But they
were very small and gray and inconspicuous dots upon the surface of
great things going on--going on, seemingly by themselves, with a sort of
mad, mechanical, majestic, molten sweep.
* * * * *
At this time, when the great efficient organization started by Bismarck
is being devoted entirely to destruction, it is interesting to recall
that the idea of industrial welfare work originated in Germany during
the period of Bismarckian reorganization. So, paradoxically, the very
forces which, on one hand, were building towards the new records for the
extinction of life established in the present war, were, upon the other
hand, developing plans for the safeguarding of life and for making it
worth living--plans which have enormously affected the industrial
existence of the civilized world.
The broad theory of industrial welfare work was brought to this country
by engineers, chemists, and workmen who had resided in Germany; but,
where this work developed over there along cooeperative lines, it has
remained for Great Britain and the United States to work it out in a
more individualistic way.
In this country welfare work has come as a logical part of the general
industrial development. The first step in this development was the
assembling of small, weak industrial units into large, powerful,
effective units--that is to say, the formation of great corporations and
trusts.
Pages:
423
424
425
426
427
428
429
430
431
432
433
434
435
436
437
438
439
440
441
442
443
444
445
446
447