Tulsa daily world. [volume] (Tulsa, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1905-1919, 1918-08-18
WOMEN A SUCCESS
IN FACTORY WORK
War Proves iallncy of Theory Tlnaa
Women Are Incapable OF Mans
work.
ny c. j. nuTLERl

tHy G.. J. BuTLER)
A. one W tho large manufaotur-
us companies of tho country which
has employed women TO do work
formerly done by men. the United
states Tire company has carefully
observed tho work OF lts women tire
makers. with view 10 ascertain.
Ing their efficiency ana the special
conditions which must be provided
. lt their work ia 10 bring a maximum
~ results
We have already learned that one
point alwuys tu be Kent In mind In
that manufactures cannot rush
production with female labor. The
pruceHs Of speeding up and con.
slautly urging tho female laborer 10
greater efforts has heen found 10
be entirely wrong. Women will not
stand being hurried. and will become
nervous and irritable. A foreman
can ask a man 10 speed up and keep
after him, and the man will he none
the worse for his more strenuous ef-
for'F, A. he will take things oooly.
but women quickly give way under
such conditions TO display of
nerves
Laws Adhered To.
| In our employment Of women tho
state laws regulating hours and fac
tory conditions are rigidly observed,
ana IN addition 60 this. careful at
tention In given 10 the safety and
comfort OF the women The health
Of the women Ia not affected by the
nature OF the work they do, as there
are no chemicals to contend with,
ana no women are put on work
which requires excessive strain.
In building tires these women DO
no heavs lifting. but there Ia a con.
slant nlay % the muscles OF the body
and arms which. II not overdbne.
furnishes heaithful exercise. The
only bad effects that we have OBJ
served among the female employees
results from standing at work for
100 long n period. This excessive
standing occasionally oausee q
woman 20 drop out because Of
trouble with the feet. legs or back.
llut this trouble In not confined en-
tirely 20 women. az nearly an equal
number OF men quit for the same
cause. The work rooms are light
and airy. and the greatest pains are
taken 10 kesp them spotlessly clean.
when we first started 10 employ
women II was a source OF surprise
and qualification to W. 10 nots the
buslne easlike. earnest and painstsk-
ing manner In which they attacked
the work They seemed TO be more
interested IN learning than the new
male employee and appenfsd %
grasp the work more readily This
quickness 10 learn has continued 10
manifest itself. and we find that
women factory workers, upon being
placed on any operation which re-
dulres' manual skill and dexterify,
will wasp. the work moro quickly
than men. and wsil progress faster
In tho initial stage Of learning.
Men Have Morc Capacity.
We have noted. however. that al
though the men are somewhat
slower IN learning new operations,
they will at the end OF six weeks or
two months have speeded up. their
work 10 such an extent that the In
divldual output Of man will sur
PASS that OF woman. ON an aver
age, the ultimate limit OF woman'r
capacity appears TO be about rs 20
so per cent OF a mans capacity.
We nay the women tire makers
exactly the same piece rate AZ men
are paid on the sans operations hut
the hourly rate of the women when
th0y start IN slightly less than that
OF the men When they have at
tained proficiency women in our
factory earn first.class wages
Our experience shows that women
take as much Interest In their work
a. men. and that they work steadily
and are not inclined 20 change from
one position 10 another. To bring
about this condition Il IL n@eessAry,
OF course, that the foreman be In
tolligent and make the employees
fully satisfied. II the foreman gives
the women proper instructions and
takes an interest In their vort the
employees snow a quick responsive
interest and loyalty
In matters ot discipline We show
no distinction between male ard re-
male employees Men and women
work together In the same rooms
and there have been no annoying IN
cldputa The women are 0f sur
prislpcly high tyne OF intelligence
ana rcspecta abHity and have won the
respocf " everyone In the factories
No singing. loud talking or fOolinR
10 pormltted A. any time.
The experiment of trying women
as inspectors has proved success
Tho girls viii work under women
In .pcctorg as readily az under men
htt much depends, OF course, upon
Tho person who Ia doing the super
,IsIng n the women IL fair and
,Iupre nnd has flrmueas tempered
,y kiudllncss she viii be Just as ef-
-ectlve az a male Inspector. The aim
1T ain times should be 20 keep the
ono of the factory businessllke.