New-York tribune., 1919-09-04
The Mesn0rundun,

The memorandum submitted to the Sec
rotary OF War, with the letter addressed to
him by the employees representatives, fol-
lows:
Before the war the harness shop of
Rock Island Arsenal was in very de-
rlorablc condition from the point of view
OF production and efficient operation. A
condition of antagonism and distrust be-
tween the management and the employees
had grown up because of many familiar
reasons, principal among which were the
attempted introduction of so-called scien-
tlHc management methods and the break
ing of promises made to the men that
any increase in production brought about
BY their ingenousness, resourcefulness
and ability would not be used against
them for the purpose of reducing the in
crease in wages which they secured there
by. AS result of this the men found
that their only recourse was to place a
deliberate limit on production; thus the
aforementioned resourcefulncss, ingen-
iousncss and ability of the mcn instead of
telng directed into constructive channels
for the purpose of improving production
end methods of manufacture, were di-
verted into methods for limiting produc-
ton. Their experience had taught them
that when their inventive ability was used
constructivcly it worked against them be-
cause it reduced either their earnings or
resulted sooner or later in DISCHARGES or
lay-o Of their members. The normal
progress in the purpose for which the
shop existed was consistently retarded or
limited
When the United States entered the war
and 1t became very apparent that maxi
mum production was Of the greatest i'm
portanee the men in the leather shop
voluntarily agreed to take OF the limits
which they had placed on productivity.
providing, however, that piece work prices
were not reduced without their consent.
Ihey felt constrained to insist upon this
feature since not only had their past ex-
rc1lence taught them that they stood a
serious chance of having their earnings
cut, bat also that they might have to put
up with such subterfuges as changes in
operation for the purpose of providing
arguments to the management to back up
, their lnsistence on reducing prices. Thus
If came to pass that on 2 very vital matter.
namely, the establishment of piece work
prices, the men were given the basic
privilege of participating in the process
whereby these prices were determined.
This in reality was the first recognition
o. the principle of democracy as applied
to the manufacturing industry conducted
by the Rock Island Arsenal, a government
owned and controlled institution.
The next thing which developed con-
cerned itself with the policy which the
new officer who was placed in CHARGE of
the harness shop employed with regard to
the particular production and labor prob
lens existing. This officer came from a
firm which had a very bad reputation with
labor, and consequently was Immediately
regarded by the employees with extreme
Suspicion. The men, however, with clear
cut frankness, went to him and ad
vised that they were willing to cooperate
to their fullest capacity, provided they
found him square and provided he would
not hold it against them that thew were
members of legitimate labor organiza-
ton. 1t remains to the credit of this
officer that he accepted the situation on
this basis, apparently realizing what it
meant from the point of view of produc-
tlon He was ready to agree to anything
which in his estimation would bring about