Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1925-05-14
Sec. Davis Stresses
Continued from Page One)

\SoHetfIucO bTOfH rage On6J
we need in our industrial structure
in fact in our whole national life
today. That is the spirit which
prompts you to do by the other fell
low as you would want the other fell
low to do by you-the spirit of the
Golden Rule. / know that that spirit
is growing in every line of American
industry. l know that we are coming
closer. in every industry, to the
meaning of true cooperation. We no
longer speak of capital and labor, be-
cause labor is often capital, but of
men and management or employer
and employee. Management and
worker nowadays are coming to
realize that they are really partners.
Both are coming to know that the
success Of either one depends upon
the other, that if one fails both must
fail. And in the development of this
spirit of cooperation you men who
hold supervisory positions must play
a great part. For You are the actual
go-betweens of industry. You form
the connecting link between the man
agement which in the office works
over the problems of markets and
pay rolls and financial conditions, and
the men who. at the bench or the ma
chine, produce the output of your
plant. Upon the men in the office
rests the responsibility for disposing
of the product in order that every
man in the plant may share in the
earnings. Upon the worker at the
bench or at the machine rests the
responsibility of producing an article
which can be marketed at profit.
The problems which you face in
your individual plants are in MANY
cases identical with the problems
which we face in the Federal Gov
eminent. The government is a great
business organization, and President
Coolidge has proven to be a compe-
tent. effective manager. He is a fine
boss to work for. He is determined
to have business-like administra-
ton of affairs. but he thinks of the
human side of things as well as the
business side. He puts responsibility
where it belongs and expects each of
his subordinates to discharge that re-
sponsibility. He would make the
government an employer whose ex-
ample could be followed by every
employer in the country. Under his
administration we have reached real
economy In government administra-
ton. We have abolished more than
100000 federal positions. We have
paid off billions of our tremendous
public debt. and have arranged to
collect some of the billions which
European nations owe us for loans
made during the war. We have re-
duced expenses and consequently
have reduced taxes.
You men, as supervising officials.
nave great opportunities. But those
opportunities entail great RESPONSE
oilities. 1t rests with you to make
or brake the concerns which employ
you, not alone financially. but in
their relations to the men who work
for them.
IL IS with these responsibilities and
opportunities in mind that 7 wish to
talk to you today. And I am going
to talk freely. Conditions in orr
mills and shops and factories TODAY
are vastly changed from the condj-
lions of twenty-five years ago. AS
industry was organized on large
scale 1t it faced constant turmoil
through the operation of delegated
authority. All industry was ner-
meated by the activity of the "Rip
Four'-the straw boss, the cornora.
ton lawyer, the walking delegate
and the so-called executive secretarv'
Ihes traw boss often drove his mon
without mercy. The corporation law
yer taught the corporation heads how
TO evade the law, or how TO keen
WITHIN strict legal limits in tbe CON
quot OF their business without rep.rd
10 moral obligations. The Walking
uelegates many times misrepresented
tne workers. The executive score
tary lnterposed barrier between
management and men which effect
uaily preventd any mutual under-
Standing or cooperation.
me evils which grew out Of the,
WORK OF these men were often dis
astrous to both worker and emnIoy-
er. me worker, kept at a great dis
lance from the actual employing IN
terest and dealing only with subordi-
i,, became resentful and sullen.
me employer, without any direct
knowiedge of the problems or din
cuitles OF his workers, became domi-
neering and oppressive. The result
was o1ten financial loss to the en-
ployer and loss of employment to the
", worker. strikes. lockouts, constant
Ae@A SIIilc were the fneVtfahlo
results OF this system. 1t bred dis
content and hatred. 1t was all wrong.
In the development of this era of
good Will in industry a great respon-
sibi!ity rests upon you men in suner-
Vlslng positions. It rests with Won 70
see to 1t that the workers under vo,,
nave a proper appreciation of tbe
aims, purposes, problems ana diff1cuI-
ties which confront the managers of
your plant and to see to it that your
management knows something of the
aims purposes and problems of the
men who do the work. Only on this
mutual knowledge can true co-opera-
ton be constructed. Management can
make you a foreman, but it is only the
continued efficient, loyal work of the
men under you that can keep you q
foreman You are vitality concerned
In the success of both parties.
You men are primarily responsible
Tor the labor turnover in the plants
Tor which you work. In this YOU
must safeguard the interests of vo,,r !