914

The Bullard Cos.

747

Lake Torpedo Co.

850

American Tube & Stamping Co.

7,699

Total..

"The difference between the totals of 7,699 and 8,699 is explained in the fact that the Union Metallic Cartridge Co. shows no employees whose earnings enable them to rent any of the houses whose minimum rental is above $27.50.

"The above information was obtained by personally interviewing the officials of 15 of the leading industries particularly charged with the responsibility of providing adequate housing facilities for the workers of the industries under consideration. About 40 per cent of the workers most urgently needing homes are variously classified as laborers, beginners, etc., requiring houses at a rental of not more than $18 per month, for whom none of the houses now under construction will be suitable. These houses are being constructed primarily for the machinists, skilled and semi-skilled workers, and these are being handsomely paid in high wages. The proposed rentals are easily within the reach of the tenants who are likely to occupy the houses, and they compare favorably with rentals of similar houses and apartments in the section of the city.

"Before closing it might be worth while to call attention to the economic phase of the use of these new houses. They were constructed upon the theory that the man to be taken care of particularly was the skilled mechanic-that if these mechanics were properly housed in new dwellings it would release a number of the older houses for the use of those not so well paid. This theory, however, is not working out in practice, for there has been a constant stream of new workers of all classes, and the skilled mechanics, being well paid and willing to pay liberally for comfortable accommodations, have forced up practically all the rents of the city to a very high level, working a hardship on the unskilled laborers, clerks, and those working on a purely salary basis. There is a growing feeling here now that possibly a mistake has been made in not providing houses that will rent for less than $20 per month, as fully 40 per cent of the demand for houses arises from classes of workers able to pay about this amount. While some of the laborers are making from $25 to $30 per week their habits of living and all past experience makes them unwilling to pay over $15 to $18 per month; moreover, they would not fit well into some of the sections where the corporation is now building. I would strongly urge that some consideration be given to the building of these cheaper houses. If no accommodations are provided for the poorer foreign element they concentrate in the older sections of the city, where they live in uncomfortable and dirty quarters that are conducive to unsanitary and unhygienic conditions."

The result, in brief, of this investigation of wages earned by employees of industries at Bridgeport, Conn., shows that many more are amply able to pay

rentals ranging from $27.50 to $35 a month than there are houses of the corporation to be rented at these assumed rates. This, as a general statement, applies with equal force to all the housing projects of the corporation.

SALARY INCREASES AND PROMOTIONS FOR CORPORATION EMPLOYEES-OTHER ACTIVITIES OF THE DIVISION.

CLASSIFICATION OF OFFICE EMPLOYEES.

The field of operation of the Industrial Relations Division was not confined to the labor problems arising out of the employment of thousands of men by contractors on housing projects. Problems of employment and management necessarily arose within the corporation itself, requiring as it did the services of thousands of men and women in all the varied activities of an extensive organization which directed the expenditure of over $60,000,000. One of these problems was the classification of non-technical employees receiving salaries of $2,000 and less a year, and the formulation of rules and methods governing increases in salaries, promotions, and conditions of employment. This problem was placed in the hands of a committee of three, consisting of the manager of the Industrial Relations Division as chairman, Miss Harlean James, executive secretary, and Mr. Julius Tuckerman, chief clerk.

TIME CLOCKS.

At least one other of the numerous subjects the Industrial Relations Division was directed to investigate and report upon should be referred to in some detail as illustrative of the varied character of its field of activity. This had to do with the operation of socalled time clocks on the housing projects for checking in the men when they reported for work in the morning and checking them out at the close of the day's work. At first these time clocks were installed on virtually all the projects. But they were not in operation very long before general complaints against their use arose among the employees on most of the projects. An investigation of these complaints disclosed the following conditions, as reported by special representatives of the division.

"Where several thousand men are employed it takes con siderable time, even though a large number of clocks are used, for them to check in and out, particularly in inclement weather. Naturally the men complain of the loss of time necessitated by the waiting period.' Checking in on the work at the morning hour and out again for lunch and in at lunch and out again in the evening occasions delay on the operation and personal annoyance to the employees that is not conducive to progress or discipline.

