6th guy from the left, I am sure made a lot of girls weak in the knees, especially when he smiled.

The current common practice of men wearing wedding rings is quite recent.

Although not unknown it was very rare for men at the time of this photograph to have a wedding ring - it was deemed something for the wife to do.

However, that changed during World War II when it became much more common practice as the men went off to war for them to wear a token reminding them of their loved one back home.

Looks to me like mama cat, on the right, is keeping her eye on her baby kitten, at the left.

Did you notice that not one individual wears a wedding ring? I wonder if that was out of safety, or they just couldn't afford one.

Oh, man, I love this photo. Especially the guy next to one of the cats, trying not to laugh.

@oldguy - I agree that in a factory clothes standards were/are not high. Would machinists then roll up their sleeves to guard against getting caught up in their work (too literally) or is safety awareness among the workers a more modern thing?

[I don't think common sense was a 21st century invention. - tterrace]

Most places where I worked (and wasn't just employed) there was nothing casual about any day of the week. Put out or get out and by virtue of doing some work, your clothes would get dirty. Maybe I should change my name to oldgal.

Maybe you should use the word employed instead of work. I worked in a machine shop for forty-three years and no one was ever sent home for ill fitting or dirty clothes.

Out of high school I worked for a short time at a fertilizer plant where they kept a small herd of cats to keep the rats and mice at bay. Fed them just enough so they were still hungry enough to hunt.

Crossed arms. We might eliminate merely feeling cold. The standard protective or separating barrier is possible, but another meaning is that the men are just too tired to pay attention.

Try dressing in torn, faded, and ill-fitting clothes like so many of these fellows have on, and you'd be sent home, even on the most casual of Fridays, where I work. You can really tell the management from the workers in this photo.
But everyone (except the two rodent control officers) in the picture has a hat on.

Henry Leland was a Connecticut Yankee machinist who brought the skills that allowed Detroit's young auto industry to produce interchangeable parts that require no final adjustments before installing.

He also lead Bible readings / discussions at lunch time for his employees who wished to attend. In the summer time these meetings took place outdoors under a shade tree, next to the shop.

[Gimme that old-time "percision." -Dave]

Real men love cats. Wonder if they were strays or the lads took them on as their mascots? Either way, what a rich time they lived in. Magnificent work!