The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1928-12-13
HAPGOOD TELLS
HOW HIS PLANT
! HERE SUCCEEDS
Industry Thrives Because
Work Is Permanent,
Senators Learn.

WAOf11NCION, Lee. Love IL
liar, Powers Hapgood, president of
the Columbia Conserve Company,
Indianapolis, told a deeply inter
ested group of senators, members of
the senate labor committee, today
of the success of his plant in pro-
Viding continuous employment I'M
der democratic control.
The business is growing so, Hap
good said, that he expects in the
next few years to have a pay roll of
1000 persons. He now employs
about 100, who are permanent de-
spite the seasonal nature of the
business.
IF every big industry in the coun-
try were to adopt our methods, I
believe this in itself vastly would
cut down our unemployment prob
lem," Hapgood said. 1.-THE time has
arrived when industries should
make their chief aim the perma-
nancy of work for the workers"
Senator James A. Couzens of
Michigan, chairman of the commit
tee which is investigating the I'M
employment problem under reso-
tuition of Senator La Toilette of
Wisconsin, had invited Hapgood to
appear because of his success in pre-
venting unemployment. The Indi-
annapolis plant is known among
social workers and economists all
over the United States because of
she experiment.
y Morale Is Better
Hapgood attributed the success OF
the plant under the system to the
better morale of the workers. There
Us no malingering, he said, and in
deed a shop committee had to b.
appointed to send workers home
when they were too i'll to work.
In 1917, he said, the company
started the experiment, and in that
year had five permanent salaried
workers and fifty on wages, who
were let out as business became
slack. In 1923, he said, the COM
pany had ninety-Seven saIaried
workers, who were paid each week
in spite Of illness, slack time, or
any other reason, and receive three
weeks vacation a year.
Three men were on wages
throughout the year, thirty others
had to be employed during the rush
season last September, he said but
even these were guaranteed at least
one weeks pay. The shop has a
45-hour-w week, five days week.
Hapgood said the plant had made
a satisfactory profit every year
since 1921, and he attributed this TIC
the increased efficiency of his work.
ers rather than to any increase in
business, upon being questioned by
Senator Couzens.
Profits at Record Mark
This years profits, he said, are
to be the largest ever made, and
business has grown so per cent in
the last six months.
Every worker in the plant is
trained at more than one job, he
said, and during times of depres-
sion they are put at tasks like
cleaning and painting the plant,
labelling reserve cans, etc. Then,
during the extreme slack season in
June, the plant virtually is closed,
he said, and every one goes on va
cation with pay.
'fYour plan provides for the eff
Gent worker, but we have to look
out for the large number of ineffi-
Gent people, who drift from job
to job," said Senator Tyson of Ten
nessee.
"Our workers we're especially cho-
sen for efficiency We took what
came and trained them" Hapgood
answered. Unemployment causes
jnef1ciency and not inefficiency I'M
employment, as a general rule.
Thinks Others Gould Do 1t
eff we could do it, why can not
the United States Steel Company
Or the automobile industry do it?
II every major industry in the
country made its chief aim to regu-
late employment in some such way
as we have, the problem of unem-
ployment would be almost solved
Hapgood suggested the possibility
of a graduated tax upon employers
of part time labor, the tax to be
higher the more short time workers
were employed. This, he said, would
force industry to study the problem
The company manufactures food
supplies it's principal product beins
SOuDS