"One experienced contractor expresses his belief as follows: 'We do not believe time clocks are practicable for construction

work, especially in the winter time, and we believe they are looked upon as a grievance by building-trade workers. The system requires them to put in a lot of extra time on the job to check in and out. We believe that the time-clock system is very unsatisfactory to workmen and that they will prefer to work on projects where the time-clock system is not in use. We feel that the adoption of this system on our project will make it unnecessarily difficult to secure the proper class of men and to retain them even if we are fortunate in securing them.'

"On some projects too few clocks are being used, necessitating a loss of time anywhere from 20 to 30 minutes to some of the men. At first, this time was taken from the men, but it was recognized as being unjust, and instructions were given to the works superintendent to have the checking in and out done on the corporation's time. In other instances the location of the clocks on the project was so far away from the point nearest to the homes of the men that they had to go some distance out of their way to get to the clock in coming from their homes to the project. This situation will be remedied by recommendation to supply more clocks and rearrange their location. Other difficulties are encountered because of jealousy among the members of the various crafts as to their 'right' to check in and out before members of other crafts and in all cases before common laborers. Members of some unions flatly refused to check in and out on the work by the timeclock system and left the project to secure other employment. This opposition on the part of employees to the use of the time-clock method is serious enough to receive immediately attention from the division."

On the Moline, Ill., project the representative of the carpenters' union declared it was impossible for the members to deviate from the rule in their constitution in regard to time clocks. To meet the direction, the brass-check system was suggested, to which the bricklayers objected. The carpenters' representative claimed that it took too much time "to walk to the clock to ring out; that they had done away with the brass-check system at the Rock Island Arsenal and were using paper checks instead, which were found to be more satisfactory." The works superintendent proposed that if the distance was too great, sufficient time would be allowed by the contractor.

The report of the special representative as to the situation on the Bridgeport, Conn., project recommended that "a different time system be installed on the Crane tract. It now takes the men from 20 to 25 minutes to ring in and out. This could be improved by having more clocks and more lines, with the number to each line posted on signs at the entrance; or the metal-tag system is much quicker. Any improvement simplifying the timekeeping or paying-off systems would also be a distinct advantage to this project."

On some of the projects men would quit work sometimes as early as half an hour before the regular checking-out time in order to be among the first in line. This was stopped by "docking" the wages of these employees when caught by the contractor's representative, and on one project in particular a strike for an entire day occurred in consequence of a dispute growing out of the enforcement of this penalty. Where the system was indisputably bad, the time clocks were withdrawn and another system of checking up the employees when they reported to begin and to quit work for the day was put into effect.

But the time-clock system did not work badly on all projects. For instance, this report was made to the division: "This project still uses the time-clock method of checking in

and out, but the numbers of the men are well subdivided and the method is as rapid as can be under this system. All the men seem to be able to check in or out in about 5 to 8 minutes."

SPECIAL LABOR CANVASS.

Another investigation by the Industrial Relations Division was directed toward ascertaining the approximate number of men and women already living in the vicinity of a proposed housing project for a bag-loading plant, who would likely work in the plant upon its completion, as well as the number of the construction force at work erecting the plant who would likely remain there as operatives. The locality was in an open, thinly-settled country district, from which it was evident that no appreciable number of workers could be drawn. Near by, however, was a city population. A pressing demand for labor was found to be operating upon it, at the lowest estimate. 6,000 workers of all classes being urgently needed in the district. Even if it had been possible to have transferred employees from its nonessential industries, there would not have been enough men to have supplied the demands of the immediate section of the city, and, of course, no surplus for the locality where the houses were to be built. A census of the man power of the district made through the State farm labor bureau also showed an acute labor shortage in the vicinity of the proposed project, all the available labor supply having been drawn away, so that the farmers themselves were in a critical condition as regards labor. Efforts of the Y. M. C. A. interstate committee to secure a number of older boys to work on the farms in place of the men who had gone into the industrial field had proved negligible. Even a house-to-house canvass through that entire section had been made without appreciable results, as had also strong appeals in moving-picture theaters and by means of letters to ministers and leading merchants. A study of the transportation facilities disclosed that they were wholly inadequate for the needs of the section. The sum and substance of this investigation was the conclusion that practically all the operatives needed by the bag-loading plant upon the completion of its construction would not only have to be brought into the locality from distant points but that they would also have to be provided with housing accommodations.

