Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1918-01-08
CUT OUT THE LACKADAI-
SICAL ATTITUDE

THE ramihcstiOns of Industrial disturb
ance extend into every function Of the
nation, governmental or private. Never
has busines- been called upon TO meet such
radical problems as have been put UP to
II during the last few months, and among
them none has been more vexatots or de-
structive than the shortage OF labor, skilled
and snskilled, at the desk or at the forge
srhe greatest organizers and executives Of
the country have been called into the ma.
tional service. They have drawn on their
own organizations for expert lleutenants
There is constant push in every business
from the bottom up. and the vacuum thus
created finds greater and greater difficulty
in sucking in new human material for ordi.
nary tasks.
The immediate result of tlis situation is
the weakening of the discipline Of compe.
tition. Men care little for their jobs as
. Jobs. One lost. another can be found at
the corner. What does the worker in metals
Is simply money and he can get it from a
hundred different places. So the milkman
and the gsrbageman and the fireman and
truckman know that employment is a
huzzy standing at every corner with out.
2 stretched hands. Human nature is human
nature. DEGREES cannot change it and it
laughs at statutes. The discipline OF neces-
sity is suddenly relaxed. even swept away,
% what wonder.is it that a certain careless.
ness in service Is everywhere apparent?
individual independence Is wholly desirable
and we may ali be thankful that opportu.
nifty is 50 generous, but the national exi.
gency is now far greater than the eXigen-
cies Of individuals ever were. Can men he
made to realize it and become as obedieut
to the discipline Of national necessity as
they formerly were to the discipline Of
their own necessities?
Money is simply the measure Of industry.
What the nation has to have is production,
Irrespective of money values. It's got to
have production not only of specific arti-
ces but also in the incidental services
which speed up or retard as the case may
be- the functionng Of industry. II is a
time when the nation expects the engineer
TO drive his locomotive with more than
ordinary efficiency and skill. the street
cleaner to do better work, the weaver OF
cloths TO be more than ever ION the job"
the miner to get the last ounce of coal that
one mans energy in day should give. the
{ skipper to get the maximum from his ship,
the waiter in the restaurant to be a better
waiter because he is part OF the monster
organism and his efficiency may release
some other man for needed service.
The lackadaiscal attitude. the free.and.
easy method OF doing work is in these
days and in this crisis not alone deplorabe;
II is positively criminal and superlatively
unfair TO the hosts who are about to offer
their blood in defense of our institutions.
No man can dare TO be careless now with.
out inviting the reproaches Of his neigh.
bors Waste Of his energy. a refusal to use
It generously in service. is evidence Of un.
worthiness and Of failure TO appreciate the
4 reality of the crisis through which we are
passing.
W We appeal to men everywhere, particu,
hriy In the Philadelphia district, which is
oontributing so much to the prosecution of
IS the war, to realize that in their weekly
8 Envelope, in addition to wages, is a message
n ~ gratitude from the nation Of which they
nro . part II during that week they have
mixed patriotism with their labor and
( 6fiven a few extra rivets for the sake OF
Ola Glory.
We hear lot about inefficiency in high
p)aces and there have been blunders and
>fill be more, but there is big question
# ~ syery individual to ask himself. Am
1rfng my share? The answer is not what
ou are getting paid. but the amount OF
~ and enthusiasm you. are putting into
~ 5ob and your k-a-ive.ness
y - not believe much in slogans OF
snlas. but very good motto for ever,
- y carry in his head right now is
eut The lacladaisical attitude.
r1TY's TASK Is A RUSH JOB