labor situation, involving both employer and employee in a most distressing would seriously consider the promulga
tion of a policy of this nature should and extended investigation before at
tempting an experiment which might well prove disastrous to the company.
There is a certain group of mines in this state which will not employ men over 55 years old. All applicants must pass a physical examination and give satisfactory answers to questions on their previous employment, as well as their experience and qualifications as miners, before being hired. No diffi
perienced, able-bodied miners and me
chanics, all highly skilled and nearly all married and with dependents.
Mining men of 45 are more depend
able, more careful and have, in many instances, attained the peak of skill.
They assume responsibilities more readily than younger men and their machinist. Elderly men are frequently selected to head crews for the construc
tion or maintenance of main haulage roads and many mines place great de
pendence on the older men for the operation of haulage locomotives. For jobs where considerable skill is neces
sary, we must admit that several years of experience are necessary.
The whole problem then resolves itself into the selection of the right man for the right job. After all, the plant superintendent and mine foreman have a definite and proper right to pass judgment on the age, experience and other qualifications of applicants.
Theirs is the responsibility for the safety, efficiency, and ultimate success or failure of their men, and this daily contact should invest these officials with the power of passing on those they will later direct.
All employees should be required to pass a physical examination—in which age should be considered—to determine their fitness for ¡performing the duties assigned them. They also should be closely questioned and given proba
tionary work to establish their ability and skill as safe workers before being given a permanent job. It cannot be said that the company loses by retaining older men. The correct answer lies in
■¿^-better physical conditions and able to do more work than many others who means of increasing their production, thereby satisfying the Old Man and helping them as well.
In defense of the older worker, I can offer as examples men in my own mine who have passed the age of 45. Some of these old timers lead the list through
out the year in tonnage loaded and,
sary is to give details and point out the factors involved, either in form al or in conversational style. I f your problem sug
gestion is o f sufficiently broad interest to warrant publica
tion, it will be paid fo r, as also are letters o f solution.
in addition, are settled in the community and raising families. Consequently, they have a good reputation for steadi
ness, reliability, and sobriety. Large companies, instead of barring such men from making a living by honest labor, should arrange to pension steady and faithful employees who have passed their period of usefulness.
Of course, everyone realizes that a the added responsibilities will more than make up for the loss in youthful are industries modernizing their mills and mines and going in for mechaniza
The BOSSES Talk It Over
and give the younger man a chance, as they are more able financially to do so than the laborer who depends on the bosses’ intelligence for his daily bread.
And perhaps their successors could solve the problem of taking care of the laborer who has passed 50 years. Any man or group of men who are heartless, selfish, and stupid enough to put such a plan in force does not belong in American industry, and any business operated in accordance with such in
human practices cannot, and should not, prosper. Vi c t o r G . Ga n d y.
Hepsibah, W . Va.
Enlightened A ction W ill Relieve H ardships of the Older W orker
T
H E mechanization of coal mines seemingly bids fair to cast into the discard the human relationships that have heretofore played such a large part in the smooth functioning of the coal mining industry. Tonnage and still more tonnage is the paramount issue, and so far the human element has tacitly been submerged in statistical conclusions. And despite the country-wide
part from the all-too-common procedure of building up an espionage system to bolster his own position, rather than placing the man in the position he is best qualified to fill. Even so, this is no barrier to the adoption of a humane at
titude toward employees in general, especially those from whom the ravages of the years are taking toll.
One coal corporation in this state has long had a policy of taking care of em
ployees incapacitated by years of serv
ice. When too old, or rendered inactive by injury, they are used in cleaning haulage roads, are made door tenders, or otherwise employed where the phys
ical exertion is not too great. This system, however, would scarcely be
commended in this day of efficiency experts.
If some plan of providing for the older worker is adopted, it should be so arranged that any assistance given would not smack of charity. Where the industry insists on a certain quality of physical perfection, it is unthinkable that men who have spent their lives in
Senseless prejudice-baiting has en
joyed too long an inning in the coal
standing undoubtedly would result. The age of progress has brought us the ma
chine, but it is utter folly to suppose that the benefits of its use must be bought at the cost of unemployment and its attendant human misery.
Al e x a n d e r Be n n e t t the general manager came around.
“Now,” he said, “I ’m no egotist, so if you see anything that would cut down the cost and not be a more dan
gerous practice, I ’d appreciate hearing about it.” who are conspicuously good workers.
One man now driving a mule for me is little difficulty in getting safety posts set, as the miners respect the judgment knowledge that the younger man has not had the opportunity to acquire. Many hefore becoming assistant mine foreman.
It was part of his duties to stay with
The BOSSES Talk It Over
an experienced man with him—at an added cost to the company. A young man cannot be blamed for having trouble occasionally, but I think it is as much breaker boy with third-grade education and burned the midnight oil for the rest
ally, right-thinking employers are obliged to deviate from these principles
One superintendent of my acquain
tance says that success in business can be attained only by practicing the Golden Rule. Consequently, though
“wildcat” strikes prevail in his neighbor
hood, he has had no trouble for almost young men. The most satisfactory con
dition would result from a mixture, just answer that employees most likely will
make to operators who put on an age limit with the expectation of hiring younger men.
In d i a n a Mi n e r
Com petitive Conditions Operate T o Force A doption o f A ge Limit
Aware that compensation insurance costs more when men are older and that
Mechanization is inevitable, but when it is 100 per cent completed, we are back to the starting point as far as competition is concerned. Consequently, I believe the answer lies in mergers, where the company can control the out
put and the sales force can get a price commensurate with the capital involved.
The human side of the question, there unfair practice toward humanity pro
duces its Patrick Henry, and if the tea have positions of responsibility requir
ing brains and experience are more unhesitatingly choose the latter. This does not mean that the younger man does not have his place, but the old timers must blaze the trail and, through
February, 1930 — C O A L A G E 111
The BOSSES Talk It Over most of their remaining powers.
Wi l l i a m J . Da v i e s.
dinarily, unless sickness prevents, he will never miss a shift. The young the protection of the -employer’s invest
ment, the evidence is all in favor of considered that a boy cannot begin work until he is 16, and is obligated to his middle ground between ruthless dis
charge and the unnecessary employ
ment of men unfit for work. Mac’s labor turnover would decrease and the efficiency of his labor would be no
ticeably improved. My experience has been that an organization is strength