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THE OMAHA SUNDAY BKE: JUNE 29, 1919.
5 E
GROCERY FIRM
FINDS NEW WAY
TO SERVE TRADE
Williams-Murphy Co., Dealing
Direct With Consumer,
Gives Vogue to Quantity
Buying Idea.
Fourteen years ago last March
.here was organized in a remote
corner of the city of Omaha a com
pany known as the Williams-Murphy
company, whose business it was
to distribute groceries in a whole
sale way direct to the consumer.
E. Clayton Williams, president of
the Williams-Murphy company, was
the originator of this company and
has untiringly spent his efforts in
building up a business which has
grown in these 14 years from a
mere one-room warehouse to a large
institution distributing groceries di
rect to the farms and ranches as
well as city and small town trade
from western Iowa to Montana and
Idaho.
This company had not been or
ganized long until its steady growth
made it necessary to increase facili
ties and also add to the personnel.
In less than a year after the com
pany was organized, N.H. Peter
on, the present vice president, asso
ciated himself with this . company
and a few years later Fred N. Peter
son, secretary-treasurer, associated
himself with the institution.
Business Outgrew Quarters.
In 1907 it was necessary to seek
larger quarters, then again in 1910
business had developed so it was
again necessary to enlarge. In 1914
increases in business made it nec
essary to move to the present loca
tion in the heart of Omaha's whole
sale district, where this growing
concern now finds it necessary to
enlarge their warehouse just as
quickly as building conditions will
warrant.
The Williams-Murphy company
was organized to distribute gro
ceries and other articles necessary
to the home, direct to the consumer,
at the lowest possible figure consis
tent with supplying merchandise of
merit. The aim has been to educate
the consumer to get away from the
old habit of buying goods from day
to day in small quantities, which
makes merchandise expensive, and
to anticipate their requirements,
and on the necessities of life, pur
chase a reasonable requirement for
30 to 60 days, thus enabling this
company to save materially in the
expense of handling goods.
Building is Busy Place.
The only appeal this store makes
to the buying public is the uniform
excellence of the merchandise dealt
in and the favorable prices at which
it is sold.
There isn't much to see. no show
windows or show cases, nor appe
tizing display of attractive edibles;
no crowd of customers; and no
array of white-aproned salesmen.
What one sees is freight being un
loaded at one platform and delivery
trucks being loaded at another. In
side are countless bales and bags,
Industrial Round Table for
Solving Problems Leading
to Unnecessary Strikes
By J. R. CLYNES, M. P.
London, June 28. If labor during
this period of widespread unrest for
feits any of the good name which
it secured for itself during the war,
it will not be altogether due to the
action of labor, for much of the
blame for strikes and threats of
strikes must be shared by employers
and employers' associations.
With the very best of intentions,
associations representing the two
sides in the engineering trades ar
ranged for a reduction of working
hours. Trouble very soon arose on
the literal meaning and effect of the
arrangement The employers took
the view that the arrangement meant
that 47 hours should actu
ally be worked. The men took the
view that the arrangement did not
require them to suffer any reduced
wages, and that none of the little
privileges or customs in the work
shops which have existed were can
celled by any new plan which deter
mined the working time.
Denied Treasured Rights.
In pursuance of the employers'
view, the management of certain
works made alterations, put up no
tices which took away rights that
workmen had enjoyed with regard
to things which are more than
amenities because they had grown
into the necessities of workshop ex
istence. A short spell for rest or
food is no slight matter to the in
dividual workman. It means more
to him than what is generally sig
nified by eloquent language about
commercial prosperity and volume
of production. To retain these rights
workmen will often more readily
make common cause and go to the
length of a strike than they would
think of doing for the attainment of
some comparatively big object.
What has happened illustrates the
truth that very little trouble can
lead to great disasters, or in other
words, trifles make either for peace
or strife.
