Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1918-03-14
CONTINUED from Pase One

Inc wnO1e question OF employment,
wages. welfare. housing and meals and
lodging at the giant yard was explained
N an interesting way by Kennedy
Kennedy described himself as an in
dustriat engineer" When asked by
| Senator Nelson to define that term he
said an Industrial engineer was n man
who made practical study of labor
problems from the viewpoint Of the em-
,,ployer and the employe. can talk with
both sides in the language they can un-
derstand and can make arrangements
between them agreeable to both.
High Points In Testimony
The high points in Mr. Kennedys
testimony were as follows:
Dynamite had been smuggled into the
yard In sufficient quantities to blow up
more than half the plant II properly
placed:
Taking tho job at Hog Island at
$4,000 year. which has been criticized
as a high salary. meant distinct
financial loss to him.
He had come TO Hog Island with the
understanding he was to make condi-
tions there as favorable to the men as
possible and was still proceeding under
that idea.
Took Job at Loss
When Senators Fletcher and Nelson
showed some interest in the salary of
$4,000 a year being paid him. In view
Of the criticism that the sum Is excess
siyely high, Kennedy told the committee
he had taken the job at distinct hnan
cial loss to hiruself In order to gain tn
experience that would come from taking
up the biggest labor problem OF the age.
II came to the Hog Island pant win
the understanding that | was to make
conditions thprp favorable for the
men as possible, SAID hehnecy' IL
meant the employing OF more men there
than had ever previously been employed
In all the shipyaros OF lhe country
Twenty-three thousand men are now
working at Hog Island, and total OF
$1,000 have been employed tnere since
.,,.,So, ,,,s not excessiye he asserted.
as tho turnover at almost all the big
industrial plants Is from $50 to 600 per
cent a year
",rbe turnover of labor at Henry
Eord,s nlant was at one time 400 per
cont a yaar" Kennedy said since
80 ~. ,,innt bis turnover has been less.
,,he r,t,i,,up, of sb a day wages did
-, ,h,r apv-hinu else to reduce his
,,',ro,.or" ;"
r-nnad,, saia tha, no expected to cut
.,,a Iahor ,urnoyer nv half this summer
Wy ,tar conditions are more fa-
''t,a
'or"pie, -. ,,o, leland vera so had
C'huIt'oI's a. .ps ,Sa ,reo,ber that
last "Ih,ei, us, ana arxious mon
thouSauus ~, wi, - doc,arod
were .or .eu " -, 40 not .ocia,,st,c
VIVA. We -, ,,o,, ,.n,,r.
lecture put iae,s go. -, ua,a- ri
ser nave peen ,,,rod,, shornIv
o'.r, ~, .'t..ss ,hen road a LIST of popu-
lhe "isi'esa ..e t,,ao T., S,,tas fror,
lauons Vi S,rs ,r.sar, bad come
which VI" -. ,nd Innress on the
III olu.' soid ,h,, Tho men em-
- ,,oro th.p the nonu-
p'ose" ,haso towns
'"''o'' Va ''
senator Nelson Nettied
This nettied Senator Nelson, who said
the population Of Alexandria, Minn.'
Whicn ne n"u u.s ia no,hiny to do
,,.,,h he island and he did not intend
.o have aspersions cast upon Alexandria
anyway.
Kennedy disclosed that short time
after he went to Hog Island. on No
/ vember 2, the American ihterhatioHa,
Shipbuilding Corporation had realized
| the seriousness of the lack OF housing
| facilities for the HOG island efnpioSes
and had written the shipping boar'
asking an APPROPRIATION OF from Wv
100000 to SlZ,ooo'ooo. reply was re-
ceived. he said, tnai .he on'pp'ns noaI
realized the need OF sucn aese'op
ment, nut that spe.'a, ''so" WYNN
be necessary 10 se' tne ',onss' T., ,,
since then ne ,,,,, ~ .,s,'rr
weekly uo".e n. ., oh,a,nin, ho,,sins
]