The sun., 1919-09-07
HOUSE REPRESENTATIVES, IN SEsslCN NJ
Experience Shows Higher Pay, Shorter Hours Greater
Production and Reduced Labor Turnover With En-
tire Avoidance of Dangerous Speeding Up

VI. Misunderstanding eliminated:
VII. The taking of responsibility
by each man.
VIII. Many workmen made real in
ventors.
TX. A spirit of genuine comrade-
ship instilled into the entire
organization.
K. A new kind of democracy es-
tablished.
B. C. Forbes in his magazine thus
describes at length the system of in
dustrial democracy as applied to a
large metal works at Passaic, N. J.
The workers of this plant stood solid
through the recent strikes, for their
harmony was preserved by the Leitch
plan which was put in operation an
soon as the officers of the company
grew disturbed about the unrest Of
labor. He reports attending several
Of the meetings of the House of Repre-
sentatives which were organized by
the workmen of the Passaic factory.
He also listened to an address before
the metalware Senate. go
A large textile mill in Connections
is given as another example of the
| Leitch plan. The newspapers Of that
| city had been running numerous ac-
counts of the working out of the sys-
tenn, including a story of the farewell
ceremonies when the ''looms congress-
presented to Mr.. Leitch a gold pen
as a token OF its regard. .s4
In that hotbed Of radicalism, Pater,
son, N. J., one Of the mills employ
ing $50 men is reported by the Press-
Guardian as having successfully in
augurated the plan.
DR.. Charles A. Eaton, who has given
the man to man plan some study,
highly commends It as one of the
means of bringing labor and capital
| together.
This variety of management shar-
ing as an Santidote to Bolshevism Is
| also commended in a current number
Of the Efficiency Md0dzine
Interesting Testimonial.
An interesting testimonial to the
efficacy of the plan is printed in
| the house organ Mascot Concentrates.
which is printed by a zinc company in
Tennessee. The Senate Of the works
which was formerly designated as the
Boneaeads and the House of Repre-
sentatives, White, and the House of
Representatives, Colored, seemed to
be getting along famously
| I'VE really do not know where we
are going to get a cabinett' said
the manager of the company's mines
In recent address to the workmen.
but we already have a Senate.
Every Thursday afternoon for the past
five years the department heads have
met in my office and discussed all
the various matters in connection
with the work here. l want to tell
you that these meetings have made the
management of this plant very much
easier. 1t has not only been a good
thing for the company, but a good
thing for every one here. because no
arbitrary orders have been issued, and
nothing has ever been decided with
respect to the work before being sub
mitted to the various department
heads"
Referring to the rank and file the
manager said that the House OF
Representatives might do a good deal
concerning the conditions of work and
living.
You people," he continued, "have a
lot OF ideas on your work, wages, liv-
ing conditions and everything else
Through your House OF Representa-
tves you have an opportunity to ex-
press your ideas and to have for them
a careful consideration"
Mr.. Leitch in the conclusion Of his
book says that his plan depends upon
the elimination OF tho close super
vision of the employees by abolishins
working for" and putting in it's placs
working with" This he believes
frees the minds OF executives from
routine and gives them better op-
portunity for self-expresslon. II de-
velops both rivarly and enthusiasm.
He insists also that all proceedings
OF senates and lower houses be held
IN the English language so that MS
Industrial democracy may constitute
not only an Industrial union, but an
Americanizing force.
Although there is still much in his
plan which seems utopian and some
of its application may appear at first
blush to the arbitrary, there is nc
doubt that in some localities and under
peculiar conditions IL has met success
and that there is much in II worthy
OF the attention of economists and OF
all employers OF labor.