Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1921-10-05

This naturally leads to another
fundamental. What are we working
for, or why are we working? I'm
thinkingly, we might say that we
have to work to exist. Without
modification, this means that we ere
working solely for the money there
is in it. 1 believe that it is not en-
tirely or even principally for the &C
QUESTION Of money for moneys sake
that we labor. Insanity would soon
come to a man or woman undertake
ing to practice physical and mental
idleness forever. So l believe that
no person would, or could, be alb
solutely idle from choice, and hence
1 think that we arrive at the second
fundamental, which is that we are
not at work solely for the money we
may receive, but that there is some
other reason or group of reasons. The
principal reason why we work and
strive is because of the benefit which
it is to someone else, and that some
one else may be only the immediate
family OF the individual, or it may
well be the group of workers who
are dependent upon his efforts for
livelihood. or it may embrace his en-
tire community, his state, his nation,
or the whole human family.
I'm our work, as in everything
else, we receive in direct ratio as we
give. If to the performance of
a pleasurable task, you bring in ad-
dition a love for your home, a res
pect and admiration for your en-
ployer, good fellowship for those
with whom you are brought in con-
tact. and give through your work
freely of these things, you will re-
ceive in more full measure than
otherwise ample return for these
gifts. And so we arrive at another
fundamental, which is that we can
not obtain without giving, and that
which we receive is in somewhat &C
curate proportion to that which we
give.
Let us take these fundamentals,
and working from them. see where
we arrive. Your firms are engaged
in repair, rehabilitation compensa.-
ton, protection and remuneration
The amount of premium received
takes care of all hazards and returns
a profit regardless whether or not the
thing insured is partially or wholly
destroyed. Your people might say
that the number and magnitude OF
occurrences, did not matter. But
their slogan today is prevent, rather
than repair. Your people and my
people are striving toward the pre-
vention of those things entailing loss
in money, material. and human be-
ings. and are seeking and applying
methods to prevent such loss.
unfortunately there has grown up
quite universal belief that employ
ers are in various ways seeking to
take advantage, of their employees
and their first consideration is to
turn labor into money, and having
done this they lose interest in the
employee. 1t is true that the init
mate touch between employer and
employee has faded since the DAYS
when the force was a. family and
that this has resulted in a chaotic
condition where many employees
think it is entirely safe and proper to
oppose any thing the boss is in favor
OF. Realizing this truth, the manu-
facturer of today is seeking the
cause of the disease and the remedy
which must be applied.
The association which l represent
is similar with associations of manu-
facturers in AZ of the 4S states. Some
believe these associations are solely
for the benefit of the manufacturers
but the purpose of these associations
is as much to benefit the worker as
the manufacturer. Education, health
material and moral situation of the
worker must be upon a high plane
else the manufacturer cannot be sue.
cessful.
These efforts must extend over a
period of years, and the next genera
ton will get the real benefits. II
must be, q process of steady educa-
ton to compete with the mere words
OF a constituencies agitator. Wher
education is accomplished, any en-
ployer with a legitimate proposition
| can come before his educated en-
ployees and can rest assured that
reason and intelligence will be en-
ployed.
Manufacturers today recognize
and realize that health is essential tc
best efforts and happiness and that
the manner with which the individu-
al conducts himself has a control
ling influence upon his condition
The manufacturer is not interesting
himself in health movements merely
from selfish motives. He gets a
benefit not estimated in dollars or
cents-the satisfaction of attempting
to do something which is, and will
continue to be of benefit to his fell
lowmen.
There is, therefore, between your
organization and mine, a very close
knot community Of interest because
of the fact that we are both neces-
sarily interested in the health, COM
fort and happiness of our fellow
citizens and We receive in exact pro-
portion as we give. We realize that
nothing is of such universal impor-
lance as education. which is obtained
more often through the influence of
observation and example than the
teachings found only in printed OF
spoken words
Other Speakers
Following Judge Cleaves' talk, In
surance Commissioner G. Walden
Smith, who was slated to talk, was
excused from speaking because of
health. Dana J. Lowd. president
of the Vermont Association then ex-