The Farmington times. (Farmington, St. Francois County, Mo.) 1905-1926, 1919-07-04
CERTAIN PRINCIPLES OF
INDUSTRIAL MANAGEMENT

Everyone is agreed that among the
tremendous results of the war will be
a far-reaching change in the relations
between capital and labor. Not the
least of the underlying causes of the
war was the economic cause; not the
least of the results will be the econom-
ic result.
Lenine and his dupes in Russia and
elsewhere have their answer to the
question, What are to be the future
economic arrangements Of the world !?
1t is revolution, bloodshed, the tyran-
ny of the manual worker. Great
Britain, through its conference of en-
ployers and employed, has another
answer, less confident, less dogmatic,
but hopeful; it is the cooperation of
capital and labor in joint representa-
tive body-the English parliamentary
system applied to the government of
industry. In the United States we are
still vague in our replies; we have not
been brought face to face with the
problem as they have in Europe; we
can still talk in generalities.
Generalities are the entire substance
of an interesting Statement Of prin-
ciples" recently prepared by a COM
mittee of the Chamber of Commerce of
the United States; but the statement
is important, because it does express
the spirit in which the leading en-
ployers of the country are approach
ing the settlement of the industrial
problem, and the spirit is hopeful and,
nc t.nI x.,sfh that sc g.,
years ago, liberal.
Among the principles are these:
Industrial enterprise should be so
conducted as to give due considera-
ton to the situation of all persons de-
pendent on it. Regularity and contin-
uity Of employment should be sought
to the fullest extent. The right of
workers to organize is clearly recog-
nized. Industrial harmony will be
most fully promoted by adequate rep
resentation of the parties in interest.
Industrial agreements should be
scrupulously observed, and should al
ways contain provision for prompt and
final Interpretation. Wages should be
adjusted with due regard to the pur-
chasing power of the wage and the
right of every man to fair oppor-
tunity to earn a living, to reasonable,
honest working conditions, to a de-
cent home and proper social condi-
tions. Arbitrary restriction on out
put below reasonable standard is
harmful to everyone. Efficiency and
industry should be rewarded; indo-
lence and Indifference condemned.
Wages should not be reduced until ev-
cry other possible reduction in cost
has been put into effect. Administra-
ton of employment and management
of labor is to be recognized as a dis
tinct and important function of man
agement. A system of national en-
ployment offices is a most helpful
agency, if administered impartially
under civil-service rules and in con-
junction with advisory boards, con-
sisting of both employers and en-
ployed.
That is a fair platform, to which
no one can reasonably take exception.
1t is when the precise conditions un-
der which labor and capital are to
work together come to be laid down
that real discussion will begin. Those
conditions must be worked out within
the next few years. The industrial
and social future of the country de-
ponds on the spirit with which the
parties interested undertake the task.