Evening star., 1927-08-15
Handled Two Great Tasks.

! Stantly was confronted with two prob
| lens of the most vital Importance to
| the two directly opposite groups OF
| people concerned in them. One was
| the successful direction of the huge
| business organization with assets OF
nearly 1000 100000 and involving the
| investments of thousands of persons;
| the other, the human consideration OF
the more than 300, 900 employees of the
steel corporation and its subsidiary
companies That he was cminently
| successful in dealing with both prob
lens from the standpoint of employer
and employe was proved by the trib'
utes that were paid to him by the
leading men of the industrial world
who made up the steel corporation
and these who worked in the ranks of
it's various companies.
One of the most pleasing tributes
ever paid to Mr.. 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 in progress several weeks and
the steel men. nearly 1000 of them,
had gathered to hear what Mr.. Gary
had to say. His entrance into the
gathering was the signal for a remark
able 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.
On the other hand many stories
could he related to illustrate the feel
ing between the head of the steel cor
poration and its employees. A charac-
teristic one involves the strike of cl-
evator operators in Office buildings in
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 op-
orators replied:
"As soon as the corporation bought
this building our wages were raised.
We are getting as much or more than
the unions are demanding. Judge
Gary has treated us white and you
can just bet your life we are going to
stick by him. strike or no strike"
Shortened Working Hours.
During the years he was head of
the Steel Corporation. Mr.. Gary ne
gotiated and consummated many i'm
portant matters, but. perhaps. the one
isfaction to the country generally was
the elimination of the 12-hour day in
the steel industry. Mr.. Gary had been
in favor of this move long time, and
it was before the board of directors
many times. Finally. in the early
part of 1928 a committee of the Irion
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 addi-
tional men (AIr. Gary estimated the
number at 100000. that there was a
shortage of labor at the time and that
to make the change abruptly would
cripple the entire prosperity OF the
country.
When the report was made public.
the late President Harding manifested
his great interest in the subject and
his keen disappointment in the failure
OF the committee to recommend the
change.
He wrote to Mr.. Gary in June, 1923,
and. after expressing his disappoint-
ment, said:
Il am wondering IL it would not be
possible for the steel industry to con-
slider giving an undertaking that be-
fore there shall be any reduction In the
staff or employees OF the industry
through anv recession or demand for
steel products, or at any time when
there is a surplus of labor availabts,
that then the change should be made
from the two shifts to the three-shift
basis. cannot but believe that such
an undertaking would give great sat
| isfaction to the American people as
| whole and would. indeed, establish
pride and confidence In the ability OF
our industries themselves to solve mat
ters which are so concluslvely aoVo
Gated by the public"
President Harding's appeal was sur
ficient to prompt Mr.. Gary to call q
meeting of the board Of directors OF
the Iron and Steel Institute. with the
result that he wrote to President Hard
| ing:
| 'Undoubtedly there is strong senti
ment throughout the country in favor
OF eliminating the 12-hour day. and
this we do not underestimate. On ac'
count of this sentiment. and especlal'
ly because it is in accordance with
YOUR expressed views, we are deter
mined to exert every effort at our
command to secure in the iron and
steel industry of this country total
abolition of the 12-hour day at the
earliest time practicable
Planned Steel Merger.
That time came within a few months
and the 12.hour day. long mooteo
question in the steel industry. was
abolished.
! The rise Of Mr.. Gary to be the chlel
executiye officer of the United States
Steel Corporation-he was chairman
of the executive committee and later
! of the board Of directors and OF the
| finance committee-may be salo to
have been due to an incident In the
practice of law, for which he was
! educated. In 1898, as general counsel
| for and a director Of the llllnois steer
! Co, he was called upon to take charge
! of the organization or the federal
Steel Co., a merger Of the llllnols ano
other companies. 1t was he VINO nrst
suggested the amalgamatlon, ana II
was here for the first time ne was
brought in touch with the late j. Pler'
mont Morgan, whose financial assist
ance was being sought in the forma
ton of the new company. Gary
business ability SO impressed Mr
Morgan and his associates that thev
! insisted upon Mr.. Gary being made
president of the Federal Steel Co.
AS directing head Of the Federal
Steel Co Mr.. Gary saw the larger
| possibilities Of the industry and had
often expressed his views to Mr.
Morgan. The latter at first did not
take to the idea advanced by Mr
Gary for a great steel corporation
However, there came a time when II
became known that Andrew Carnegie
then the foremost man in the steel
industry, was dsirous Of retiring sc
that he could devote the rest OF his
life to philanthropy, education and
world peace.
Gary wanted to have a steel com.
pany that could compete with Ger
| MANY and Great Britain, which were
dominating the international market.
] AI1,,:.xaxa Gnall,. dacidad To give his