Evening star., 1928-05-05
SMALL MACHINERY
BOON TO UTILITIES
Dame, North American Co.
Head, Tells How Workers
and Plants Split Load.
By ]. c. ROYLE.

Special Dispatch to The Star.
NEW YORK. May 5.--Electricity and
the electric motor are among the great
est boons Of labor today and an i'm
portant factor in the stabnization of
employment. That was the declaration
made today by Frank l.. Dame, presi-
dent Of the North American Co, one
of the leading public utility companies
of the country and holder of large
blocks of stock in Washington public
utilities. Instead of cutting down the
number OF men employed in industrial
plants, he added, the new electrical
equipment has assured large number
OF workers continuous and steady work.
Under the old-style factory equip
ment," Mr.. Dame said, "the manufac-
turer was master of only half his forces.
He could discharge his human equip
ment in time of depression or critical
need, but he could not discharge his
machinery. That machinery usually
was run by power plant which cost
as much TO operate while the plant
was running at only 1.-THE Of capac-
ity as when 1t was running under full
load.
Formerly Hooked Up as Unit.
"The machinery usually was all
hooked UP to run as unit. II its was
desired to run only one machine
the belts, sllafting and power transmits
sion machinery went round the same as
If a hundred machines were engaged.
Men with a large amount OF capital
invested felt that they had to run
their plants and make their capital
lAHst
such conditions was uneconomical and
as a result the working forces were cut
down, the pay roll shaved, and an at
tempt made in this way 10 eQualize the
uneconomic operation of the machinery.
An added strain was brought on
workers and employers alike by the
development in the last four or flve
wears of what used TO be known as
hand d-to-mouth' buying. The manu-
facturers could not pile up huge back
log OF orders and operate at full speed
and efficiency until they were filed and
then shut down their factories until
the next season. They had to operate
continuously and be ready 20 I'LL even
small order at top speed. For time
this cut profits and caused increase in
unemployment.
THE small electric motor. however.
has changed all that Plants are now
equipped so that their units operate
separately The manufacturer pays
only for the power he actually uses
Batteries of machines are hooked on
TO individual motors. Single machines
may be so arranged and even individual
parts Of single machines now have
their independent power units.
Can Discharge Machinery.
1.-The factory owner does not have
to operate whole plant to turn over
one machine. He has been enabled 10
discharge part or all of his machinery
temporarily just as he was able TO dis
charge his workers In consequence
where all the cutting down of expense
used 10 fall on the employees it now is
divided between the workers and the
machines. Thus, steady work is pro-
vided for all the labor that the situa-
ton will stand all the time.
There Is no question whatever that
the economies made possible by elec-
trificaiion Of plants has caused wide
increases in both production and sales.
1t has made possible larger volume of
production. This in turn has lowered
costs and made prices cheaper. The
lover prices have stimulated demand
Inis Is one OF the chief factors in
Americas present cycle Of prosperity
and one which has given this country n
marked advantage over European pro-
oucers despite the high level OF wages
mere as compared with the scales in
force abroad"