It is quite common in industry for
one blunder to follow another, and
it would appear that workmen who
should have reported their griev
ances to the proper authority and
exercised patience in seeking a sat
isfactory remedy rushed to the ex
treme of calling shop or mass meet
ings, passing resolutions, some
times in language which indicate a
hot temper, and declaring their in
tention to apply very drastic meas
ures unless things which they named
were speedily accomplished.
boxes and barrels, of merchandise
heaped up in what seems a confused
mass; a dozen men in overalls work
ing with military precision and ex
traordinary speed, pulling out a bag
here and a box there, marking the
buyer's name and address on it,
checking it off their order sheet,
dropping it on a hand truck and run
ning it out to the loading platform
where it is loaded on one of the
waiting trucks and taken to its des
tination. This hurry and bustle represents
the cordial reception with which the
public has met the selling methods
adopted by the Williams-Murphy
Co.
This conduct ought not to dimin
ish the reputation built upon the
great national services rendered by
labor during the course of the war.
War strain added to the physical
fatigue which the war period engen
dered, has gone far to change the
temper of men and workshops. Ex
travagant demands have often been
the result of war strain; but, in ad
dition to war strain, there is some
evidence that the spirit in the work
shop is being changed, and not al
ways in the right direction.
Unhappily for the country, and
also for working class interests, a
situation such as we have seen de
veloped in the engineering and in the
coal industries is not covered by any
existing machinery whictT- would
blend the interests and the just
rights of the contending parties with
the claim which the third great in
terest, namely, the public, justly has
in all these troubles.
Must Consider Others.
An industry such as engineering or
coal mining cannot decide on im
portant alterations with regard to
hours, production, wages and cus
toms of work as though these things
had nothing to do with other peo
ple. A change to 47, 44 or 40 hours per
week in any one of a series of trades
is the signal for demands being im
mediately formulated in scores of
other occupations. Undoubtedly, in
the case of miners, chemical work
ers, locomotive drivers and many
other men working under great
mental and physical pressure, there
are grounds for great improvement
and strong reasons for generous
conditions of employment. But
changes even in these industries
should be considered in their rela
tion to claims which will inevitably
be made in other occupations. No
one trade, therefore can separate it
self from the industrial interest and
outlook of other trades.
There is in existence a bewilder
ing number of federations and asso
ciations of all kinds representing
separately employers and workmen,
and sometimes representing the
joint interests of employers and
workmen. In spite, however, of this
multiplicity of bodies, we appear fre
quently to stumble into trouble, and
not until we are in the middle or at
the end of it do we see how simple
is the course by which trouble might
have been avoided.
An industrial parliament might
well be formed of representatives of
the great associations which have so
far dealt only with trade and work
shop questions, and which have
never taken in hand questions of
great principle, or dealt with any
subject bearing upon the psychology
of situations which are created by
workshop changes. A national and
representative body consisting of
leaders who would not be afraid of
telling both sides what should be
done in their interests, and in the
national interests, would serve an
excellent purpose. Such a body
would be sure to proclaim the sim
ple fact that great improvements are
impossible in any one occupation, or
in any group of trades, without re
gard to consequences.
K. OF C. OPENS
UNIQUE SCHOOL
FOR SOLDIERS
Ex-Service Men Will Be
Trained as Employment
Managers for Big Indus
trial Concerns.
New York, June 28. Perhaps the
first training school of its kind for
ex-service men is the school for em
ployment managers which the
Knights of Columbus officially
opened here. The school began
with a class of 40 veterans of the
war, soldiers, salors and marines,
each of whom will receve $24 per
week during the six weeks' inten
sive course in industrial manage
ment. "The object of this school," said
Peter W. Collins, Knights of Co
lumbus director of reconstruction
and employment, "is to make these
men expert in the handling of other
men, to qualify them to become em
ployment managers for large indus
trial plants. We are also training
them to become what might be
called industrial diplomats. Very
often trouble ensues in some in
dustry between employers and em
ployed because a small grievance is
neglected or irritated until it be
comes a big grievance. Large con
cerns have especially trained men to
right these small grievances before
they can grow will benefit im
mensely." The men selected for the first
class were among the 100 veterans
to whom the knights paid $4 per
day to canvass work for other vet
erans. The men have abundant op
portunities for practical work in
handling the hundreds of applicants
for work at the Knights of Columbus
employment headquarters every
day.
