New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1918-04-02
Oil
Raises Wages
3 Millions
Also Provides Insurance
and Pensions for All
Employees

Officials and employees of the Stand
ard Oil Company, of New Jersey, many
of whom in the past have faced each
other in defiant spirit during certain
unpleasant passages at Bayonne and
elsewhere. sat down to dine together
at the Standard Oil Company's build
ing last night and rose several hours
later, better friends than they have
been at any previous time in the cor
poration's history.
Following the meal itself, President
Walter c. Teagle and other heads of
the company made certain announce
mcnts that enhanced the spirit of con-
tentment already bred by open talk
over food. These announcements pro-
vided:
That effective yesterday morning, an
increase in wages averaging 10 per cent
was made, applicable to all wage earn
ers, except first class bricklayers and
watchmen, whose rates will be in
creased 5 per cent. and lead burners
whose rates previously had been raised
That all employees, without any con-
tribution on their part, will be given
individual life insurance policies, with
benefits ranging from sum equal to
three months wages to $4,000.
That the oiu sSe pension system, now
in vogue, whereby employees sixty-five
years of age are provided for, had
been amended so that an employe may
retire at the end of twenty years of
service on pension.
Housing Corporation Formed
That no employe of the company
may be summarily discharged without
q due hearing, except for certain OF
fences which constitute obvious vio-
lation of the law.
That while accident disability is COW
cred by state law the company will
give to employees of one or more years
service half pay for disability from
pay to continue for periods ranging
from six months to a year, depending
on length of service.
That a company, known as the Bay.
onne Housing Corporation, with a cap
ital stock of 100000 had been organ
lied to erect modern dwellings to pro-
vide accommodations for about one
! hundred families of Standard Oil EN-
ployes at rates on the basis Of to
The stock in this corporation is held
by the Standard Oil Company Of New
Jersey, the Tidewater Oil Company,
I the American Radiator Company, the
Bayonne Supply Company the Interna-
| tional Nickel, Babcock & Wilcox and
the General Chemical Company. John
d. Rockefeller, ST., subscribed for $780,
600 of the stock.
President Teagle said about 10000
employees were affected by the wage
increase, which totalled something
more than $3,00O,OOO a year.
President Teagle made the announce
ment of wage increase at the conclu-
! sion of the dinner, stating that since
August l, 1915, the Standard Oil Com
pany has granted five general wage in
creases for all classes of labor, SO that
| the average wage increase since that
time has amounted to 62.8 per cent,
! been increased 80.57 per cent IN this
period.
"ln addition to these increases. a
change from a nine to an eight hour
day was made effective September
Is, 1915" sa,o Mr. Teagle. "This was
without any change in the scale of
wages, and was, therefore, equivalent
| to an increase in the wage scale of 1887
per cent"
Wars Lesson to Capital
eff there is any good to come out of
this war;" said Mr.. Teagle, zone of the
! lessons we will all learn is that the
day of achievement by brute force is
gone. We thought the nations had
learned this lesson, when suddenly one
hundred years. by resolving by force
procedure which the world will
never put up again, neither between
nations nor communities or classes"
A. C. Bedford, former president Of
the Standard Oil Company, now chair
man of the board of directors, and one
of the directors of the United States
Oil Production Board, said the time
had come for politicians and execu-
tives, and labor and capital, to work
hand-in- hand, and that employers as
we'll as employees were ON an equal
basis in relation to the United States
government. and that all must labor
for the common purpose OF winning
the war.
John Stephens, Joseph Mccoy and
Joseph A. McDavitt responded in be-
half of the employees, thanking the COM
/ pany for its generosity.
President Teagle said the clerical
force was not included in the an
nounced wage increase, as their sal
aries were audited and adjusted every