The Daily News THURSDAY, APRIL 15. INCENTIVE TO WORKMEN.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LII, Issue 67, 15 April 1909, Page 2

The Daily News THURSDAY, APRIL 15. INCENTIVE TO WORKMEN.

Brief mention was made in Hie cables recently to a scheme oi co-partnership I that Mr. W. 11. Lever proposed to introduce into the great business of Lever Brothers, soap manufacturers, Port Sunlight. From the particulars given in the / English papers to hand, Mr. Lever seems | to have formulated an arrangement that ought to be at once equitable and work- [ able, one that the working ami result I , of which will be watched with interest,

not only by commercial and industrial concerns in Britain, but by those in this country as well. There is no denying the fact that the desire to owi forms a substantial part of the basis of man's character, of what he vaguely calls his independence and freedom, and what he better understands as his honor. The desire to own is an ambition that is worthy and laudable. Mr. Lever's scheme, in common with all other copartnership schemes, i.icans the making of capitalists. Every miu and woman • in Lever Brothers'* employ who is twenty-live years old and has served the firm for live years may obtain a share in the business, and this share has all the advantages that come from money saved, invested, and incidentally risked, it will bring yearly interest, 'and it pro- , vides for old age and for the widow in case of death. Mr. Lever docs not pledge himself to give shares to every qualified applicant, but he proposes to create a committee, on which every class of his employees will be represented, to which they may appeal in the event of non-allotment of shares or cancellation in the event of dismissal. Behind this committee will come the trustees, and behind the trustees Mr. Lever Himself—the sole bidder of the ordinary shares of the company. A double appeal is thus provided, and the chance ot any employee being overlooked or being harshly treated is practically non-exist-ent. It is not necessary to consider all the details of a complicated and admirable proposal, but the undertake required of the workman co-partner is excellent, lie must pledge himself "not to waste time, labor, materials, or money in the discharge of his duties to the company, but loyally and faithfully tu further the interests of the company to the best of his skill and ability."' 11 other words, he must undertake to lie a good workman, and since a good workman is also a good man, the moral effect of Mr. Lever's scheme should be considerable. He is careful to express his high opinion of his workpeople and of the service they have rendered, and doubtless this opinion has been the reason of his desire to offer them a pinnership in the business. The workpeople are to receive reward for earnest work. The master is to hand them over a portion of his own profits. The last is a point particularly to note in face of the Socialists' frequent and fatuous denunciation of " the greed of the capitalist class!" In making the offer, which, of course, was enthusiastically accept-d, Mr. Lever said the occasion marked thej happiest time of his life. It depends on the workers whether the scheme sue-1 cecils or fails. If it slice 1. other in dustrial firms will no doubt follow. One would think the scheme would commend itself to the Socialists and the other cults who advocate workers sharing in profits, but at the lime the mail left the Socialists were fiercely denouncing and ruthlessly misrepresenting the scheme. Their attitude merely proves I heir lack of sincerity and their mulish opposition to anything that makes for the amelioration of the conditions of the workers but that does not emanate from them or bear their imprimatur. Their attitude also shows that they are not the true friends of the workers.