Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-04-18
German Boys Demand Good Wages
and Plenty Of Liberty, and This
CAUSES A LACK OF APPRENTICES,
Which Is Expected in Time to Cripple the
Manufacturer.
THE UNITED STATES IN THE SAME BOX.
Germany Likely to Suffer From q Lack Of Trained
Mechanics.

An official report from Germany on the
apprentice system shows that the United
States is not the only country which il
troubled to know what to do with Its boys.
There, as here, boys prefer the liberty ard
comparatively good wages Of an unskilled
laborer to the self-sacrifcs necessary to BE-
come skilled artisans. The manufacturers
are apathetic, as they say that when an ap-
prentice becomes Of any use to them he en-
cages himself to another employer that he
may obtain higher wages.
WASHINGTON, April 1.--For years
cry has gone up in this country that sons Of
American parents would no longer sppren-
tice themselves to learn trades, and that
they would soon be driven to the wall by
the superior skill of foreigners who would
emigrate to America. Germany has been
pointed to as acountry worthy Of emulation,
and one in which the young men were
thoroughly trained to useful occupations.
But q report received by the Department Of
State from Commercial Agentsmith, of May
ense, on Factory Operatives and Appren-
tices in Germany" indicates that the sons
of the Fatherland are by no means 30 will
ing and ready to submit themselves to ap-
premiership as has been stated.
Mr.. Smith says, "There Is but slight dis
position among manufacturers to provide
themselves with skilled laborers by training
upapprentices. For this disinclination on the
part of manufacturers to take and train up
apprentices various reasons are given. One
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much freedom nowadays, and that the fac
tories, on account of the mode of working in
vogue in them, are not adapted to aPpren-
tices.
BOYS WANT LIBERTY.
An apprentice needs a good deal Of atten-
tion and requires strong control, and this
cannot be given in the factories. There is
too much freedom In them. Then, again,
boys do not care to bind themselves for a
term of years. but prefer to go into the
factories as day laborers with the right TO
quit when they please, and, besides, they
generally get better wages to start with.
Another objection Is that the law does not
allow minors under 16 years Of age to be
employed more than 10 hours day in the
factories, and makes other restrictions re-
specting them, which are not applied to me-
chanics.
"The objection most frequently urged,
however, is that the apprentices do not
want to serve their time fully out, and when
they have acquired q trade, leave those of
whom they have learned 1t to 90 to someone
else. There is less running away done by
apprentices than few years ago, even
where there is no written contract. This is
said to be because labor in general has be-
come more stable, and because apprentices
are paid better wages toward the close Of
their apprenticeships than formerly"
NOT ENOUGH APPRENTICES.
Statistics Of the total number Of appren-
tices are not given, but the report says that
in 3.267 factories in Berlin there are 1870
apprentices. This is 66 apprentices to every
inspector of the district thinks, to supply
the bosses, foremen and skilled workmen
needed. The general report Of the
inspectors is that apprentices are
not employed in too great proportion to
adult workmen, except in some particular
branches of industry, and by small estsb-
lishments, where good deal Of hand labor
is used. Complaints, however, Of the en-
ployment of too large number OF appren-
tices are noted from various districts.
Reports of the Factory Inspectors state
that business during the year was good, and
that general improvement manifested it
self, and especially during the last six
months of the year. Activity prevailed in
many works which in 1886 had with diff
Guilty been able to keep their men en-
ployed, and the shortening Of the hours
of labor, which had been Of frequent
occurrence on account of falling of OF or
ders, came generally to a stop, and an in
creased employment labor succeeded there
to. The general improvement of business,
which began in 1887, continued throughout
1888 to an increased extent which was the