New Britain herald., 1927-08-15
J. 5. STEEL CORP.
 LOSES CHAIRMAN

LUOLO UnAInmAIV celebrated the 18th anniversary of his incumbency as an executive of- fioer of the corporation.
 The news of Mr. Gary's death was telephoned to the offices of the Steel corporation by F. A. Sites. MT. Gary's secretary. from the Gary home. MT. Sites said that a statement would be issued at 2:so o'clock this afternoon.
 A month ago when MT. Gary first became III 1t was understood that he was suffering from ptomaine poisoning. Two weeks ago when 1t was believed he was rapidly re- gaining his hath he received in his sickroom execUives who had re- gently been promoted. Shortly after this he suffered relapse and it was considered possible that the ceremony of greeting his subordi- mates had proved too great strain After the relapse no one was per mitted to visit him but his wife and attendants.
 Won Two Battles
 As head of the great United States Steel Corporation. Ebert H, Gary constantly was confronted with two problems of the most vital import ance to the two directly opposite rroups of people concerned in them. One was the successful direction of the huge business organization with assets of nearly S2,O00, 0,000,000 and involving the investments of thou sands of persons; the other. the hu- man consideration of the more than 300. 900 employees of the steel corpor- ation and Its subsidiary companies. That he was eminently successful in dealing with both problems from the standpoint of employer and em- ploye was proved by the tributes that were paid to him by the leading men Of the industrial world who made up the steel corporation, and those who worked in the ranks of its various companies.
 One of the most pleasing tributes eyer paid to MT. Gary was at the an- nual meeting of the American Iron and Steel Institute at New York in October. 1919. The steel strike had been n progress several weeks and the steel men, nearly 1,600 of them, had gathered to hear what MT. Gary had to say, His entrance into the gathering was the signal for a remarkable demonstration. These staid. solid business men. catching sight of the leader of their industry. broke into a spontaneous salvo of cheers, which were continued several minutes.
 Raised All Wages
 On the other hand many stories could be related to illustrate the feeling between the head of the steel corporation and it's employees A characteristic one involves the strike of elevator operators in office build ings in New York several years ago During the strike every man was at his post in the Empire building, which had been purchased by the United States Steel Corporation shortly before the strike. Asked the reason for the men being at their posts, one of the operators replied: AS soon as the corporation bought this building our wages were raised. We are getting as much as or more than the unions are de- manding. Judge Gary has treated us white and you can just bet your life we are going to stick by him. strike or no strike"
 Established Short Hours
 During the years he was head of the steel corporation Mir. Gary ne- gotiated and consummated many important matters, but perhaps the one that gave the greatest measure of satisfaction to the country gen. erally was the elimination of the 12-hour day in the steel industry. Mr. Gary had been in favor of this move a long time and it was be- fore the board of directors many times. Finally, in the early part of 1923 a committee of the Iron and Steel institute made survey of the whole question. Its report was to the effect that it was impossible to abolish the 12-hour day because the change would require too many ad- ditional men (Mr Gary estimated the number at 60,O00) that there was a shortage of labor at the time and that to make the change ab- ruptly would cripple the entire prosperity of the country.
 When the report was made pub lie the late President Harding manifested his great interest in the subject and his keen disappoint- ment in the failure of the commit tee to recommend the change.
 He wrote to Mir. Gary in June. 1923, and after expressing his dis said:
 q am wondering If 1t would not be possible for the steel industry 10 consider giving an undertaking that before there shall be any re- duction in the staff or employees of the industry through any recession or demand for steel products, or at any time when there is a surplus of labor available, that then the | change should be made from the l two shifts to the three-shift basis. l I cannot but believe that such an | would give great satis- faction to the American people as l a whole and would, indeed, estab- fish pride and confidence in the ability of our industries themselves | to solve matters which are so con- clusively advocated by the public.'
 President Harding's appeal was sufficient to prompt Mir. Gary to call a meeting of the board of di- rectors Of the Iron and Steel insti- ute with the result that he wrote to President Harding:
 Undoubtedly there is strong sentiment throughout the country in favor of eliminating the 12 hour day, and this we do not underesti- tn n,, ~f I,,,