Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-04-02
DIVERSITY IN WORK
HELD MODERN NEED
Use of Machinery Declared
Operating Against Zone
Job Man."
BY ]. C. ROYLE.

The day of the one-job man is over.
This is agreed to both by those who
declare that the increased use of ma
chinery is throwing workers out of en-
ployment and by those who assert that
this move will necessarily readjust en-
ployment on a better basis.
The latter say that the increased use
of machinery is throwing out of work
those who know only one job, and that
the modern trend Is for each worker
to become specialist in a certain type
of jobs so that he can readjust his
activities within a certain range limit
without discomfort or periods OF unem-
ployment.
F. r. Merrick, president Of the West
inghouse Electric 81 Manufacturing
Company, declares that the increased
use Of machinery will set up benevo-
lent circle. He reasons that through
the reduced cost of production by the
use of labor saving machinery the
manufacturer can afford to pay higher
wages and at the same time sell his
product at price sufficiently low to
stimulate additional demand. With adj
ditional demand comes an increase in
mass production and still further wage
latitude and still further buying power.
1.-The higher wages of the workers
and the reduced costs of the products
made by labor-Saving machinery" ne
said, combine to increase the buying
power of the largest group of our popu-
lation. The standard Of living Of this
group and the whole community TENDS
to rise and the demand for goods OF
all kinds increases. This inevitably In
creases production, and with mass meth
DDS of manufacture unit costs decrease"
On the other hand. Charles II.
Hatch of the industrial engineering
firm of Miller, Franklin g. Co,
declares that the United States is build
ing up an army Of permanently unem-
ployed.
EVEN in highly prosperous times" he
SAYS, thousands of men and women
are annually thrown out OF the only
jobs they know as a result OF the In
creasing use Of labor-saving machines
and methods. The only possible cure
is to shorten working hours so that
everyone will be given certain amount
of employment.
Nearly every day a better method Is
put into effect in some factory and
few more workers join the great reser-
voir of permanently unemployed. When
a slackening in general business activ-
ity occurs, as at present, this reservoir
is suddenly filled to oyerhoWlng and
conditions become desperate. Conoltlons
LOQdY NOulu NC WOloC ~ ~ WSAS AAOs
the humane and far-sighted methods
of some employers, who give part-time
employment to their entire staff In
stead of laying of numbers entirely.
Most of our industries already are
developed to a point where they can
easily supply all our needs and leave
balance over. There Is serious over
production in many basic industries.
with overproduction it is obvious that
to give full time employment to ali
would aggravate the serious condition
now existing. 1t is coming TO be real
Ized by thoughtful business leaders
that the only solution is to reduce the
number of hours each man Will be
employed and so give everyone some
work to do
MIR. Hatch agrees with Mr.. Merrick
that if machinery can make 1t possible
for the worker to produce as mucn IN
three DAYS as he now produces in six,
the manufacturer can afford TO give
him as much in wages for three days
as he now earns in six.
(CopyriRht 193O,l