The Washington herald., 1921-08-28

burden Of depression from unhappy hons
conditions is lifted and the worker becomes
happier and more conIented. There are
fewer days of absence from work because Of
these improved conditions. The scale Of
labor turnover runs down very sharply as
higher wages are paid, and labor turnover is
one Of the cost.iest phases of employment.
One Of the most remarkable Developments Of
the time is the demonstrated fact that paying
low rates for labor is improbable to the
employer.
IAN Of these findings Of the last two dec
ades are steadily combining themselves into
. mass Of labor information that is leading
TO the dawn OF an entirely new era for
people who work. look to the development
Of conditions in labor before this generation
is past which at the beginning of this century
would have seemed so visionary as to have
demanded no attention whatever"
HAS the Government, as an employer"
I asked. kept pace with the private en-
plOyer"
tSTHAT is Just the thing" aid Dr..
L Frankel, that has aroused the POST
master General The Postof5ce Department
is the most extensive employer of labor in
the Government service. 1t has SOC. 900
workers scattered all over the United States.
Now take, for example, the Postofhce De-
partment building here in the city of Wash
ington. This building, in which 2600 people
work, has no rest rom. II q woman clerk
faints at her desk, there is no place to
which we can carry her for treatment ~
an accident happens, there is no provision
for first aid 1t would be difficult to find q
pciEate organization anywhere working a
group of people like this that did not have
these most obvious conveniences for the care
Of their workers. There is no recrestios
room. reading room nor any other agency
for the benefit of the workers in tits entire
building. 1t seems that absolutely no
thought has been given to the worker. Gov
Crnment agencies are incomparably behind
private agencies in this respect.
What is true of the Postofice Depart
nent building is true Of virtually ali the
POstofice buildings throughout the country.
In all Of the big cities there are central
postofnces which work thousands Of en-
ployes. In Washington, for example, We
have a new city postof6ce building. EIte-
nally, it is a masterpiece of Greek srchitec-
ture. Internally, il is 20 full Of defects a.
to be deplorable. The big front corner
rooms In this building, upstairs, which
should be its choicest quarters, are without
windows and are, therefore, without any
natural light or ventilation. In every big
postofice it happens that mail carriers have
periods Of idleness between the various de-
nyeries. 1t is obvious that it would be b
the advantage Of the postofhce to provide
some place where these men could spend this
time agreeably.
Now, to me, q T. unthinkable that ths
United States Government should not con-
struct postofhces IN such Q way rs to extend
every consideration 30 the comfort Of IN
ernnent should be the most lagEsrd sf an
employers"
would the problem be q particularly
difficult one ss applied to Government work.
.rs?' asked.
WTNHERE Is practically no difficulty IN tSs
L whole situation" replied Or. Frsnkel.
The improvements Of the conditions Of
workers and the advantages coming from
those Improvements are no longer contro-
verted questions, either from the standpoint
of methods to be used or benefits b be de-
rived. Applying modern methods 10 the
Postofice Department is merely proceeding
to the accomplishment Of q task which ~
understand perfectly. Providing facilities
will, Of course, cost money and Congress
must make the necessary appropriation, but
the facilities can be established. Providing
the base for the -distrfbutinr plants 10
one Of the fundamental questions b Be de-
termfned.
"when the Postofses Depsrtpent has
taken this lead in irving proper eonsiders-
tion to Its employees there h no questics
that the same principle Win BE- applied
to ether departments. When Il b IN op-
GRAFTON there b no question that the
ssllsa, cynical attitude often evidenced oy
ths Government employs viii disappear,
win Be replaced BY that state Of mind vhi-A
typfHes the eontented and happy vocksr.
ne Gorernment, as the empsecee. VII n
greatly benefited and win ~ retnSurseS
many times over in sSa>ea sse<ses N -
sxpsass rso>t,sS." -