The New York herald., 1921-06-04
HALF OF WASTE LAID
TO BUSINESS HEADS
American Engineering Coun-
ellis Committee Reports on
It's Survey.
LABOR LESS PROFLIGATE
Economic Loss by Preventable
Diseases and Death Is
$3.OOO.OO0,O00 Annually.

ST LOUIS June 3.--Responsibility for
more than so per cent. OF the waste IN
Industrial processes. which is causing
enormous annual losses TO the nation
can be placed at the door of the man
agement and less than % per cent. at the
door of labor, declared a report OF the
American Engineering Councils commit
tee on elimination of waste in industry.
made public to-day at meeting OF the
councils executive board. The commit
tee was appointed by Herbert Hoover
Secretary of Commerce. when he was
head of the council.
The report showed that the margin or
unemployment amounted to more than
million men: that billions OF dollars
were tied up in idle equipment; that
high labor turnover was rough index
OF one of the commonest wastes, ana
that waste of time and energy ana
money through Implications and est-
mates and bids in building trades ran
into millions annually.
Both employers and employees restrict
output, it was said. Both capital and Ia
Dor are blamed for existing abuses. out
the annual losses through waste by con-
flicts between them is much less than
popuIarly supposed.
Wage Loss in Building Trades.
From four to five million workers were
idle during January and February OF this
year. In 1921 half q billion dollars will
he lost in wages in the building trades
it was said.
The waste inquiry was in charge of
committee of sixteen, headed by j.
Parke Charming of New York as chair
man, and l.. w. Wallace of Washington,
executive secretary Of the American En-
gineering Council of the Federated
American Engineering Societies, as vice.
chairman. This was the beginning OF
movement by the countrys organized
engineers, about 100000 in number. TO
bring about better industrial conditions
and more harmonious relations between
capital and labor.
The committee outlined the following
proposed programme of governmental
assistance to eliminate waste:
"A national industrial information
service should be established to furnish
more timely, regular and complete intor,
nation covering current production and
consumption and stocks of commodity !;
a national statistical service should oe
established covering employment require
ments a national policy regarding pup-
lie health should be fostered and en-
couraged: the national programme Tor
Industrial rehabilitation should be en-
couraged and should offer opportunities
for education and placement to those
having physical defects as well as those
handicapped because OF industrial accl-
dents; a nationwide programme OF IN
dustrial Standardization should be en-
courage In conjunction with industrial
interests: the Government should recog-
nize the necessity for revision OF sucn
Federal laws as one interfering with the
sterilization of industry; body OF
principles should be accepted which could
be developed for the adjustment and set
tlement of labor disputes.
safety Methods Urged.
Declaring that the annual economic
loss i'm the country through preventable
diseases and death amounted to S3,VOO,-
900 900. the report urged more general
use of safety methods already per-
fected. 1t was asserted that IS per cent.
OF the deaths and serious accidents IN
industry could be thus prevented.
In regard to the number of days lost
the report said "42I000,oo0 persons lost
$50 900 900 days from illness and disease
and industrial accidents annually;
70 per cent. of the waste of Ill health Is
preventable in. 1919 there were 100000
industrial accidents resulting in an eco
nomic loss to the country Of about $685.
600 coo: Industrial accidents are caused
by the carelessness of workmen end
lack OF safeguards"
Plant idleness came in for its share
Of the blame for waste. In the printing
industry alone the report said an IN
vestment of more than si"WVW In
stocks OF paper carried to meet trade
reouIrements could be cut one half
through Standardization in the brands
NJ naDer