Page:Robert W. Dunn - American Company Unions.djvu/44

 his superior officer" (the superior officer, of course, reserving the right to determine what is "reasonable");

(c) "Carelessness, failure to report for duty regularly, inefficiency, etc." (not difficult charges to make against any man when the foreman wants to get rid of him).

Midvale illustrates also the type of plan in which the final appeal is to the all-powerful tsar, the General Superintendent. "Any employee discharged for cause, may demand that such cause be clearly stated to him, and shall have the right of appeal to the General Superintendent either in person or thru his elected representative." And if the General Superintendent doesn't happen to like his looks—or his economic ideas—the worker finds himself on his way out.

"It is capitalism's move and Bethlehem has shown the way" wrote an enthusiastic "personnel engineer" two years ago, after examining the plan installed in 1918 by Charles M. Schwab and his fellow directors of the Bethlehem Steel Corporation, a company which can shower "industrial democracy" blessings on its thousands of unorganized steel hands while violating its agreement with the miners' union in West Virginia. It is always easy to be sweet to a foe when you have him paralyzed and on his back. Charlie Schwab is sweet to his slaves at Bethlehem, Steeltown, Johnstown and Coatesville.

Under Charlie's plan one has much the same advantages as those enjoyed under the Midvale scheme just mentioned. "Representatives" who think they have been intimidated by the company can appeal to Mr. Eugene Grace, the President of the Company! And if Mr. Grace shows grace but