Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1916-02-07

L. \. COOLIDGE Grant On MS Srauua-
tion from Harvard in 1898, magma cum laude,
he Joined the staff of the Springfield Repub
lican For a number of years he was Wash
ington correspondent of the Boston Journal
and the New York Globe. In 1908 he was
appointed Assistant Secretary of the Treas
ury. The following year he resigned to be-
come treasurer of the United Shoe Machinery
Company. He has been n frequent con-
tributor to the magazines, and among his
books are "rhe Show at Washington" Life
of Orville II. Plat" and "Klondike and the
Yukon Country"
AS one of the leading officials of an i'm
portant industrial corporation, he has been
largely instrumental in putting the company
in the forefront of employers engaged in what
is called welfare work. Many employers, be-
lievng that their employees are entitled to
further consideration than that represented
by the pay envelope or that required by law
and the obvious necessities of the business,
are striving to bring working and living con-
ditions up to the highest standard possible.
Samuel Gompers calls it conscience work"
Whatever its motive, and undoubtedly the
motive varies with different employers, the
results show that it pays the employer from
a purely economic standpoint. Under the
head of welfare work come such matters
housing, washing and toilet facilities in fac
tories, proper ventilation of workplaces,
clubs and other organizations of employees,
education, lunchrooms, restrooms, provident
funds, emergency hospitals, etc Problems of
hygiene, sanitation and safety are of primary
Importance.
Reduction of Human Waste
Welfare work, according to Mr.. Coolidge;
whose experience entities him to judge, raises
wages, increases the employers profits and
brings the stockholder larger dividends. 1t
adds nothing TO the cost of production, for
that cost is all absorbed in increased eff
cheney in the plant.
"Unless employees are in prime physical con-
dition," said Mr.. Coolidge in conversation the
other day, I'VE must look for a positive loss
in effectiveness, for general lassitude and for
lack of definiteness in action business en-
thusiasm and ambition to excel-all of these
things representing a calculable dminution
in the economic efficiency of the factory
force.
welfare work teaches us TO reduce human
waste. That is what we do when we improve
the conditions under which our employees live
and work-when we contribute to their
health knowledge contentment and, through
these, to their skill
Let us accept it as axiom" he con-
tinued, that welfare work is not charity
1t may have in il the elements of philan-
thropy, but of charity none at all. The pri-
mary motive which aetuates the employer
usually is interest in the we'll being of his
workmen-a philanthropic motive, if you
please; but welfare work must justify itself
in increased industrial effectiveness, or it will
fan of it's own weight,
"You cannot saddle industry with senti-
ment and make much progress unless the
saddle helps to ease the seat, and thus con
tributes to the comfort Of both horse and
rider. The minute it begins to irritate either
man or beast it will prove a handicap to
speed and physical endurance.
There is no plant, however small in which
proper sanitary conditions are out Of the
question. Every establishment might well
adopt the motto, Good surroundings. good
health good work. and live up to 1t, for in
those six words are contained the whole law
and gospel OF welfare work"
Adequate wages and reasonable hours come
first Until conditions are such as to insure
Co operation and mutual understanding"
said Mr.. Coolidge, welfare work may just
as well be postponed" He went on: There
never has been a time when the laborer Was