Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1918-11-01

plane Company. n. e. Talbot. sr.
: who received S35. 900; c. r. Kettering
who received 5000, and II. f. Tai
bott. Jr., who received S20.O 900. These
men. business assistants OF Colonel
Deeds. also received large salaries
from other Dayton firms with which
they were connected. Even more cx.
traordinary." said Mr.. Hughes. was
the salary of $4,000 sea paid 10y
the standard Aircraft Corporation, at
Elizabeth and Plainfeld. n. j.. to its
president, Harry B. Mingle. a New
York lawyer. These salaries, it was
I explained are subject to reduction by
the Government"
Labor conditions. Mir Hughes said.
! generally were unsatisfactory" He
referred TO tho lack OF stability OF EN-.
ployes' forces. saving Mt the Packard
plant. for instance, the labor turnover
was between 400 and COO per cent n
year, which would mean 40 600 TO
10000 men coming and going in order
TO maintain an orga nization OF 10 .O00
to 1000 men. Criticism also was
givcr the Wright Martin Company
for seeking draft dcfcrment for many
OF It's employees at the New Brunswick,
y. j., plant, who had few aualifica-
tions for the work in which they were
c!assed as experts. Conditions in this
plant. however, are said to have i'm.
proved lately.
Tendency to Pad Payroll
Since the Government paid manu-
featuring costs. Mr.. Hughes says. the
tendency in many plants was to pad
payrolls.
AT the Curtiss plant near Buffalo"
Mr.. Hughes said. there is abundant
testimony. with picturesque detail.
showing that large numbers of em-
ployes were kept on the payrolls
when they were no' needed: through
an utter lack of a decent system men
and women we're paid when they did
not work: emp'oyes were able to leave
the factory without being detected and
remain absent for hours while record
ed on duty: employees would ring one
another'S time cards: men who were
without work enough during the day
to keep them busy were employed over.
time at increased rates: men were
brought to the plant Sundays. when
there was virtually nothing for them
to do: and for many months there was
such decentralization at this plant that
IL became the subject of contcmptuous
gossip among the employees in the COM
Bought Unnecessary Plant
keIegrlNy 10 tEe government puT-
chase in November. 1917. OF the Gen
eral Vehicle Company's plant at Long
Island City, y. Y. to make engines.
Mr.. Hughes said the actual necessity
Of the purchase is not ap- |
parent"
During the investigation. Attorney
General Gregory reported "A case of
petty graft which was discovered in !
an office of the signal corps, fostered ,
by civilian employe, tending to
establish dishonest inspection on .
rather small scale in one Of the least .
important plants" Grand Jury is
Criminal charges made against the
hree army officers. if Substantiated.
would involve Imprisonment of not
more than two years and fine of not
more than $4,000.
Aliens in Ford Plant
Referring to reports OF disloyaltv
imong the employees Of Henry Ford's
'actory AT Detroit the report says:
The reports were numerous and
he employe who obtained them tes-
flied that there were about 200 en-
,loyes whose loyalty was seriously
'pen to question. but how many Of
hese were employed in Government
work he could not say.