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HE enclosed toilet table (details of which are illustrated) is copied from a genuine Sheraton example. The date would be about 1790-1795. This was the only type of dressing table in use until after the close of the Eighteenth century. Immediately under the glass in the center is a well with a thin vertical partition across, dividing it into two compartments. At the back of the side drawers are also wells with hinged covers, which are flush with the top of the rails when closed. The glass, when raised, can be moved forward or backward as desired, the base board being in a groove made by relapping the partition and placing a bead over the top of the board. The strut supporting the glass is made of three ply. The base board is thinner in. the center than at the sides to take in the thickness of the strut, thus allowing the glass to lie flat on the board when lowered. The mirror can be adjusted to various angles by placing the bottom of the strut into the bevelled cuts made in the baseboard. The slides which support the top when open are cased in and are prevented from being pulled out altogether by dowels which run in a slot. The slot and holes are prepared and the dowels placed in position after polishing. If they are placed before polishing it is difficult to make a clean job of the corners. With the top opened it makes a convenient table for a lady and quite in keeping with the demands and style of furnishings prevailing today. It should be made in mahogany with ebonized cock beads, handles, and paterae.

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The West and Black Walnut

HE East is usually looked to for fashion indications, in clothes, at least; but the West seems to have "put one over" on the effete section toward the rising sun by starting the revival of black walnut furniture. Factories in the Middle West which have

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all parts of the country will be stocked up with furniture made of American walnut for the fall trade, and after that it will be easy to determine in which section walnut furniture is most popular. The West has the edge in this respect just now, but it is possible that the South or the North will take precedence after something like complete distribution has been brought about.

Industrial

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Education

HE National So

ciety for the Promotion of Industrial Education has just issued Bulletin No. 18, which contains all the important addresses. made at the convention of the society named, and of the Vocational Guidance Association, held in Grand Rapids, in October last. The report consists of 260 pages, is admirably classified and is quite the most extensive and complete report which the National Society has ever printed. Fully a week was devoted to the meetings in connection with the gathering, and some of these, outside the regularly programmed sessions of the association are not included. But the big things of that great week are all included. The report is being sent to the members of the National Society for the Promotion of Industrial Education, membership in which can be had on payment of $2 per annum. The address by Prof. Charles R. Richards on "How Shall We Study the Industries for the Purposes of Vocational Guidance," has been put in a separate pamphlet.

FRONT ELEVATION

lumps or foreign matter on the wheel or the flange, that are causing it to run out of true. Usually the trouble will be found to be foreign matter on either the flange or wheel and when the wheel is replaced, it will be found to run true.

If your wheel runs out of true on the cutting base, chalk mark it and turn the high spot to the top, hold it with your left hand, now loosen the nut just enough to allow the wheel to slip in the flanges, press down on the wheel, tighten the nut and nine out of ten cases, you have overcome your trouble. A good practice to follow is to take a light cut off of a new wheel before using it. This should be done with a Huntington dresser. Set your tool rest out from your wheel just enough so as to hook the guide lugs of the dresser over the inside edge of the rest, having the dresser just come in contact with the face of the wheel. Start up your machine, pass your dresser back and fourth across the face of the wheel, raising the handle enough to cause the dresser to cut. A wheel cannot be brought back into round by holding the dresser free in the hand. It is absolutely necessary to use the rest to guide the dresser. The use of a bunch of washers on an iron rod to dress grinding wheel should be discouraged. In dressing wheels on saw gumming machinery, a carborundum stick or Metcalf dresser will give the best result. When you have made sure that your wheel is running true, start your machine up. Always stand to one side, out of line of the wheel. If the machine shakes and rattles, examine your bearings. If they are in good shape, the chances are the wheel is out of balance; take it off and do not use it.

