September 1, 1917.] 



THE INDIA RUBBER WORLD 



711 



When extreme accuracy is not required the cylinder table may 

 be used to determine weights of round flange rings using average 

 of circumferences for length of cord. 



SAMPLE, 



Rome! Flange Ring — 7J'r inch diameter, 7^8 inch hole, ]i inch round flange. 

 Computation. 

 '4 inch diameter zz .34048 ounces 



"H inches average circumference = 23.955 inches = 2 feet 



.68096 ounces 



AMERICANIZATION ACTIVITIES IN RUBBER MILLS. 



TX response to the questionnaire issued to firm members by The 

 * Rubber Association of America at the request of the Immi- 

 gration Committee of the Chamber of Commerce of the United 

 States of America, the followin.2: interesting data have been com- 

 piled from the replies from 78 establishments. 52 of which re- 

 ported a total of 26,003 foreign-born workmen, or 29 per cent 

 of the total number employed. 



Averages show that at least 15 per cent of these foreign-born 

 workmen cannot speak English well enough to understand even 

 the simplest commands. This condition is most striking in the 

 larger plants — two employing 7,500 and 3,000 foreign-born re- 

 spectively, reporting 53 and 75 per cent. In 45 plants only 27.3 

 per cent of the foreign-born have been naturalized, while in 

 seven plants the number is not known. In other words, 72.7 

 per cent of the foreign-born workmen, or 21.08 per cent of the 

 total workmen are aliens. In 35 plants it is known that 71 per 

 cent desire to become citizens, while in 17 of these the number 

 reaches 100 per cent. 



When asked whether a census covering these points would be 

 of value, 12 answered affirmatively, six negatively and 34 did not 

 reply. The replies showed that the number of foreign-born and 

 their ability to speak English was quite generally known, but 

 the naturalization status was but roughly estimated by 45 plants 

 and only 35 had any idea whatsoever of the number desiring 

 citizenship. 



Seventeen plants Iielp their emploj-es to learn English, but 

 only two conduct classes within the plant, the attendance being 

 on company time in one and on the employes' time in the other. 

 However, 27 cooperate with public night schools and 14 ar- 

 range adjustments between the class hours and plant shifts to 

 make continued attendance possible. All endeavor to treat for- 

 eign and native-born alike and 39 discourage all epithets such 

 as "dago," "hunkie," etc. 



Central employment offices are maintained by 36 plants, to 

 handle all matters pertaining to hiring, firing, promotions, trans- 

 fers, voluntary lay-offs, and other matters relative to promoting 

 fair treatment for foreign-born workmen. The incentives to 

 create a contented and stable labor supply vary. Safety and 

 first-aid work are maintained by 36, lunch rooms by 20, w-ash 

 rooms by 29, while insurance benefits are given by 29, and 

 bonuses by 18. Seven plants do specific work for the housing 

 of their workmen. Welfare work of various kinds is carried 

 on by 21 plants, while 26 keep in touch with social-betterment 

 movements in the community, which affect their workmen. 



It is interesting to note that in the six plants employing over 

 1.000 foreign-born, the 19,495 foreign-born employes constitute 

 47.5 per cent of the total employes, at least 35 per cent do not 

 understand English and only 14.2 per cent have been naturalized. 

 A chart which has been prepared in this connection, shows that 

 as the average ability to speak English increases and approaches 

 100 per cent the percentage of employes naturalized also ap- 

 proaches the same maximum. The results also show that the 

 alien's desire for citizenship increases in direct proportion to his 

 ability to speak English, which is his medium for the absorption 

 of .American ideas and thus an index of his ability to appreciate 

 the value and meaning of American citizenship. 



At a time when business is lending all efforts toward maxi- 

 mum efficiency Americanization work takes on greater than 

 normal importance and the further suggestions of the Immigra- 

 tion Committee, based on the conditions as reported, com- 

 mend themselves to every manufacturer. 



1. General. In practically all cases there is lurking a com- 

 plete and coordinated plan of work for all the personnel activi- 

 ties of the plant under the supervision of a trained and tactful 

 director. 



