The Washington herald., 1921-02-15
coal md work only 10 per cent o
their time.
surplas Brings Waste.

SURPLUS Briags Waste.
I'm other words, there are 80 per
cent more equipment, 80 per cent
more men, attached to this industry
than are necessary IL it were stabil3
ized to continuous operation. The
mining engineers have already
pointed out the directions in which
remedy lies, through storage,
through railway rate ditferentials,
and other remedies. Thro0gh con-
structive action an army Of men
could be released from this indus
try of necessity to convert some
luxury into a necessity of tomorrow.
This is no plan to control prices or
profits, although through it both the
producer and consumer in coal could
be placed upon a sounder basis than
today. The interest OF the consumer
and producer is, however, even less
important than relief from the in
termittent employment and unem-
ployment within this industry that
today brings train Of indefinite
human misery and some Of our low
est standards Of living.
Friction of Labor.
The second largest area of waste
in productivity is the eternal amount
of labor friction. strikes and, lock
outs. The varied social and eco
nomic forces involved in this prob
lem needs no repetition here. Fun
damentally this is not alone a strug-
gle for division OF the results OF
production between capital and la
hor, but there is also a loss greater
from strikes and lockouts in the
element of purely human friction
and loss outside the area Of dispute
on wages and hours.
The growth OF industry into
large units has destroyed the oIo
mutually OF interest between en-
ploye and employer. Our repetitive
processes have tended to destroy
the creative instinct and interest in
employees: at times their effort.
sink to low levels indeed. We will
yet have to reOrganize the whole
employment relationship to find its
solution. There is great promise in
this field during the past two years
and the progress in this matter is
one Of the subjects under our in
quiry.
Faulty DIstrIbstIon.
yet another variety OF loss lies
in the unnecessarily faulty distribu-
tion of our labor supply due tc
seasonal and to shifting demands
An adequate national employment
serCice is indeed the first need t.
, reduction OF these wastes.
| probably the next largest frac
| tion OF waste in productivity lies ir
too high degree OF individualisr
! in certain basic products and tools
! In other words. Standardization ot
certain national utensils makes fol
economy in distribution, in opera
/ tion and in repairs. The necessity
of maximum production durinl
the war opened a great vista OF pos
sibilities in this direction. Sucl
DECENTRALIZATION as car couplings. OF
wheels, and cars generally. repre-
sent real progress in this direction
! These possibilities lie in a hun
dred directions. There are all sort
| Of cases from sizes OF chains to tn,
size OF automobile wheels. TOda!
dozens Of different sizes are place.
in the market by manufacturer
and entail not. only special equip
ment and skill to produce thes
many varieties. but also grea
stocks are required in distribution
and losses are entailed due 70 lacl
of interchangeab bility.
Need of Basic Sizes.
"It is certain that there are
great many articles OF everyday US
in which the manufacturer wOul,
indeed be glad to undertake som
cooperation in Standardization
from which the saving in nationa
effort would be interpreted not int
millions but into billions OF dollars
This does not MEAN that we stam'
the individuality out OF manufac
ture or invention or decoration:
means basic sizes to common an
everyday things.
Another type of waste lies in ou
failure to advance our industris
equipment. The Super-Power Boar
will demonstrate the saving of 20,
600, 900 to $4,000, 600 tons of coal an
nually by the electrification of ou
. Eastern power supply. The s.
Lawrence Waterway Commissio
will demonstrate the saving OF I
10 cents a bushel to the farmers o
fifteen States by unlocking tn
lakes to going vessels. No
will this added efficiency to our ma
tional transport injure our presen
systems OF canals and waterways
= found that th