Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-01-11

ISAOW HuIIlaU lCCiLIlk ana TCtAAAy AANC
me the thought that II we were ever
to come TO some method Of ameliorat-
ing the hardships of unemployment all
of the people who were working would
be glad to help those who were less
fortunate, and especially II ct the same
time they saw the company. as such,
would cooperate and contribute.
We'll, all this set me to thinking
along new lines about ways and means
OF helping all our employees b help
themselves and one another in times
OF unemployment. So we drew up A
tentative plan and submitted 20 70 the
employees in number of shops, and
they turned 1t down. You see, this
illustrates our confirmed policy that
we do not want to do something to our
people or for our people. but 70 work
with them and by them for the best in
terests of all. In this case unless so ,
per cent of the employees voted for It. /.
it was not to be put into effect in that
shop or department of the business
1t was in 1925, at q time when, you
remember. business was very good, that
this plan was turned down.
1T may have been the psychology Of
good times that led to the adverse vote
then. But several months ago I got
out the old papers and went over the
whole thing again. and after discussion
1t was once more submitted TO the
works council in each plant In SUBJ
stantially the same general form as In
1925. If the council went on record in
its favor 1t was then submitted to the
employees. Only when so per cent voted
in its favor did 1t go into effect. In
some plants the vote ran 100 per cent
and the average of all the plants has
been 70 per cent In its favor.
Only In Trial Stage.
"Of course. there are q great many
details to the plan, every one of which
has been worked over and over again,
and 1t Is, of course, only In it's trial
stage. We do not yet know how It will
work. We cannot theorize; we must
experiment. and we are frankly trying
an experiment. The essentials Of the
plan are comparatively simple. The
idea is first to raise q fund by con-
tributions of per cent Of the weekly
earnings of each employe where the
plan has been accepted. This IL
matched with an equal contribution bv
the company, which means, Of course,
that the stockholders contribute as
much as do the employees.
"The company guarantees 5 per cent
interest on the fund and pays all ad-
ministration costs for the first tive
years. The administration OF the plan
in each plant is in the hands Of q
committee, half of which Is elected by
the employees and half by the manage
ment. In case man is. laid OF FOR
more than two weeks he Is entitled to
have half Of his full time weekly earn
ings for period of 10 weeks, the
maximum payment being $40 q week.
There are provisions for emergency
contributions, which are made by ali
employees from the president down. and
the company matches any emergency
hui an
Is only sketch in the rough might
mention that the Survey Magazine
made quite an extensive Investigation
OF the plan recently through personal
interviews with the men. and the
weight Of opinion among the men was
decidedly to the effect that the plan
was worth while trying
Our hope for this plan lies in our
belief that it viii work in the direction
OF giving the workers feeling OF
greater peace that comes from security
We are thinking much along these lines
IN these days, and the latest experi-
ment We are trying was announced
only today-whereby In 1881 we are
guaranteeing so weeks of not less than
80 hours each week In our incandeScent
lamp department. In this department
we are dealing with a standardized
product not subject to deterioration,
and therefore we can keep q steady
production throughout the year by
manufacturing lamps during the Sum-
mer months, when the demand "a not
so great, for sale in the Fall, when the
days are shorter and therefore the de-
mand for lamps Is greater.
Other General Policies.
"of course, we have q number Of
other general policies for stabdlizinR
employment which might list Is fol-
| lows:
When business is increasing:
l. Add new employees as slowly as
possible.
2. Transfer from slack 10 busy de-
| partmentS.
3. Use overtime where possible rather
than hire new workers.
4. Postpone repairs and plant re-
newals
when business is decreasing:
l. Cease hiring at once
2. Cut out all overtime.
3. Increase transfers from slack 10
busy departments
4. Try to induce customers 10 buy for
| future delivery.
S. Make careful two-year plan On al
standard goods based on last three
| years average sales.
8. Bring all stocks everywhere up 10
maximum
7. Make needed repairs, using our
own men.
8. Build new plant facilities previ-
ously planned, using our own men.
8. Drop new employees flrst beginning
always with unmarried employees with
no dependents. e
10. Inform all employees whether lay
on is permanent or temporary.
Along the same lines of. giving q
greater sense OF peace and security 10
the minds OF the workers. plans have.
been worked out in the company for
lie insurance, where the company and
the employees both contribute, also plans
of assistance to the employee by the
company in building homes, providing
facilities for stable and sound invest-
ment OF their savings, where the men
also take part in the management Of
the company and also a pension plan
for their old age, where again the man
as well as the company contributes. ,
"PIan Is Not Unique.
II might emphasize in conclusion
that these plans are neither revolution.
airy nor unique, but they are evidences
OF the fine spirit and sense of RESPONSE
bility of an organization. I think we
see an additional evidence of this re-
sponsibility for the other man that is
laying hold of the business world BY
the way this present depression has
reacted upon the community in gem =
eBal 81
ITO me the most gratifying thing
about the present unemployment situaL
ton Is the way that 1t has deVelopeds
and aroused public conscience. Never
before have all classes rallied 30 gem
orally and Loyalty to lend q hand. 4
have never in my experience known
business men 50 ready to leave their
offices and sit I'M l1icf1tQ r. VoarAasa rr.s 81.