Document 7R8eeO1qOe7B3GVwLqRL1N0ee

.? HEALTH IN INDUSTRY ANDREW FLETCHER** l. I will open the Eleventh Annual Meeting of the Foundation with three questions: 1. What good is a machine that is 90'. i efficient in the hands of a man who is only BO* efficient physically? 2. Is the Government or are the unions better able than mnnugement to improve the efficiency of American industry hy better ing working and living conditions? 3. How can the Foundation aid industry, and especially its own members, during the coming years? 1. Good health is the most Important asset in life. I know of no company that has improved-working and living conditions ,,f its employee? that has not obtained satisfactory returns in dnllur? as well ns in human huppincss. It is even more foolhardy to neglect the health and safety of workers than to neglect the maintenance of a machine. The reason why management may not have always tnken the lead in maintaining health is probably because other problems seem more Important. The title of the Foundation's new information bulletin, "Production Comes from People," indicates and confirms my opinion that there is no more important problem today than the improvement of working and living conditions of the Amer ican people. The answer to my question! wlmt good is a ptv, efficient machine with a RO', efficient workman, is 45',. 2. The mine workers' welfare fund is now reported to be over 82,000,000 and we constantly read of larger and larger appropriations for State and Federal industrial hygiene funds, t do not object to the purposes for which the contributions are being obtained, but I do believe Hint man agement is at fault In not taking the leadership in the expenditures of funds of this type. Leadership by Management All men may bo created equal, but all men certainly do not remain equal. The United StatcR is today the leading nation in this world because of Its natural resources, the greatest of which are not underground wealth, but the integrity, energy, and freedom of our people. In my opinion, one of our principal losses during this war was the loss of respect on the part of the American workman for his. Government and for his employer. It will take sonic time to rebuild the respect of the employees and the public for management, and I know of no better way for management to start than by taking the lead in improving working nnd living conditions. 3. The Foundation can help industry in its effort to Improve working and living conditions hy making surveys of its operation and by offering recommendations based upon research to correct any hazard*. * Bwcutfw S(. .fn****ph Ih'ihI Chairman, Hoard of Tniwtoox. Imlnmrlnl IlyjrlHn* Foundation. 3