When the writer left the steel works, the Bethlehem piece workers were
the finest body of picked laborers that he has ever seen together. They
were practically all first-class men, because in each case the task
which they were called upon to perform was such that only a first-class
man could do it. The tasks were all purposely made so severe that not
more than one out of five laborers (perhaps even a smaller percentage
than this) could keep up.

[Footnotes to table 1]

1) It was our intention to fix piece work rates which should enable
first-class workmen to average about 60 per cent more than they had been
earning on day work, namely $1.85 per day. A year's average shows them
to have earned $1.88 per day, or three cents per man per day more than
we expected--an error of 1 6/10 per cent.

2) The piece workers handled on an average 3 56/100 times as many tons
per day as the day workers.

[end footnotes to table 1]

It was clearly understood by each newcomer as he went to work that
unless he was able to average at least $1.85 per day he would have to
make way for another man who could do so. As a result, first-class men
from all over that part of the country, who were in most cases earning
from $1.05 to $1.15 per day, were anxious to try their hands at earning
$1.85 per day. If they succeeded they were naturally contented, and if
they failed they left, sorry that they were unable to maintain the
proper pace, but with no hard feelings either toward the system or the
management. Throughout the time that the writer was there, labor was as