The Cordova daily times., 1920-09-16
EMPL0YE;S( OF
 NEW YORK FIRM
 RUN BUSINESS


 ed Press) The Republican form of government for employees, introduced in certain industrial plants throughout the country, has been adopted by a large New York department store.
 Employes of this store, numbering 1,700, have voice in virtually all mat ters affecting their relations with the management, through elective bodies managed after the bicamoral system of representation prevailing in the gov ernment of the United States.
 The employees elect members of the house of representatives and senate directly, while the executive depart ment, consisting of a cabinet of five, is named by the corporation officials. The judiciary functions are carried out by a joint justice committee from the legislative bodies. All branches of CTS from a constitution somewhat sim liar to the constitution of the nation.
 The fixing wage scales and working conditions are included in the broad powers of the house and senate, while the justice committee may bring about the expulsion of an emplOye from the concern, or if they find worker has been unjustly discharged, they can have him reinstated. The acts of the legislature may be vetoed by the cab met but this has not been necessary as yet, it was said by officials of the concern.
 improvement of the service ren. dered by the store to it's customers is the aim of the legislation enacted by the workers, but the bettering of the morale of the force of employees also brings many bills to the floor of the house and senate, which convene one day each week.
 Recently bill providing for the in stallation of a motion picture ma
 
 building was passed and the manage ment is to spend $5,000 a year in carrying out it's provisions. Another act provided for the location and in stallation of new individual lockers in the basement where employees might hang their coats and hats.
 Passing much of the responsibility for the conduct of the institution on to the shoulders of the employees has brought about many Improvements, most of them originating i'll sugges- tions which are made to the sugges- ate at the rate of more that 50 a week. Employes are paid cash prizes for all suggestions put into use and no sug- gestion is rejected until an investiga- tion has been made by the committee.
 An increase in the earning power of each employe is one of the purposes of the new store government and economy dividends are paid on the saw ing in the percentage of operating ex- pense. A merit system has been inau- gurated by the workers, grades for each emplOye being made out monthly on a basis of their ability, experience and cooperative work. An average grade is reached by balancing those turned in for all workers by their direct superiors-floor managers, buy CTS, assistant buyers and department heads. Salaries go up along with the ratings and promotions also are based on them.
 The house of representatives mem bership is elected directly by all of the workers except department heads and their assistants. These two groups elect the senators of whom there are "A compared with 16 representatives Half the membership of each body changes semi-annually, the electors holding office one year. The five standing committees from each body include those on justice, cooperation, economy and service.
 As soon as the industrial democracy plan has gone beyond it's infancy, it's hope to take the public in to the organization in some way. All ready observance of the wishes of customers by employees has resulted in bills directed toward making shopping more pleasant and suggestions for other changes are expected to come from outside the store after the gov ernment grows beyond the embryonic stage.
 If you believe everything you hear you'll soon hear more than anybody could believe.