The Washington herald., 1920-03-28
Self Government E experiment.
Modelled on Federal Congress
Tried By Industrial Concern
tBy . star Csrresperdeat,

(By q Sta6 Corresp0pdenO x :
Akron. Ohio. March 2s--Some 500
Industrial establishments In the
United States have discovered dur
ing the last few years that slime IL
out OF joint" but few have had the
courage to put the inger on the sore
spots as has Paul W.. Bitchfieid.
whose literary achievements were
dwelt ON in a preceding Article. AS
the benevolent autocrat Of the Good
year Rubber Company he put his
ideas into practice, and the plan set
in motion almost year ago Is now
being tried out.
The 500 industries referred 20,
have in one way or another, changed
from the single TO the double sys-
tenn of management. or I'm other
words, have installed shop commit
tees or councils. Included among
these is the Goodyear Company but
because 1t is different from the rest,
just as Litchields theories are diff
ferent. II gets added space in The
Washington Herald.
Plan Il simple.
There is nothing intricate aboul
the workings Of the plan although
they are unique, being based on the
practice observed In the Federal
Congress. as already pointed out.
There Is a House of Representatives
OF forty members and Senate Of
twenty. The members of both are
elected by the Goodyear "industri-
ans" who must be over Is years OF
age, American citizens, understand
the English language and have been
in continuous service of the COM
pany for six months prior to the
election. The procedure in the leg
islative chambers follow closely
that at Washington, each having its
speaker and parliamentary rules.
Before this assembly Is brought
up every question which may arise
in the factory. IL is true that the
directors of the company reserve to
themselves a final veto, which has
not been exercised, but this Is made
necessary on account of the laws of
the State, which compels corpora
tions to vest the powers in the
hands of the directors. A direct
veto may be exercised by the fac
tory manager, in this case Mr.. Litch-
field. but then the bill goes back to
the House and Senate. and IL passed
by a two-thirds majority IL becomes
fhA r..lA ~ h.
as noted. the directors should re-
ject the plan.
Conferences 10 BE Called.
So there shall be no camoufiage,
special attention is called TO lne
'nigger in the woodpile" (the quo
tation being literaD about the di-
rectors' power.
In matters OF joint interest to men
and management joint conferences
may be called where representatives
of the men meet an equal number
of representatives of the manage
ment.
1t would require columns Of space
to go into details on either the
methods of election or the actual
mechanical workings of the plan.
The cardinal principles involved in
the formation of the assembly is
stated to be as follows: ~.
l. 1t establishes the joint confer
ence which is considered to be de-
Isirable.
2. 1t eliminates arbitration and
puts decisions in the hands OF the
men.
3. 1t is felt that more actual pow
er has been given to the people of
the plant than in any other industry.
4. 1t is felt that in order to take
a true step towards industrial rep
resentation ~ is necessary to give
the working people more real au-
thority and more real power which
will be lasting and more effective
than the purely representative plans
which are based upon cooperation
and good will.
The distinction is drawn between