Free trader-journal. (Ottawa, Ill.) 1916-1920, 1919-08-15
COSTS.

UG IIldStCI Va sAf"
have a constructive organization iron
which other industries and trades can
well take the idea.
Instead of being an organization t
control prices and fight labor unions
ii, is one to educate each other u
costs. eiH1@
Sup until about eight years ago tht
printing industry as a whole was no.
profitable, and In spite OF the fac'
that it is the third industry in indus
trial Importance in the United States
providing paper and pulp is taken inc
Observation-Disclosures than the steel
and lumber industries, and banking
and brokerage. /, .q- taa ,ttcgD
There was a great deal OF praticai
competition in the industry; some
customers paid too much. others not
enough. One department In plant
would make money and another lose 1t
The worst evil of the industry was
the fact that nothing was charged off
for depreciation of machinery. Very
often what the owners thought to be
profit was in, reality their original in
vestment pulled out of the plant each
year in installments, and at the end
of ten years they had-a junk heap for
their original iI1xstment.
The printer who did know his costs
was in competition with the one who
did not know his costs.
Various attempts were made in the
past to form organizations among
master printers to control prices, and
which also served for warfare on
labor unions and in an attempt to
take their business shortcomings out
on the hide of the&rl labor, but none Of
these organizations stood.
The present antvfuhressiul organize
ton among the master printers is
known in some cities as the Ben
Franklin Club and in others as the
United Typothetae Of America, but
the purpose and form of these are
alike and they are NATIONALLY allied.
They are Of the same form as a
social club, save that the principal
committee instead of being the house
committee Is the cost committee
This Is empowered to go anywhere,
employ experts. hold national confer
ences with the cost committees OF
other clubs on the subject of costs and
economical methods of operation b1
AS result, standard cost systems
have been worked out that will apply
to any sized plant. These are distrt-
uted to the members, Dfnl
But nothing Is said In these about
what price "a member shall charge his
customer sttH
Any printer of good personal char
acter can become a member, no mat
ter how small his output, even the
small outskirt printer with only one
Gordon press is admitted, and the
dues are In proportion to the size of
a plant. Small town printers are ad.
mitted to the local organizations OF
the nearest large city.
The really constructive idea in this
printers trade organization. and |
which has been found 10 be success.
tnl, is that II a printer knows his cost
he will not sell his product for less
than it costs, and thereby he does not
become unfair competition with his
neigrhbor.
and therefore, nothing is said or
done in the matter of selling price.
The printers through successful
knowledge of costs seem to have
easily and quietly solved their prob.
lens, which have only been less eco.
nomically solved in other industries
by the consolidation in the form OF 80.
called trusts.
Printing plants are still under indi.
vidual ownership, and at this time
there are no signs of spirit OF con.
solidation.
VAaAnsh1n Anaas1Aan RIAu