Iron County news. [volume] (Hurley, Wis.) 1913-1950, 1920-03-13
Shall Chaos or Reconstruction in
Europe Follow the Great
World War?
PRIMARY CAUSE OF UNREST
With the Passing of "Small Business"
Went the Feeling Of Community
Interest. Which Meant
So Much.
Article VIII.
BY FRANK coMERFoRD.

Not many years ago something hap
pened which changed the relations be-
tween employer and employee That
happening has had a 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 aud The
workers stopped. With lis passing I'M
rest grew with great vigor. 1t was a
new kind n unrest too II was n 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 bust
ness Was owned and run boy man. or
IA 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. eilher-he was The real
boSs-the owner. The Sign under
which the business was run bore his
name. Il Identified him with the hus-
uess. The Boss had his home in TIE
city IN which the plant was located.
His children went to the public school,
frequently to the same school 10 which
The oh .ldren of his Horkmeu went. If
he was church-g0ing man-aud gen.
orally he was--Ee and his family went
io religious services on Sunday To the
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 SAN linn. tie knew many of them.
and recognized them with "a nod ar
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 a grievance.
or thought they had they took il di-
rectly 10 the Boss. He talked il over
with them lie was reasonable and
fair. If The complaint was wei found
ed it was given consideration. rem
ady was found The working man was
satisfied lie had had his say, lie
was treated rs a human beng by a
human being He felt he was part of
the huSineSs-s0 did the Boss.
Regulated by Public Opinion.
In the day OF small business. the
owner Of a factory or plant who paid
his men an 0uliyng wage was Il
marked man - the community. Pub
tic opinion ChastiSed him for his self
ishness and inhuman.ty. The people
said he was a sweater. slave driver.
and held him in contempt. They CON
trasted his good clothes the style of
his family and his fine mansion. with
the rags his working men wore, the
novels in which they lived. He was
pointed out, hated. deSpised. The
thought Of the community was that il
would he better for him and his to
give up some of their excess luxury
and give The men living wages The
disgrace fell not only upon his head.
but it followed his wife and children.
When they went 70 church they were
looked upon "a hypoCrites. for all the
people knew that every day in the
week he was insulting the Christ he
pretended to worship on the Sabbath
Few men are SO thick skinned as hot
10 feel the lash Of public opinion. It
isn't easy to bear the hate Of ones
ueighbors. II is natural for men to
want the good opinion of their fellows.
In the day of small business public
opinion held a lash over tie inhuiDan
and greedy, kept hirers Of men human.
but In the progress Of the world the
small employer was doomed 10 60.
The partnership passed off the stage.
and with il The personal touch between
emT oyer and employees. The corpo-
ration. q souileSs body. was born Of
the law. 1t absorbed small plants and
small businesses. IL collected under
single roof thousands Of men. The
corporation, the combination. the trust.
had come. This new order of doing
business Oh a large scale was eficient
economical. 1t eliminated waste and
duplication. Il was a great. smooth
running machine. It represented prog
reSs In doing the worlds work.
The corporation name did not dis
close the owner Of Big Business. II
was an impersonal. inhuman thing.
Frequently TIE stockholders did not
live in the cities Where the plants we're
located. The real owners were un-
known to employees and public. Many
Of the large shareholders had never
seen the pant The men who worked
in the plants had never seen the men
for whom they worked. The man actu-
ally running the business was ouly an
employee. lie was paid a large salary
and It was made plain TO him when he
was hired that his salary and bis job
depended OF his ability 70 make profits
The corporation wos organized. for lail-
Bor,c ~ r;afTo~e fTEa rfvo ma e,s.- t,-.,,- ,--