Polk County news. [volume] (Benton, Tenn.) 191?-1983, 1920-03-04
Shall Chaos or Reconstruction in
Europe Follow the Great
World War;
PRIMARY CAUSE OF UNREST
With the Passing Of "SmaIl Business"
Went the Feeling Of Community
Interest, Which Meant
So Much.
Article VIII.
BY FRANK coMEREoRp.

BY FRANK coMERFoRD.
Not many years ago something hap
| pened which changed the relations be
tween employer and employee. That
happening has had marked effect
upon Industrial discomfort Something
was lost out of the relation between
the owner and the men who worked
for him. The human element, the per
sOnal touch, between the boss and the
workers stopped. With its passing un-
rest grew with great vigor. 1t was a
new kind Of unrest, too. 1t was last
ing, determined, resolute discomfort.
This came to pass in the day that
small business entered the twilight.
In the day of the small plant, busl-
ness was owned and run by man, or
a number of men, doing business as a
partnership. These men lived in the
community in which their men lived.
They worked with their men. In the
front Of the plant was the office of the
Boss. He WAS on the job. He wasn't
hired boss. either--he was the real
boss the owner rhe sign under
which the business was run bore his
name. 1t identified him with the bllslr
ness The Boss had llis home ill fise
clty ID which the plant VAS located
His q .lfBn went tQ the pNblie school.
frequHNRlv III Hill snine s0ls6as N NlalRh
The dfEb ss'kNis:l Ris
he was q churchsgoing nian-~slnd gen
orally he was-he and. his family vent
tykreiigious services on Sunday tosthe
same church that many of his men and
their families attended. The men who
worked for him knew him. at least to
the extent Of recognizing him when
they saw him. He knew many of them,
and recognized them with a nod or
Good morning" when he saw them
on the street. Few people realized
how much this meant to harmonious
relations In the Industrial world.
When working men had grievance,
or thought they had, they took 1t di-
rectly to the Boss. He talked 1t over
with them. He was reasonable and |
fair. II the complaint was well found
ed 1t was given consideration, rem
edy was found The working man was
satisfied. He had had his say. He
was treated as a human being by
human being. He felt he was part of
the businCSs--so did the Boss.
Regulated by Public Opinion.
In the day of small business, the
owner of factory or plant who PAID
his men an unliving wage was a
marked man in the community. Pub
lie opinion chastised him for his self
shness and inhumanity. The people
said he was a sweater, slave driver,
and held him In contempt. They con-
.rasted his good clothes, the style of
1is family and his fine mansion, with
he rags his working men wore, the
novels In which they lived. He was
pointed out, hated desplsed. The
hought of the community was that 1t
would be better for him and his to
ive up some of their excess luxury
isgrace fell not only upon his head,
ut IL followed his wife and children.
When they went to church they were
Doked upon as hypocrites, for all the
eople knew that every day in the
yeek he was insulting the Christ he
retended to worship on the Sabbath.
'ew men are so thick-skinned as not
, feel the lash of public opinion. 1t
mt easy to bear the hate of ones
eighhors. IT is natural for men to
ant the good opinion of their fellows.
l the day OF small business, public
Dinion held lash over the inhuman
nd greedy, kept hrers of men human,
ut In the progress of the world the
nall employer was doomed to go.
The partnership passed off the stage,
nd with 1t the personal touch between
nployer and employees The corpo-
Ition, soulless body, was born of
Ie law. 1t absorbed small plants and
nall businesses. 1t collected under
single roof thousands of men. The
'rporation. the combination, the trust,
Id come. This new order of doing ;,
ialness on n large scale was efficient 4
economical. II eliminated waste and
lplication. II was great, smooth p
inning machine. II represented prog Y
W. In doing the worlds work.
The corporation name did not dis !,
ose the owner OF Big Business. Il L
Is an impersonal. inhuman thing. Il
the stockholders did not a,
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