The Butler County press. [volume] (Hamilton, Ohio) 1900-1946, 1917-02-23
SCRApPEO IN THEIR PRIME

Constantly increasing Number of In
dustriaI Defectives-No Need of So
cial nsurance-Labor Wants Not
Charity, but Fair Compensation.
'"The present speeding up of industry
and driving of workers at high tension
is constantly increasing the number of
industrial detectives"
That is the declaration of Warren S.
Stone, grand chief of the International
Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers
Mr.. Stone has some decided opinions
upon the subject, believing that the
tendency Of many scientific manage
ment plans is to undermine the health
of workers and render them unfit for
further employment when they should
be In their prime.
"One of the most iniquitouS phases
of so called scientific management"
said Mr.. Stone. lis the bonus system
Wherever you find the bonus system
you find men oyerworked and suffering
from over fatigue that soon breaks
their health. The aim of all these
plans, we are told, is to obtain 100 per
cent efficiency. When that is achieved
or very nearly so then what? Manage
ment experts Immediately want to inn
prove upon perfection and get even
more out Of the worker. BY giving
him a slender share in the profits they
seek to turn his unceasing toll to still
bigger dividends.
This question is closely allied with
that of social insurance which we
hear so much about The first thing
to do in order to establish social in
surance is TO divide workers into two
groups-those eligible for benefits and
those considered capable to care for
themselves. This governmental regu-
lation would tend to fix citizens into
two classes. And it would destroy the
very foundation Of our principle of gov
ernment-the spirit of independence.
Solution Of the problem lies in educa-
ton and prevention instead of in ap-
plying a remedy after the trouble has
happened
"The workers of this country do not
want patcrnaism They want living
wage, measured by the American
standard Of living | am opposed TO
the patcrnal idea of government. ] am
irrevocably opposed to any law that
will destroy the economic power of the
toiers
sponsors Of social insurance point
to the wonders which they say have
been accomplished in Germany by such
means. 10 You know that Germany $
normal rate Of sickness is higher than
ours? In 1914 before the war, Ger
many's poverty was much greater than
ours And the whole idea Of social
insurance is predicated upon a theory
of government hateful TO Americans.
Labor does not want charity, nor
pity, nor coddling We want that
which is due us fair compensation
for work well done. Social insurance
laws could not be enforced without the
aid of police power, giving government
agents the right 70 invade the home
the poor mans castle-a and treat him
as Il subject for inquiry rather than as
man. It would mean hat he worker
must accept the services of a duly dele
gated physician when i'll, whether hc
had any confidence in hiiu or not. EX-
periance in England has shown that
one Of the most serious drawbacks OF
social insurance as tried In that coun
try has been the poor quality OF medi.
cal service rendered. The plan begetS
graft, politics. pork, at every turn,
"Let me give you an instance Of what
union labor is doing within its own
ranks. The Brotherhood of Locomo-
tive Engineers has in effect Sl47O00-
900 worth of insurance, and not sin
Gle member Of the organization is q
public charge. All of them come under
the insurance classification of an 'eX
ira hazardous occupation but we have
worked out q plan Of adequate insur
ance that costs only about per cent OF
the mems earnings. Under this plar
they receive full benefits for number
of injuries that would disqualify then
as engineers.
''It is Of much greater Importance K
prevent sickness and disability than T.
pay sickness insurance. Cut down thi:
high speed in industry, eliminate in
sanitary conditions. make industria
plants livable places in which to worl
and much of the need for state relic
of the individual viii have been re
moved. And couple with that wag
that not only viii enable the worker t
live as he should live, but one that will
enable him to lay up competence TO
his old age, so that when he has work
ed out his natural period of labor h
can sit down in the sunset glow of lif
by his own fireside and not be com
PEELED to ask charity