cent. of the total expense for labor. It will be noticed that actual costs are not given, everything being represented in percentages. The second day the crew was increased in size and the percentage cost of foreman was consequently reduced and there was a considerable reduction in cost of product. With each succeeding day there is a reduction in percentage cost of foreman, with a corresponding increase in percentage cost of laborers, the cost of the product falling. Finally, as the men become well trained and accustomed to the work and the foreman also gains in experience, the cost reaches a minimum and becomes fairly constant. An ideal diagram would show all the lines smooth.
This diagram is made each day from the reports of the timekeeper and cost clerk and plotted for the information of the supertintendent; and the foremen themselves. The percentage cost of the foreman is expected to be fairly smooth after getting started, but the cost of the product varies, owing to accidents, or to a neglect by the foreman of his work. When the superintendent reads the diagram each day and finds the cost of the product rising, he can fmd the cause and quickly stop the waste. By means of such diagrams all modern manufacturing business is kept rack of, contracting being merely migratory manufacturing.
If all workmen are well trained and so intelli-
