The sun., 1919-09-01
j. s. MAKES MEN
SIDE PARTNERS
Innovation in Arsenal Has AL
ready Reduced Overhead
Costs.
HELP FIGURE CONTRACTS
Are Given Voice in Fixing
Wages and the Appoint
ment of Their Bosses.
HELP FIGURE CONTRACTS

WASHINGTON, Aug. 31.-Actual con-
troll of the production activities or
Rock Island arsenal harness shops
including appointment Of foremen and
the determination of prices to be PAID
workmen, has been turned over to
committees of the employees. TINS
became known to-day when Secretary
Baker made. public correspondence be-
tween the War Department and rep
resentatives. of the employees Mat
ters of administration are left with
the regular management, but even
bids submitted on contracts are infu-
enced by the committees.
In carrying out the new plan, which
is characterized in the correspondence
as "the first recognition Of the prin-
ciple of democracy as applied to the
manufacturing industry" an arsenal
orders branch has been established in
the Ordnance Department here to OBJ
tain orders from other governmental
agencies. An advisory committee of
employees representatives is included
in this branch who actively assist in
figuring cost when bidding for work"
Official reports 10 Secretary Baker as
sert that the result has been not only
greatly increased efficiency and content
ment among the men. but radical re-
duction in manufacturing costs. Two
examples cited are orders for mail locks,
formerly costing s45 thousand, but
produced at Rock Island for $SS, and
an order for azimuth optics at prices
reduced from s55 each to s2o.74.
1t was learned tonight that the sys-
tenn soon would be extended to other
departments OF the Rock Island arsenal
and IL found successful would be placed
in operation in all United States ar
senals.
DEVELOPMENT of the itew system, the
announcement to-day said, grew out OF
the situation Immediately following the
signing of the armistice when 1t be-
came apparent that the operating force
would be reduced for lack of work. but
the necessity for a change had been
foreseen even before the war. "A con
dition of antagonism and distrust" had
grown UP prior to the war between the
manaRement and the workmen,. accord
ing to a memorandum submitted by the
| en,pIoyees' committees, as result oi
the introduction of 'so-called scientihC
management methods" and the mer
| '.nnally found their only recourse was to
place' a deliberate limit on production"
ON the, outbreak OF war, however. II
was said. the men voluntarily removed
these limits. Insisting only that piece
work. prices should not be reduced with
o,,ty their consent. Instances are cited
| of the men recommending reduction In
| niece work so the arsenal could secure
additional orders and OF voluntarily
agreeing to work during lunch hours In
order that an order (which had been
figured very closely" might be flled.
In a letter TO Secretary Baker r, l.
Corniek and James J., McCcrt en-
ployees' representatives of the arsenal
orders branch, summarize the result as
| follows:
| Ordinarily the employees no Longer
| feel like mere employees, simply bent OF
holding down a job for no other pur
nose than the earning of wages, the onl!
crude means available TO them for Sc
| curing the necessaries and perhaps 1
! little OF the better things of life. The,
are beginning to see that they are OF
their way toward becoming partners II
a large enterprise that Is manufacturing
useful things for their Government"