Evening Republican, Volume 21, Number 291, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 13 December 1918 — Keeping Workers Amused [ARTICLE]

Keeping Workers Amused

“The greatest problem with war workers is keeping them amused,” says J. H. Connor, who is In charge of the welfare work at the United States Explosives Plant “C” at Nitro, W. Va. “For unless the workers are able to find entertainment they won’t work. “At the present time there are 15,000 workmen at Nitro and it is planned to Increase that number to 40,000. But despite the high wages it is difficult to keep the 15,000 there. Wages are almost unbelievably high. For example: Office boys are started at $75 a month; stenographers at $l5O. and I have seen the weekly-pay envelopes of many carpenters with more than SIOO InSide. How-ever, it is an actual fact that 20 per cent of the workmen who are transported there at the expense of the government disappear en route and more than 50 per cent of those who arrive do not stay more than two or three days. “You see, Nitro is a new town about twelve miles from Charlestown. \V. Va. It’s in a dry section of the country with absolutely nothing to attract workers except high wages. And as soon as lhe majority of workers'save a bank roll they depart for pleasanter and wetter climes. “That’s why a welfare department has been established at this plant, where a million pounds of powder will be manufactured daily when everything is in operation. It was found that unless the men were amused when they finished their work they simply wouldn’t remain—no matter what wages were paifl. “Of course we do ail the welfare work that is being done in the most modern plants. We have various kinds of hospitals, free medical attention and all that sort of thing. We even fill the teeth of the workmen free of charge. Houses are be; Ing built so that the workmen may bring their families and there is everything for their creature comforts, but that isn’t enough. The workmen miss the excitement of life in the big cities —they miss the lights, the rush and that feeling of being *in the swim.’ so to speak. While they were merely onlookers they felt that they were taking part in the day’s events. When they get to Nitro they soon become dissatisfied and depressed. " “A person who has never worked in a place of this kind cannot appreciate how essential amusement is to his well being. But I must say that we are doing everything possible to keep the workers happy and contented. I’m here in New York to recruit a band and arrange for the appearance of a few musical plays. Of .course the summer months will not be so depressing, for we have built scores of bath houses on the river near the plant and hundreds of . rowboats and canoes have been ordered. It’s the dull winter we’re most afraid of."