2. Conferences. Collective action is needed and frequent 

 conferences with superintendents and foremen will help to 

 create a clear understanding. 



3. A Centr.-vl Employment Dep.\rtment should be organized 

 under the direction of a responsible executive, which shall have 

 charge of all personnel work. All matters connected with em- 

 ployment, transfer, promotions, layoffs, dismissals, physical con- 

 ditions, affecting the comfort and social needs of the men inside 

 the plant and all community relationships affecting education, 

 citizenship, housing and standards of living, should be cleared 

 through this department, no matter what tlieir source. It should 

 be the clearing house for employes where grievances and com- 

 plaints can be heard and adjusted and advice and information 

 can be given. 



4. Registr.^tion. All applicants for employment should be 

 registered when they apply for work even though a vacancy does 

 not exist, so that immediate contact can be made later. 



5. The Application Blank for employment should contain 

 definite questions relating to the applicant's residence in the 

 United States, his literacy in the English and his native language 

 and his citizenship status. 



6. Promotions. The reverse side of the "Employe's Record" 

 4ard should be used for recording efficiency and producing rat- 

 ings, regularity, etc., which should serve as the basis of pro- 

 motions. A policy of promotions from within the plant, proper- 

 ly announced, thoroughly understood and consistently adhered 

 to will do much to increase efficiency. 



7. Dismissals. Records should show number of men dis- 

 charged and those who quit voluntarily and the reasons there- 

 for. There should be a definite rule that all firing should be 

 done through the employment department and all persons leav- 

 ing the company's employ should be carefully interviewed. 

 Causes of dissatisfaction can thus be determined and adjust- 

 ments or transfers to other departments in the plant can be 

 made. 



8. A Nurse should be employed, speaking foreign languages, 

 to follow up cases of absence, remove the causes and develop 

 an American standard of living in the home. 



9. Safetv-First Work. Until all employes learn to read 

 English some of the safety rules should be printed in the im- 

 portant foreign languages and posted. 



10. Insurance. Special efforts should be made to gain the 

 understanding and interest of the foreign-born employes in the 

 plant association which will bring them into social contact with 

 the American employes — a very strong factor in Americaniza- 

 tion. Lunch, reading and rest rooms should be provided, which 

 will further mix the workmen, and raise their working efficiency 

 through relaxation. 



11. Savings. Greater thrift means higher standards of living, 

 and a more efficient and stable labor supply. Local banks may 

 be induced to send a teller to the plant every pay day and 

 officially accept deposits there. 



12. A Common Language. If a definite cooperative arrange- 

 ment cannot be made between the plant and the public schools 

 to stimulate attendance — similar to the Detroit plan — another 

 and perhaps better method is the establishment of classes in the 

 plant before or after shifts, and before the men are scattered 

 to their homes. (Standards and methods for this work can 

 be secured from the Division of Immigrant Education of the 

 United States Bureau of Education). 



13. A United Citizenship. All those desirous of becoming 

 citizens should be enrolled in special classes and receive instruc- 

 tion in the principles of the American form of government. 



14. Housing. It is well to keep careful records of employes' 

 housing and living conditions. Bad home conditions tend to 

 increase the labor turnover by stimulating search for work in 

 other communities. The stability of the labor supply is largely 

 dependent on the creation of a home-stake in the community. 



15. Coordination of Plant Activities With City-Wide 

 .Americanization Work. A conference of the industrial lead- 

 ers in each locality should be called at which the conditions, 

 principles and mctliods of .•\mericanization work for the com- 

 munity and the industrial plants can be outlined. One plant is 

 so dependent on another, with respect to labor supply, that every 

 effort should be made to coordinate city-wide work to promote 

 the loyalty and stability of the alien workmen in the national 

 crisid the country is facing. 



According to "The Tire Rate Book" there are in the 

 United States 40.912 firms of whom tires can be bought at re- 

 tail. These are divided as follows : 25,924 dealers ; 23,686 ga- 

 rages ; 12.471 macliine shops; 5,675 firms having auto-supply 

 departments, and 2,503 supply stores. Many firms, of course, are j 

 listed in two of these classifications. 