OTHER INVESTIGATIONS.

Activities of the division also included investigations and reports on rent profiteering in Washington; welfare work among Housing Corporation employees;

labor conditions in New England and New York; constitution and by-laws and preliminary organization of a Housing Corporation club; observance by contractors of the provisions of contracts covering protection and safeguards to employees; fire hazard in the Housing Corporation office building; social agencies for assisting Housing Corporation employees; possibilities of colored labor supply in the Southern States as a source for workers on housing projects; characteristics of the local labor supply at various points; workingmen's compensation provisions on Housing Corporation projects; recreation facilities for workingmen; welfare work for building operatives; and so on.

Such other matters as the following also came under the jurisdiction of the division: The adjustment of wage claims of employees against contractors; interpretation of the rules of labor unions in their application to housing projects; rulings in scores of individual cases as to payment of transportation of employees to and from the projects; responsibility of contractors for hospital and funeral expenses of employees; discrimination against the employment of Jews by housing contractors; complaints against contractors of nonconformity with union-labor regulations; the discharge of employees; complaints of United States Employment Service against contractors for alleged violations of its regulations; wagepayment systems of contractors; jurisdictional disputes between building crafts; relation of superintendents and foremen to union employees; jurisdiction as between contractor and labor union over specified official positions on projects; privileges of the "walking delegate" of labor unions on housing projects; and so on.

PERSONNEL.

The complete organization of the Industrial Relations Division, excluding the office personnel, follows: Manager: Frank J. Warne, Washington, D. C. Assistant manager: Darrell H. Smith, Glen Ridge, N. J. Special representatives: James T. Young, Philadelphia. Pa.; B. F. Baker, New York City, N. Y.; Lynne K. Lewis, Philadelphia, Pa.; James W. Mason, Cleveland, Ohio.

Welfare directors: Carl Beck, New York City, N. Y.; Sam Trachtenberg, New York City, N. Y.; J. F. Trazzare, Atlanta, Ga.; C. W. Kinney, Bethlehem, Pa.; E. A. Shields, Bethlehem, Pa.

Field agents: John J. Lynch, Boston, Mass.; Charles B. Puglisi, New York City, N. Y.

Statistician: Clara Ella Lang, New York City, N. Y.

FRANK J. WARNE,

Manager, August 3, 1918, to July 31, 1919.

One of the most important branches of the work of the operating representative is the selecting and placing of his tenants. The principal thing is to place the right family in the right house. Each prospective tenant is investigated so far as is practicable. If possible, the operating manager makes a visit to the house in which he is living at the time of his application to see under what conditions he lives and how he keeps his home. Information is also secured as to the family's general character and reputation. If in the opinion of the operating manager the applicant would make a good tenant he fills out an application and helps him select a house suitable to his needs. The necessary contracts are drawn up and he moves in.

2 These are old apartments.

RENT COLLECTION AND INSPECTION.

Another important feature of this work is the matter of the collection of the rents. There is a tendency among a few of the tenants to try to make us wait occasionally for the rental money. By careful supervision of our tenants we are able on many projects to make monthly collections approximating 100 per

cent.

The inspection and supervision of the property is most important and occupies a good portion of the time of the operating manager. The frequent visits and inspections make the tenants realize their responsibility in keeping their houses in good condition.

COMMUNITY FACILITIES.

The operating representatives take care of the social, recreational, and welfare features, so as to provide a type of home life leading to better citizenship. At a number of our projects playgrounds are provided for the children and at the Quincy dormitories there is a men's clubhouse.

The operating managers work with the local city and town officials in the matters pertaining to public utilities. They are also in close contact with the leading business men and manufacturers of the town. or city.