferno and the screening de-
partment of a coal mine for blackness.
In fact any ahle-bodied machinist who
showed anything but black about him
except the whites of his eyes was rather
ashamed q, himself than otherwise. .
But the mems entrance to this great
plant was like the hall. OF some public
building. ~ = sft.r,sses 49,. ttFF
., The first rooms You came to on the
right and left were great lockers and
washroom. with white enameled bowls
and hot and cold water like the locker
rooms OF a great gymnasium. There
every workman was expected to leave
his street clothing and put on a clean
suit OF overalls and a special pair OF
shop. shoes before going into the work
shop.
A lunch room was provided in the
building where he could either order a
hot lunch at little more than cost price
OF eat the luncn ne Drought with him
and when he washed up at night after
quitting time he threw. hts dirty over.
alls into, great baskets to be carried tc
the laundry and would find clean suit
in his locker when he returned next
morning.
When the men came pouring ou
through the great doors again into The
street they were as cleanly and tidy ant
almost as well dressed as the averag,
.'olerlS or salesman or business man. The
rest of the factory. OF course. CORE
= ,sponded; the. workshops were flooded
g with light for ali the walls and half tn,
roof were glass;. there wasn't speck o
dust or floating CRIME flying anywhere
The floors Were. as clean as those o
the average schoolroom or kitchen. TIL,
Z. work benches were brown and wei
oiled. but clear OF every speck or SCRAP
except the metal which was being fash
oned ana the tools absolutely necessary
, All the seidom-used- tools ana gauge
and cutters were arranged In racks un
~ der the care OF tool librarian. who is
Issued them as they were wanted. Ever!
speck Of dust or flying scraps was sucke,
into baskets or. hoppers and shot dow
Ito thu floor, below.