November 10. 1920 



HARDWOOD RECORD 



21- 



awakened to the fact that the company might be really interested 

 in their welfare. The cost of this Safety First movement to us is 

 30 per cent less than under the former system of liability insur- 

 ance. We also promote our men when the opportunity affords, and 

 this inducement has been beneficial to us in that our labor turn- 

 over is practically at a standstill, in fact, the men who engage 

 with us come to stay, and they work more regularly; we do not 

 keep "extras" in the camp. Our prospects of newly hired men 

 becoming permanent are growing better. 



Bonus System in Effect 



Another reason for this might be that we have in operation a 

 bonus plan by which it is possible that we may pay out to our 

 employees at Christmas time something close to $65,000. It depends 

 upon the regularity with which the man works as to the amount 

 of the bonus he will receive, that is, if he puts in 100 per cent of 

 available time, beginning the day he starts to work until Christmas, 

 he will receive 10 per cent of his earnings; if he puts in 95 per 

 cent of available time he will receive 5 per cent of his earnings, 

 and if he puts in 90 per cent of available time he will receive 3 per 

 cent of his earnings. This applies to all workmen who receive $5 

 per day or less and who begin work with us before October 1. One 

 great trouble we have had to contend with is the "jumper," or the. 

 workman who goes from place to place; who does not stay long 

 enough to learn the work and is constantly getting hurt, losing 

 tools, breaking tools, and who cannot or will not properly perform 

 the work for which he is drawing pay. We believe that with the 

 inducements as I have set forth, and with the understanding the 

 foreman has of what is expected of him, this class of workmen will 

 soon be a thing of the past with us, at least in anything like a gen- 

 eral way. The whole thing is education, and one must liave 

 patience. One of the most difficult problems we had to overcome 

 was the tendency of the old-time foreman, who was set in his ways 

 and could not see anything good in anything new. These, however, 

 are few, and we find that most men are inclined to be progressive 

 and want to advance, and will do so with a little encouragement. 

 It is our intention and purpose to educate and train our men for 

 their places. 



Lectures on Practical Subjects 



At some of our Safety First meetings we have an expert drop in 

 to give a lecture on air as it is applied to locomotives and cars; or 

 a lecture on lubrication or machinery — its use and upkeep; or saws 

 • — the use and care of them, etc., for we are working with the idea 

 that no matter how unpretentious a man's work seems to be he 

 should know it thoroughly. These Safety meetings are the life 

 of the organization. All officialism is laid aside and cooperation 

 stands out as predominant; there the men discuss accidents, how 

 to avoid a repetition of them, methods of work, safety rules, "No 

 Accidents Campaigns," and things which the Inspection Commit- 

 tees are ever doing or have done — for we give these safety com- 

 mittees, "something to do," some recognition, some responsibility, 

 and this plan of having committees of foremen and workmen 

 inspect the operation has proven one of the most effective means 

 of giving the men a chance to be heard, and thus enlisting their 

 active interest. As the problem of accidents touches the lives of 

 our workmen so vitally, the field of accident prevention affords 

 us the common ground necessary upon which we can meet our 

 employees and join hands in a cooperative effort with mutual gain. 

 What the Committees Found Out 



After our Safety First committees had made two or three inspec- 

 tion tours, and begun to look for ways in which their fellow work- 

 men might be injured, they discovered for themselves what we 

 could not make them believe by telling them; that is, what a small 

 per cent of accidents can be prevented by safety appliances as 

 compared to the large percentage due to the carelessness of the 

 men on the job. These inspection tours have opened their eyes 

 and have made converts of the "doubting Thomases," for they 

 are told to inspect the operation as though it were their own. We 

 want them to be really interested. These men who serve on inspec- 

 tion committees become the best of safety "fans," and help to 

 foster conditions among the workmen and make them take accident 



prevention seriously — accidents of every kind; personal injuries, 

 wrecks, breakdowns, split switches, fire, etc., and endeavor to 

 attain a high standard of efficiency. These workmen 's committees 

 also serve as a prod to the superintendent and the foremen, and 

 prevent laxness and neglect. Our foremen are ashamed to be 

 caught napping by their workmen. One of the main indispensable 

 things to the success of the Safety First movement is that every 

 foreman, like the manager of the operation, must believe in the 

 committee idea, and he must really believe that the workmen can 

 be trusted to make inspections and that they can render valuable 

 service in helping to make his department safe and efficient. Then 

 he must get back of this committee, encourage the n^en from week 

 to week, and make them feel that he appreciates their efforts and 

 suggestions. 



We began this work the first of the present year with a thorough 

 understanding among all concerned, and we are working along 

 these lines, ever keeping this in the minds of the foremen — that to 

 insure the success of a safety movement it requires interest and 

 enthusiasm; these two essentials must come from the top down as 

 well as from the bottom up. Managers, superintendent and fore- 

 men, on account of their greater knowledge of the work, the con- 

 ditions surrounding their employees at work, and having the means 

 and the authority for teaching and promoting safety are, and should 

 be, considered in a large measure responsible for the elimination 

 of accidents and suffering among the workmen, and for a higher 

 standard of efficiency throughout the operation. One of the main 

 elements influencing the success or failure of a safety organiza- 

 tion is the foreman; he is placed in this position on account of his 

 greater knowledge of the work, his ability to manage his force and 

 to conduct the business of his department. If he is a successful 

 foreman, it reasonably follows that he has influence and enjoys 

 tne confidence of his workmen. This is the deciding factor in the 

 Safety First work; if the foreman takes a whole-hearted- interest 

 in the work he becomes enthusiastic; this interest and enthusiasm 

 passes along through his whole force and makes better men. On 

 the other hand, should the foreman's attitude be one of indiffer- 

 ence, especially in the presence of his crew, and criticism of the 

 honest efforts put forth by the company, the result will be a 

 failure. 



Chair Industry to Slump Until After January 1 



No substantial volume of business is spected by the chair factories 

 of the country for the remainder of 1920, according to the con- 

 sensus of opinion voted at the seventh annual meeting of the asso- 

 ciation, held in Chicago on November 5 and 6. "Business with chair 

 factories is flat and in most oases production is being restricted and 

 stocks are not being accumulated in the hands of the manufacturer," 

 said a report of the meeting made by Wm. B. Baker of Chicago, 

 secretary. 



Hours of operation are being shortened and in some cases to the 

 point of complete shut down of plants. As a result of this unde- 

 sirable labor is being eliminated and where vacancies occur positions 

 are not being filled. But Mr. Baker calls attention to the fact that 

 the convention developed that there is no intention on the part of 

 the chair factories to rduee the scale of wages. 



The chair manufacturers determined that the present economic 

 crisis demands a most careful study of production costs, and hence 

 the interval of dull business between now and January first will be 

 emplo}'ed in analyzing the costs in each grade and type of chair 

 produced. 



It was the sense of the meeting that costs of chairs at present 

 only permit reductions at this time up to 10 per cent. 



The annual election of officers resulted in the selection of Ashton 

 P. Derby as president; Samuel Sailor, vice-president; W. P. Baker, 

 secretary and treasurer, and the following executive committee 

 by sctions: 



Executive Committee: Eastern — Ashton P. Derby, G. A. Dunn, 

 F. L. Butler. Southern— W. S. Milne, J. H. Conrades, S. H. Tomlin- 

 son. Central — O. C. Hatch, W. H. Gunlocke, J. D. Karel. Western — 

 S. Sailor, R. E. Edwards, C. L. Zink. 