If the foregoing suggestions have been followed and the wheel has been running up to speed, and then later on, breaks, you may be sure that the wheel has been injured. Speed of wheels, 5,000 ft. periphery per minute is the standard wheel speed for grinding wheels and is found to be the most practical for wood-working. The exceptions are cup wheels for knife grinding and saw sharpening wheels. Cup wheels are run slower and many saw filers get better results running their wheels to 200 revolutions per minute under the recommended speed. If a wheel is too hard, it has a tendency to heat and case harden. If too soft, it wears away too fast. Increasing the speed of a grinding wheel gives it the effect of a harder wheel; decreasing the speed gives the effect of a softer wheel and makes it cut cooler, and will often stop heating and case hardening.

If you desire to cut down your grinding expenses, improve your finish and cost of production, secure the services of the efficiency department of a good grinding wheel manufacturer, and good means the best.

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Records of Accident Reductions

R. FRANCIS D. PATTERSON, director of the Department of Sanitation and Accident Prevention, of Harrison Brothers & Co., Inc., of Philadelphia, Pa., states that the reduction of accidents for the year 1913 compared with the average of the two previous years shows a reduction of 69.7 per cent. This company employs about 900 employes. The business of the company is the manufacture of paint, colors, varnish, white lead and chemicals, and in these industries there are of necessity accident hazards which it is not possible to safeguard by mechanical guards. While mechanical guards have been used wherever possible, the majority of the reduction in accidents is attributed to the campaign of education which is always being carried on, the new employe being physically examined so as to know that his health is first-class at the time of his employment

and he then being assigned to the work which he is best qualified to do; care is taken that every new employe is educated in how to do his work safely and every possible opportunity is taken to keep "safety always" before every employe and to so fix it in his mind that it is not forgotten.

Scheduling vs. Cost Findings

T WAS with considerable interest that I read the article entitled, "An Antidote for the Cost System," in the March issue of THE FURNITURE MANUFACTURER AND ARTISAN. Mr. Upholt has the right theoretical idea as to the value of standardizing and scheduling operations, and his article shows that he appreciates the difficulties of putting the plan into practical use. That it can be put into practical use is certain, because similar plans are in use in many plants.

Sifted to its basic principles the article advocates nothing more nor less than a bonus, or a premium, system for the payment of labor, and it calls for nothing that has not been tried and proved practical, if used with intelligence. "Speedy" Taylor, F. A. Halsey, H. L. Gantt, and many others, embody such features in their efficiency work.

The title given to the article would indicate that the cost system is a poison, and that the "schedule" system is a curative. I cannot agree with this as a whole, for in these days of close competition the cost system is essential to the welfare of any industry. It may be said that I am "begging the question," since the schedule system, properly laid out, finally resolves itself into a cost system. I admit that, but ask, for the sake of argument, and in the hope of promoting further discussion, how the introduction of a schedule system will eliminate the irritation tc the worker caused by the proper introduction of a straight cost system.

Mr. Upholt says, "Any scheme for checking closely the worker's time is a continuous source of irritation to him. No amount of explaining will be effective in changing the attitude of the average employe in this respect. This is especially true when a time recording instrument is used for registering elapsed time, on cards, and this is the only accurate way of getting at it."

In return I ask-if you set a specific task for a workman, and see how near he comes to the performance of that task, is he not being checked just as, if not more closely than, he would be in any other way? The average workman will be just as apt to resent being told to "do this in two hours" as he will being asked, "How long did it take?"

Again, the statement is made, "It is the business of the management to know what it costs to do any piece of work connected with their line." What I want to know, is how the management is going to know what any thing costs without some preliminary checking, and how it is going to be possible to set a schedule without some checking.

Scheduling and standardizing operations is a great step toward higher efficiency, but no man wants to get carried away with the idea that the plan will eliminate any irritation if, through lack of foresight, the human equation is not given due consideration. The man who works to accomplish a set task is no more at liberty than the one who has his time checked on a clock. If by the use of a schedule, or any other system, you can show the operator that he, as well as the company, is apt to reap greater benefits by making a change, he is quite apt to meet you part way. But in most cases you have to show him in good shape, or you will not get efficient service, no matter what system you use. CHAS. DUPREY.

to exceed a given amount, however. This maximum amount is $3,000 to $4,000. In case of the death of the workman as the result of injuries, those who receive the indemnity must have been dependent upon him. In some

cases it is provided that a lump payment be made; in others, that weekly amounts be paid out as in the case of temporary disability.

