The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1927-08-15
Had Been In iii
Health for a Month
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S0UVO Va RCTSVuSp INC OkNEGt viz sAu- !
man consideration Of the more than
100000 employees Of the steel corpor-
alton and its subsidiary compahies.
That he was eminently successful in
dealing with both problems, from the
standpoint Of employer aud employe
was proved by the tributes that were
raid 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
ever paid to Mr.. Gary was ut .ths
annual meeting Of the American
Iron and Steel Institute at New York
in October, 1919. The steel strike
had been in progress several weeks
them, had gathered to hear what Mr..
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 If
cheers, which were continued several
minutes.
Employees stick By Him
| On the other hand many stories
could be related to illustrate tthe
feeling between the head Of the
steel corporation and its employees.
J characteristic one involves the strike
| Of elevator orerators in office build
fings in New York several years ago.
During the strike every man was a.
his post in the Empire Building.
which had been purchased by the
United States Steel Cooperation
shortly before the strike. Asked the
reason for the men being ut 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 demandlEg.
Judge Gary has treated us white.
and you can just bet your life we are
going to stick by him. strike or no
strike"
During the years he was head OF
the steel corporation MIR. Gary nego.
. tiated and cOnsummated many impOr-
tant matters, but perhaps the one
that gave the greatest measure Of
satisfaction to the country generally
was the elimination of the 12-hour
: i'had been in favor Of this move q
long time. and it was befare the
board Of directors many times. Final;
sly.g in the early part Of 1929, com
mittee of the Iron and Steal lnsti-
tute made q survey Of the whole
question. Its report was to the ef
! feet that it was impossible to ahol
ish the 12-hOur day because the
change would require too many addi-
tional men lMr. Gary estimated the
: number at 6O,00O), that there was q
7 shortage of labor at the time and
4 that to make the change abruptly
would cripple the entire prosperity Of
the country.
Harding Suggests Change
When the report was made public
the late President Harding manifest
ed his great interest in the aubject
/, and his keen disappointment In the
failure of the committee to recon-
mend the change.
~ He wrote to Mr.. Gary in June, 1929,
and after expressing his disappOint
ment, said:
II ann wondering il it would not III.
possible for the steel industry tO
cOnsider giving an undertaking that
e before there shall be any reduction
lin the staff or employees Of the JIM
Tdustry through any recession or de-
inland for steel products. or ut any
'time when there is u surplus 0f labor
available, that then the change should
be made from the two shifts to the
j three shift basis. | cannot but be-
: lieye that such an. undertaking would
give great satisfaction to the Amer
lean people as u whole and would. In
l deed, establish pride and confidence
9 in the ability of our Industries them
iselves to solve matters which are SO
l conclusively advocated by the pub
!, .lic."
"A, Gary Takes Action.
e. President Harding's appeal was
5 sufficient to prompt Mr.. Gary to call
q q meeting Of the board Of directors
: of the Iron and Steel Institute with
4 the result that be wrote to President
e Harding:
Undoubtedly there is strong senti
ment throughout the country in favor
\ of eliminating the l2-hour day, and
$ this we do not underestimate. On
d account of this sentiment. and cape
: cially because It is in accordance
{ with your own expressed views, we
I are determined to exert every effort
at our command to- secure in the iron
!. iapd steel industry of this country Q
!. 9tal abolition Of the l2-hour day at
. the earliest time practicable" !
: That time came within q few
months and the l2-hour day, long q
= | mootea question In the steel indus.
9 try, was abolished.
: The rise Of Mr.. Gary to be the
a chief executive officer Of the, United
. States Steel :. Cerporation-he- Val
I chairman Of the executive committed
j and later Of the board of directors
{ Land of the finance committee--muy
be said to have been due to an Incl
: dent in the practice % .aW, for which
!. he was educated. In 1893, as, general
! |ceunsel for and director Of the Illi-
: nois Steel company, he was called up
> on to take charge Of the organisation
= Of the Federal Steel company 1
4 merger Of the llliaois and other sceni.
panies. 1t was Ne who first suggeste6
!, the amalgamation and it was here
!. for the first time ~ was brought in
!. touch with the late ]. Pierpont Nor.
: gan. whose financial assistance val
y being sought in the formation q thu
!, ty so impressed M. Morgan and his
associates that they insisted upoN
Mr.. Gary being made president Of tn
Federal Steel company.
/ As directing head Of the FedssAl
. Steel company, Mr.. Gary Jaw III
!. larger possibilities Of the in4ustrl
i and had often expressed his views I'd
al Mr.. Morgan. Z The latter At first did
: not take to the sides advanced bys Mr.
Z Gary for 9 great stsel corpqre4ton
= However, there eame . time Vh6n =!
a became known that Andrew CarnaG,e
a than the fererhost man In the stsSl
n inAustry. was AAstrous of retirins -
q that he could devote the rest. OF hi
|, life TO philanthropy. education And
Il world peses. y
Msseaa 1ae)n Plan, j
Il pany that could compete with Gar
e manY and Great Britain. which N4t]
4 dominstiaG ~ sintsrnatiensl gasest