Efficiency Methods
An Introduction to Scientific Management

130 * EFFICIENCY METHODS Mr. Emerson proceeded to investigate the separate counts for which a workman is paid. Obviously it was for something beyond his mere time. . At any rate everyone was agreed that it was unsatisfactory to pay him for time merely. Dr. Taylor ten years before, in his own paper had spoken very strongly against the slackness of workers, as he knew them when on a time-wage. The American slang for this slackness when deliberate is “ soldiering. 1 Read- ing this in war-time, one recalls with an effort the obvious derivation of this word to describe attitude to work. Mr. Emerson remarked in the paper above quoted that soldiers, sailors, and more notably fire- men, have to be paid regular time-wages for doing nothing for long periods of time, and performing unusually strenuous exertion at other times. It is generally said now that soldiering in America is by no means as serious as Taylor repre- sented it. When Mr. Hoxie’s committee, represent- ing the U.S.A. Commission on Industrial Relations in 1914, presented in writing Dr. Taylor s claims for Scientific Management ” to Mr. Gantt and Mr. Harrington Emerson for confirmation, both of them picked out the statement, “ It tends to prevent soldiering ” for exception, with the remark, “ True, but unimportant.” 3 Schloss s impartial investiga- tions in England go to show that systematic slacking under a time-wage is not as a rule very feasible. 1 " a Piece-Rate System,” § 22. C. B. Thompson’s Col- lection v. 344* “ ShoP Management,” p. 30. 2 R ’ F. Hoxie, " Scientific Management and Labour, Ap- pendix II., par. A 10, and pp. 151 and 1661