The following text may have been generated by Optical Character Recognition, with varying degrees of accuracy. Reader beware!

Sicved Orin, argo Han Conducted by H.E.STOCKER Shi dling Facts and Principles Must be Properly A\pplied NYONE who collects the facts A on cargo handling and studies these facts without prejudice is forced to the conclusion that a broad conception of the problem of economi- cal cargo handling by steamship com- panies will show that modern meth- ods and equipment put into full use by organizations planned and managed in light of the knowledge which is readily available on management, will accomplish much in rehabilitating the finances of our shipping companies. Obsolete equipment and methods are a self-imposed burden which may be lifted by finding the one best method and taking definite steps to put the best one method into effect. Very often the only result is a fine report. Twen- ty years’ experience has taught me never to expect too much, but there is room for improvement, and the rate of improvement will be accelerated as the facts become more generally known. This concerns the effective use of facts in developing the best methods of handling cargo. The chief obstacle to replacement of obsolete equipment is the viewpoint of responsible executives rather than the difficulties of financing. This is espe- cially true in cargo handling equip- ment which pays for itself in such a short time, a few months in most cases. The obstruction to cargo handling progress is not due to lack of desire on the part of these executives to cut costs and improve service, but rather that their experience has not been such that they are familiar with cargo han- 30 By H. E. Stocker dling facts and principles upon which sound judgments must necessarily be based. My observations during the past twenty years have shown many opportunities lost because of the ex- cessive centralization of authority. This has resulted in decisions based upon misconceptions because the de- cisions have been based upon inade- quate and incorrect information. A vast amount of valuable informa- tion in the minds of the members of every organization, I have been asso- ciated with, has not been utilized to the fullest extent possible. Lack of pro- vision of adequate new idea facilities is a characteristic of almost every transportation organization with which I am familiar. The value of constant research for new and better methods has been demonstrated, but not many organizations have made a determined effort to obtain all ideas that may cut cost and improve service, and then put these ideas into practice. This has been brought out very forci- bly in visiting railroads and marine terminals, ships, industrial plants and warehouses. There are hundreds of details alone which can be adopted from most railway material handling operations. It is stimulating to the imagination to dwell upon the money which can be saved, if the one best way of doing every job on a terminal were decided upon. The manner of handling personnel on terminals is worthy of close study. The most effective results in han- dling personnel have been accom- MARINE REVIEwW—July, 1933 ‘of the job? plished by those who have not used slave-driving methods. Some foremen, for example, are impressed by the man- ner in which their men hurry when they shout at them. This shouting is impressive. Who would not hurry when the boss shouts, and the failure to hurry results in “docking” or the loss But what happens when the foreman is out of sight? The men soldier on the job. Those who advo- cate the slave method should study the investigations which have been made in industrial fatigue. Much of these investigations have been _ illu- minating in the extreme. On the other hand if the men are given proper incentive they will work with more consistency, and the net result will be that more work is ac- complished per man than with the ‘slave-driving method. This plan must necessarily be based upon intelligent selection of the per- sonnel. Some men will not respond to proper incentive. One of the chief contributions of modern management has been its successful effort to meas- ure the work performed accurately so that it is possible for the first time to gage the effect on results of changes in wages, working conditions and other factors affecting the work pro- duced. The developments of the past 25 or 30 years have disclosed that the best results are obtained not by instilling fear, but by establishing properly planned wage incentive or bonus plans and creating the best possible work-