Evening star., 1920-06-27
WORKS ORGANIZATION
AT ARSENAL A SUCCESS
System for Settlement of In
dustrial Disputes, Adopted at Rock
Island Year Ago, Proves Value.
by G. GOULD LINCOLN.

ganiZation' that has been
tried out in any industrial
-plant in this country. in all
probability, was established nearly
year ago at the Rock Island arsenal,
Rock Island i'll. Certainly it is
the most complete shop organization
that has ever been attempted in any
OF the governments plants. That il
has been a success is the testimony
of men who have watched its oper-
alton. Hundreds of questions that
have arisen for settlement. big and
little. have been satisfactorily ad-
justed between the management and
the workers through the mechanism
of this organization
And now the question naturally
arises. with the evident success of
the plan at Rock Island. whether sim
liar organizations are to be attempted
at other government plants, for in
stance, the Washington navy yard.
After the works organization had
been in operation at the Rock Island
arsenal a sort time the cry arose
arsenal" that a crash was due. and
that the government could not hope to
carry on successfully from the gov.
ernmental standpoint under such con-
ditions. But these criticisms sub
sided as time went on.
Secretary Baker of the War Depart
ment has himself personally inspected
|
tion at Rock Island and has declared
himself well satisfied with it's oper-
alton. The commanding officer at the
arsenal Col. Harry B. Jordan, L. S.
A, has testified to the excellence of
the plan. And Payson Irwin, a tech
nical expert. who served as chief of
the industrial Service branch of the
ordnance bureau and who installed
the works organization, up to the
present time has been very con-
servative in his statements regarding
the operation of the organization.
But now he is willing to be quoted to
the effect that it has been real
success.
Scope of Organization Explained.
In considering the works organiza-
ton at Rock Island, it is necessary
to understand it's object. 1t is not in
tended to be a grievance or arbitra-
tion board. Its primary purpose was
to bring about the handling of all in
dustrial relations at the arsenal, the
relations between the workers and
the management, in an orderly and
routine manne-- The idea has been
that if all the questions that arise rec
lating to working conditions rates of
pay, promotion and discharge. shop
discipline, etc, are. handled day by
day in systematic manner, not
only will all controversies be mini
mized. but violent disagreements
which have SO often disrupted indus
trial plants in this country may be
prevented. The seeds of dissension
will be eliminated when first dis
covered.
In view of the success attained at
Rock Island, it is reasonable TO sup
pose that the government would seek
to set up similar organizations in it's
other plants. However, it can be
stated authoritative1y that it has
never been the plan of the War De-
partment or the Navy Department to
install such works organization
where it was not first welcomed by
the workers themselves, as in the case
of the Rock Island arsenal.
No Attempt to COerce.
Payson Irwin. who happens to be in
Washington at this time, said to me
on this point:
while l cannot now speak of the
official program of the ordnance bu-
reau. l can say that it was never the
intention to force works organizations
on the employees. The Rock Island
works organization, while planned by
me, was done so only after the rep
resentatives of the employees had ex-
pressed their desire to develop a for
NAL organization for conference. 1t
was expressly ordered that o>works
organization should be established in
any ordnance establishment except
after conference with the employees
and their agreement and consent"
Mr.. Irwin attributes the success OF
the operation Of the works organiza-
ton first of ali to Col Jordan. the