The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1921-06-08
MOST OF INDUSTRIAL
WASTE is CHARGED
TO MANAGEMENT
Les. Than twenty-five Per Cent Is
-. Plxced at Doors of Labor Says
Hoover's Committee


the waste in industrial processes,
which IS causing enormous annual
losses to the nation, can be placed
at the door of the management and
less than 25 per cent at the door OF
labor, declared report of the Am
erican Engineering Councils Com
mittee on elimination of Waste in
Industry made public today at a
meeting of the councils executive
board. The committee was appointed
by Herbert Hoover, secretary of
commerce, when he was head of the
council. The report showed that the
margin of unemployment amounted
to more than a 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, and that
waste of time and energy and
money through Implications and esti-
mates and bids in building trades
ran into millions of dollars annual
y. Both employer and employees re-
striss output, it was said. Both CAPT
tai and labor are blamed for exist
ing abuses, but the annual losses
through waste by conflicts between
them is much less than popularity
supposed.
From four to five million workers
were idle during January and Feb
ruay Of this year. In 1921 half a mil
lion dollars will be lost in wages in
the building trades, it was said.
Nationwide machinery to obtain
continuous information concerning
unemployment conditions through
out the country is declared neces-
sary. Means for regulating employ
ment in the principal industries
were urged and a nationwide plan of
cooperation between the govern
ment, the public, trade associations
the industries, labor bankers and
engineers was outlined.
The waste inquiry was in charge
Of q committee of sixteen headed
by J. Parke Charming Of New York,
las Chairman and L. w. Wallace Of
Washington, executive secretary Of
the American Engineers Council Of
the Federated American Engineer
ing societies as vice chairman.
This was the beginning Of move
ment by the country's organized en-
gineers about 100000 in number,
for better industrial conditions and
more harmonious relations between
capital and labor. The full report
comprises $4,000 words and deals
with the deep seated causes of waste
and does not consider "the present
business crisis due in part to world
wide waste and extravaganza cause
by the war;" as an excuse for transi-
tory experiments, but as an oppor-
tunity to point out the need for per-
'nanent reform.
The Committee outlined the fol-
lowing proposed program Of govern
mental assistance to eliminate waste
"A national industrial informa-
tion service should be established to
furnish more timely, regular COM
plete Information covering current
production and consumption and
stocks of commodity; a national
policy regarding public health
should be fostered and encouraged;
the national program for industrial
rehabilitation should be encouraged
and should offer opportunities for
education and placement to those
have physical defects as well as
those handicapped because of indus
trial accidents; a nationwide pro-
gram for industrial Standardization
should be encouraged in conjunction
with industrial iterests; the govern
ment should recognize necessity for
q revision of such federal laws as
interferes with the sterilization of
industry; a body of principles should
be accented which could be:sdevelop-
ed for the adjustment and settle
ment Of labor disputes"
Public support for the movement
the report said, should be brought
about through public recognition of