Lot's Troubles Started
As He Entered Politics
St. Louis, June 28. The troubles
of Lot, of Bibical fame, began when
he went into politics, according to
Herbert Hoover Smith, pastor of
Emanuel Presbyterian church, Los
Angeles, speaking before the Sales
manship club here.
"Lot's first misstep came when he
moved into the Cabanne district of
Sodom and Mrs. Lot started to get
her picture in the Sunday papers,"
lie said. "Someone then told Lot
he could be elected alderman and
that proved the beginning of the
end for that family.
Mrs. Lot became so enamored of
the people in Sodom that she could
not leave the city without the delay
of several lingering parting glances.
The result you know."
Soup In Schools,
London Soup kitchens should be
established in all schools, says Mrs.
Lloyd George, wife of the premier.
"We cannot expect to have a
healthy nation when children have
to study on empty stomachs," she
said. She advocated the abolition of
slums and the building in future of
houses with plenty of fresh air, sun
light, and water.
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To Serve Humanity Better
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--' ' -
Omaha's Best"
Hoffmann Funeral Home
Twenty-Fourth and Dodge Streets
High in Quality
Not in Price
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OUR MOTTO
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Note the Substantial Growth of Our Assets
February 28, 1917 $ 200,437 J3
June 30, 1917 : 371,092.46
December 31, 1917 625,470 JO
June 30, 1918 1,163,497.03
December 31, 1918 1,669,79525
This healthy growth is our strongest endorsement in the business world, both from the
building and investment standpoint and also from the investor's standpoint.
Progressive, conservative and safe operation under capable management, has built this
enviable record.
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Since organization this company has paid 7 dividends in
cash, and in addition thereto, the surplus earnings have increased
the value of shares as follows :
7
Value of shares from date of organization $100.00
Value of shares January 1, 1917 to June 30, 1917 103.00
Value of shares July 1, 1917 to December 31, 1917 104.50
Value of shares January 1, 1918 to June 30, 1918 106.00
Value of shares July 1, 1918 to December 31, 1918 . . 107.50
Value of shares January 1, 1919 to June 30, 1919 109.00
Value of shares after July 1, 1919 110.50
We want you to know our investment proposition as it really is. A post
card will bring you full information without obligation on your part,
Nebraska Building and Investment Co.
INCORPORATED
F. E. SCHAAF, President and General Manager
130 South 13th Street
Local Agents Wanted LINCOLN, NEBRASKA
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Omaha Steel Work
Founders, Engineers, Manufacturers,
Contractors, Erectors
of Structural Steel for Buildings, Railroad
and Highway Bridges
Ornamental Iron, Stairs and Fire Escapes
Coal Tipples
Head Frames and Other Mining Structures
Tanks and Platework of All Kinds
Elevated Tanks for Municipal and Private
Systems and General Factory Service
Smoke Stacks
Reinforcing Bars Contractors' Equipment
Electric Steel Castings
. Telephone Building, Omaha
Gray Iron Castings
We Carry in Stock
a Full Line of
Beams
Angles
Channels
Plates
Bars
Sheets
Reinforcing Rods
Bolts
Rivets
We Make to Order
Buildings, Bridges
Tanks, Towers
Steel Castings
Gray Iron Castings
Ornamental Iron
Stairs and Fire Escapes
Coal Tipples
Mining Structures
Smoke Stacks
Excavating Machinery
Contractors'Equipment
Mine Cars
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