Indiana daily times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1914-1922, 1920-01-13
INDUSTRY PUTS
IT'S FULL @. K.
ON PROHIBITION
Records Compiled by Head of
Plants Show Big Gain in
Efficiency.
BIG BOON TO DRY LAW

NEW YORK. Jan. 13.-Prohibition's
bsneAcia1 effect on industrial conditions
is apparent to any one who wishes to see
it. Factories report immediate improve
ment of conditions harmful to produc-
ton, due to dad Mondays" and en-
p1oyes generally are said to be laying
aside more money than they could while
their resources were being Slapped by
alcohol.
In Binghamton, n. T., three of the
largest factories report improvement as
TO time put in by the men and more ef
fcient work done. These factories did
not have many hard drinkers, hence they
show less change, but one employe who
was in the habit of drinking heavily on
Sunday is now saving So week by his
abstinence, and has bought several LIB
erty bonds. Another company employ
ing 1900 men reports that its bad Mon
days" are at an end, and there is pro
nounced increase in the efficiency of the
men, and that nine-tenths of the extreme
poverty of the employees has disappeared.
The managers hold that prohibition is
marked factor in the change and, in fact,
declare that it has been a blessing to the
factory.
GREATER EFFICIENCY
Is REPORTED.
A. factory with more than 100 employees,
in Batavia, N. Y, reports improvements
in efficiency and time put in by the en-
ployes, with q marked advance in money
savings by men. company with 1900
employees reports more time put in by
the men, elimination Of "bad Mondays"
and a great increase in savings. Many
men who thought they must have beer
say they are better OFF without 1t, and
there is a strong drift toward prohibition
in the factory labor ranks.
In Cortland, n. Y, one company Ie-
ports that conditions are somewhat bet
ter, another that they are very much
better as to efficiency and time, and that
perhaps half the men voted dry when
they last had an opportunity to do so.
motor truck company reports its men
alert on Monday morning and similar
improvement is noted by a factory with
1900 men. This latter factory says that
many former drinking men have
Strengthened up and are now carrying
rolls Of bills when formerly they never
had a dollar ahead. In Fulton, N. Y,
the "No beer, no work. slogan was soon
made to read "No beer, more work"
Fulton is a city Of 1000 inhabitants and
its big paper and wooden mills supply
q large percentage Of the workers with
a means Of livelihood. improvements
here under prohibition include increased
output, better clothes. better homes,
more Individual savings banks accounts.
It used to cost $4,000 a month to keep
the drinkers supplied with liquor, and
this is now being spent on the workers
themselves and their families, It's diver
sion into trade channels improving the
general status of the community.
INCREASE IN
PRODUCTION NOTED.
The largest factory, with $4,000 men,
shows 30 per cent increase in proosc-
ton and 80 per cent increase in eff
cheney. Lapses IN production following
pay day have almost ceased, the men
and their families show an improved
appearance, and the wives and children
are better clad than ever before.
Another mill reports increased thrift,
more general ownership Of homes by
the workrnen themselves, and better con-
dihons the day after pay day. The
manager says that before prohibition
came he frequently had to wait up until
midnight, after the saloons had closed,
to prevent the men from bringing liquor
INTO the mill NOW only TWO men were
drinking heavily.
A knife concern employing 100 men
reports that a loss Of 10 per cent Of
all profits on account of drink among
the employees has been eliminated and
that men holding responsible positions
are not losing time now. About one
half of the men apparently voted wet
under local option, but the head of this
concern believes that most of them would
vote dry If they ever had another chance.
Another factory employing 1900 men re-
ports that the steady daily drinking
among the men has stopped and that
conditions are better in every respect.