New Britain herald., 1923-02-24
Babson Institute Received
Labor Platform From
John ID. Rockefeller. Oil
King.

Wellesley Hills. Mass. Feb. "a
MAN 10 q human being firsl, and q
member OF industry afterward.. from
that beginning. J. ID. Rockefeller. Jr,
son OF the Standard oil king outlines
remarkable program. not for the
worker but for the employer.
The nation has been watching for a
bill OF rights, for workers bill OF
rishts-a common sense platform
that could he generally accepted by
industry, but we hardly expected il 10
come from the weaithiest interests in
America.
Yet ]. d. Rockefeller. Jr,, he OF the
name that has heretofore characters.
ed capitalism In the mind OF the
worker. has submitted a program TO
Bahson Institute. In hope that II will
be adopted by industrial executives
everywhere. As you read II you can
understand why this junior Rookie.
feller has been recognized In the n
nanciai world as an unusual power.
and has been noted among those who
know him personally for his unusual
vision and fairness
l. II believe that labor and capi-
tai are partners. not enemies" says
Mr.. Rockefeller. ''that their interests
are common. not opposed and that
neither can attain the fullest meas
ure OF prosperity at the expense of the
other. but only In association with the
other.
II am for an eight hour day and q
six day week." continues Mr.. Rookie
NJ A,tIa a II.
err hours and which does not provide
for one day In seven In which the
worker can rest and rccuperate. Is
unsound. uneconomic and unjustifi-
able. In such industries as must OF
necessity operate continuously, night
and day, 365 days In the year, sched-
ules must be arranged so that the
worker has an eight hour day and q |
six day week or its equivalent
Il am for this because feel that |
good many of the industrial dis
putes Of the past have risen from the |
fact that employers under stress OF
circumstances and competition have
broken away from this basic fact that
man is human being first. and an in
dustrial worker afterward. The adop-
ton of the eight hour day In the gen.
eral industrial field will tend to in
crease efficiency and will bring the
less scrupulous and less enlightened
elements of competition into line.
2. Il believe that the community
is an essential party to industry and
that it should have adequate. repre-
sentation with the other parties.
8. II believe that the purpose OF
Industry is quite as much to advance
social well-being as material prosper ;
lty; that, In the pursuit of that pur-
pose, the interests of the community i
should be carefully considered, the T.
well-being of employees fully guarded, I
adequately recognized
and capital justly compensated, and Z
hat failure in any of these particu- {
ars means loss to all four parties. X
4. Il believe that every man is en- II
tiled to an opportunity to earn liv-
ng, to fair wages, to reasonable hours 1
II work and proper working condi- !
ions, to a decent home. to the oppor- c
unity to play, to learn. to worship
md to love as well as to toll, and the
rests as heavily upon b
Industry as upon government or So II
iety, to see that these conditions and C
opportunities prevail.
Every worker has right to COM
ortable living conditions. AS a fell Il
DIV human being. the worker is en- il
tiled to health, comfort and content n
tent Wage scales should be meas Il
red in these items and not in dollars e
This is no plea for paternalism Il
'ersonally, / dislike even the word. n