The advantages to the workman from a system of this kind are obvious. "The law's delay" is never more in evidence than in a case where the victim of an industrial accident is waiting for his suit for damages to drag its way through the lower courts and then be decided by the supreme tribunal of the state. Sometimes a new trial is ordered or the judgment reversed. In any case, owing to the unfortunate system of "contingent fees" used by many practicing lawyers, the amount recovered by the workman himself is small. And it is never secured in time to be of service when it is really needed-immediately following the accident.

In the first place, while the institution of a compensation system usually adds to the cost of conducting the business, and therefore puts the manufacturer, to that extent, at a disadvantage with competitors in other states, the rapid spread of sentiment in favor of laws of this kind means that in the comparatively near future all of the states will have such laws, and thus everybody will be on the same footing. This must be qualified, however, by the statement that there is a wide difference between the provisions in one state and in another, and what is needed most at present is uniformity. As the operation of compensation systems in this country is still in an experimental stage, for the most part, standardization of the laws will be accomplished, probably, only after the test of time has demonstrated which features are best.

The basis of the compensation system is, simply stated, this: The workman receives compensation for injuries received while engaged in his regular employment, fixed by a schedule which insures the payment of indemnity during disability. A corollary of this is that the manufacturer, who, in states where the compensation system has not been instituted, can still rely, for the most part, on the common law defenses of voluntary assumption of risk, contributory negligence and fellow-service, loses these defenses, and must pay without question, the question of "Whose fault?" having nothing to do with it. Ordinarily but two exceptions are made-drunkenness and willful self-infliction of injury being the only bars to recovery. The Indemnity Provided

The amounts of indemnity provided vary, according to the individual laws; but, roughly speaking, the indemnity provided during disability, either temporary or permanent, is 50 per cent. of the workman's average weekly wages, not to exceed $12 a week, and usually with the minimum limit $5 a week. Under this plan there is assurance that the workman will be given a sufficient amount to enable him to tide over the period during which his family is without his service, and thus the suffering which it is almost impossible to avoid otherwise, is eliminated. Provisions are, of course, made for prompt medical attendance, and as the report of the accident is submitted at once, the indemnity is usually forthcoming without delay.

For permanent disability or death, it is usually provided that the workman or his dependents receive the maximum weekly indemnity provided for temporary disability, not

The employer likewise benefits. As stated, provision for workmen's compensation usually means an increase in the cost of insurance. This is always the case if the insurance is placed with a stock company, for the reason that the rates of the latter are based on losses under a limited employer's liability system, where the common law defenses referred to above may be pleaded. Several hundred per cent. in rates must be made to cover the additional losses which must be met, as no defense can usually be made.

Bound to Relieve Distress

But the additional expense is worth while. The furniture manufacturer never cares to see his employes suffer needlessly, and though it is sometimes necessary, on account of policy provisions and for other reasons, to refuse to provide aid, the manufacturer is nevertheless bound to spend a good deal of money to relieve those whose distress has been occasioned by accidents in his factory. This expense, added to what is paid out for liability insurance, makes the burden considerably more than it appears to be.

Besides, the constant worry and irritation caused by having to go to court at the call of the ambulance-chasing lawyer, who will take any kind of case, no matter what the facts as to responsibility may be, is done away with when certainty and exact liability take the place of uncertainty and unlimited liability. The latter feature must be considered, also. While the knowledge that $3,000 must be paid out if a man is accidently killed or permanently disabled in the factory is not altogether pleasant, it is not so unpleasant as having a judgment for many times that amount rendered by a jury with a prejudice against corporations. In states where no compensation law is on the books, there is usually a statutory or constitutional provision that no limit may be placed on the amounts recoverable for industrial accidents.

The insurance feature is one of the most important