El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1919-04-22
BONUS AND PROFIT SHARING MAY
MEAN END OF INDUSTRIAL FRICTION.

nPoFIT sharing and the bonus are the best means yet
I discovered to bridge the differences between capital and
labor and the growing tendency throughout the country to
use enc plan or the other affords hopeful augury Of the
day when strikes and lockouts VIII be no more and when
bolshevism viii be a forgotten word.
The big steel firms Of Pittsburg have practically elimi-
rated friction between the companies and their employees by
bonuses and affordiag opportunities for purchases OF stock.
some Of the packers have done the same thing. Henry
Ford, with his high wage scale, and aid IN home building,
has earned and kept the good VIII Of his employees and
many Of them are understood to own small blocks Of COM
PaHy stock
The Copper Queen Mining company. Of Bisbee. ARR,
after the well remembered break Of l. v. Wism in that
great copper producing locality, has found a means OF
holding the best If It's employees and getting them TO put
the utmost interest In their work. The Copper Queen
pays an annual bonus, graduated to correspond with the
length Of service the employee has put in If he has been
quite a respectable amount. The annual payment was
made a few days ago. The 2f2o employees of the company
received s225,730, an average Of Sf69 per man. The pay
ment not only makes the miner think better Of his en-
ployment al the time he is in the companys employ, but
It makes him hesitate longer before leaving
The same company, with others in the Warren district,
has a fund to aid employees in building homes, as most
readers Of the southwest are perhaps vel aware. It af-
fords working men opportunity to secure homes for them
selves and families or terms easier than building and loan
associations are able to give. 1t is another way the com
rauies have Of showing q practical interest IN the welfare
Of their workers and Of helping them along 10 prosperity
The 1900 WiIlys-Overland employees have Just re-
ceiFed checks for $4,000 as the companys first payment
under its profit sharing plan, limited TO employees who
have been six months OF more IN continuous service The
Copper Queen plan is also based on six months continuous
service. The $4,000 represents g per cent Of the wages
paid during the first quarter Of the year. There are to
be five profit sharing distributions duung the year. The
last Is to include any excuses LETT over from the previous
profit sharing period sad the difference between book and
inventories and other adjustments. The firm viii also in
clude a reward for length Of service.
There are several FL Paso firms that also provide for
profit sharing N some form, or for the payment Of bonuses.
There IS a growing feeling here and elsewhere throughout
the country that success in eliminating the causes Of dis
satisfaction between employer and employe is mainly to
be achieved by the sort of h~elpfulness above mentioned, as
BY these means there Is an amalgamation Of interest and
the workman has the same desire for the welfare Of the
concern as his employer.
Canadian firms as well as those II this country are
taking hold Of the idea and IN Toronto a large mercantile
company has formulated a plan which IS arousing consd-|
cradle comment and approval
All employees who have been IN the compaHys service
not less than a year have an opportunity Of sharing IN the
profits. Those desiring to do so must deposit with the
company 5 per cent Of their wages, the total deposit not
70 exceed 500. The limit is thus fixed in order that the
higher SHARED employees may not profit disproportion-
sicily To these savings the company adds annually 5 per
cent Of its net earnings and the sum, thus augmented from
year to year. Is invested IN the company for the employees
benefit.
This makes the empl0ye take a greater interest in the
fms welfare, for his efficiency and contributes to that
OF his firm and greater efficiency Of the firm means more
earnings and consequently a larger share for him He is
also given an incentive 70 improve his work day by day, for
That means wage or salary increase with a coUespond1ngy
larger investment with the firm, up to the limit.
Provision IS made for anyone wishing to withdraw after
ten years that he shall receive al interest and profits. IF
AZ employee wishes to withdraw IN less than ten years he is
paid back merely what he has paid IN, plus interest at 5
pei cent In the case Of a woman employe leaving to be
married, all interest and profits for the period Of her par
t~icipaton N the plan are paid In case Of death, the heirs
are entitled to share IN the profits the same as though the
employee had served the full ten years.
If there is a weakness in this plan, It Is the lack Of a
safeguard 70 protect the empioye against loss of his invest
ment in case Of the firms failure. Either there should be