New-York tribune., 1919-09-01
Committee System Intro
duced i'm Harness De.
partnent at Rock ISL
and, Baker Announces
Costs Reduced,
Says Secretary
Plan TO Be Extended and
if 1t Succeeds Will Be
Used i'm All Arsenals

WASHINGTON. Aug. 81. - Actual
control of the production activities of
Rock Island Arsenal harness shops. in
cludlng appointment of foremen and
the determination of prices to be paid
workmen, has been turned over to COM
wlttees of the employees.
This became known to- day when Sec
retary Baker made public correspond
ence between the War Department and
representatives of the employees. Mat
ters OF administration are left with the
regular management, but even bids
submitted on contracts are Influenced
by the committees.
In carrying out the how plan. which
is characterized in the correspondence
as the first recognition of the prin-
clp'e of democracy as applied to the
manufacturing industry" an arsenal
orders branch has been established in
the ordnance department here to OBJ
tam orders from other governmental
agencies, an advisory committee of en-
ployes' representatives is included in
this branch who "actively assist in
figuring cost when bidding for work"
Efficiency Is Increased
Official reports to Secretary Baker
assert that the result has been not
only greatly increased efficiency and
contentment among the men, but a
radical reduction in manufacturing
costs. Two examples cited are orders
Tor mail locks, formerly costing $45
per thousand, but produced at Rock
island for $3S, and an order for
azlmuth optics at prices reduced from
$55 each to $20.-4.
1t was learned tonight that the sys-
tenn soon would be extended to other
departments of the Rock island Ar
be placed in operation in all United
States arsenals.
Development Of the new system. the
announcement to-day said, grew out of
the situation Immediately following the
signing Of the armistice when it be-
came apparent that the operating force
would be reduced for lack Of work, but
the necessity for change had been
toresecn even before the war "a con-
dltlon OF antagonism and d:strust" had
grown up prior to the war between
cordlng to a memorandum submitted
by the employees committees. as a re-
suit OF the attempted introduction of
so-called scientific management
methods and the men "iinally found
their only resource was to place a
deliberate limit on production"
On the outbreak of war, however, it
was said, the men voluntarily removed
these limits, insisting only that piece
work prices should not be reduced
without their consent Instances are
cited Of the men recommending reduc-
tlon In piecework prices in order that
the arsenal could secure additional or
ders and of voluntarily agreeing to
work during lunch hours in order that
an order (Which had been figured very
closely" might be filled.
Results Told in Letter
In letter to Secretary Baker r.
l.. Cornick and James l.. McCort. en-
ployes' representatives of the arsenal
orders branch, summarized the result
as follows:
Primarily the employees no longer
feel like more employees simply bent
on holding down a job, quite apart
from their conception of life, for no
wages, the only crude means available
to them for securing the necessaries
and perhaps a little of the better
things of life. They are beginning
to see that they are on their way tow
ard becoming partners in large
enterprise that is manufacturing use
full things for their government
ut is our conviction, more now than
ever before, that before long the OPP
portunity will be ripe for us to secure
outside talent in the form of competent
management engineers and production
experts to advise us as workers what
we can do to help improve things.
what the management can do, and
finally what we and the management
can do jointly"