The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1930-02-03
Bosses Promise More Unemploy-
ment and Speedup

Hampshire, Massachusetts,, Connecticut and
Rhode Island met recently under the leader
ship of the New England Council which is af-
filiated to Hoover's Business Survey Council,
and reported to Secretary of Commerce Rob-
ert P. Lamont on how they proposed to deal
with unemployment in the present crisis. The
main point on their program promises more
unemployment and speed-up for the workers.
They say:
"'Modernize; prepare for cheaper pro-
duction and the increased demand of the fu-
ture. From President Hoovers speech of
Dec. 5, 1920"
They work out in detail new systems of tor
turous exploitation for the workers.; greater
production with less workers, and more profits
for themselves. Their specific program for
the industrialists of New England says:
Develop NOW plant modernization pro-
gram that begins with intensive study of:
.Q) Floor layout for 'straight-line' (belt)
production and elimination of lost motion, to
lower cost.
"(2) Material handling equipment, to low
er handling costs.
''(0 Modern high-capacity machinery,
modern service equipment; also modern
power and lighting installations.
ard structure for highest efficiency of oper-
alton.
"(5) Improvement of office layout and
equipment for highest economy of opera
tion'
This program, which the New England ex-
ploiters expect seriously to carry out, would
cut even the present sharply curtailed working
staff in the factories about one-half-it would
pf in Tn ole md
This policy is not restricted to New Eng
land alone. Ford, whose mania for speed-up
and naturalization is internationally famous,
promises still dizzier speeds for his workers.
dispatch to the Wall Street Journal (Jan.
81, 1930) from Richmond, w. Va, says:
Improvements completed, under way and
planned for the Norfolk assembly plant Of
Ford Motor Co., are expected to involve ex-
penditure of approximately $2,000,000 As
semblies for 1929 at the Norfolk plant totaled
10000 cars, exceeding that of any other year
by $4,000. Annual maximum capacity of plant
will be increased to 10000 cars it is expected,
and number of employees increased from 1900
to 2,40O"
Ford proposes to step up production in Rich
mond 100 per cent, by means of speed-up, with
an increase of only 80 per cent in his working
force. This system will be applied to other
plants, WIFI Lne SllgnC exception CnaC CnOu-
sands Of workers will be thrown out Of work
while production will be increased.
DR.. Julius Klein, assistant secretary of COM
merce, and Hoover's economic mouthpiece, in
talk over the Columbia Broadcasting System
on Jan. 26 reported in the N. Y. Times, Jan.
81, 1930), propagandizes for ever more fiendish
methods of exploitation based on rationaliza-
ton, speed-up, chronological improvements
anything, in fact, which will increase the
bosses profits and reduce the working staffs.
Klein realizes that thousands more workers
will lose their jobs in the process, but he light
ly waves this fact aside and says conditions"
will take care of chronological unemploy-
ment," which he admits "is capable of Great
ing indisputable suffering"
He gives some details on the new speed-up
system. He said:
I'm Middle Western State there is to-
day huge plant which is filled by what is
really single machine. 1t turns out cor-
pleted automobile frames almost untouched
by human hands. Each frame remains on
conveyors nine-tenths of the time. To SUI
pervise this vast automat about 200 men
are employed. The plant turns out between
1000 and 5000 automobile frames per day.