Omaha daily bee., 1901-02-08
EFFICIENCY OF AMERICAN LABOR.
superiority Over Foreign Article Con-
ccdcd by Experts.

Chicago Post.
Much has been written lately in Great
Britain concerning the unproductivity OF
the average English workman and the in
dustrial superiority OF the German and. still
more, the American laborer. In seeking the
causes OF the relative decline of British
trade stress is laid upon this difference of
efficiency. One expert, writing chiefly about
the engineering trade, declares that. from
careful calculations and comparisons. he Is
OF the opinion that taking the producing
capacity OF the ordinary British workman
at l to Ia, the German workman is rep
resented by 1% and the yankee" by
about 2A
Sir Hiram Maxim, interviewed on the
subject, indorses the general conclusion, IL
not the alleged ratio. He complains of
the restrictions upon the output OF an In
dividual workman rigidly enforced by the
trades unions. and gives an illustration
from his own experience. certain gun at
tachment required day and a quarter in
the making under the union rules. He in
vented a machine for this attachment, but
the workmen declined to increase the days
output. Then a German was employed and
he turned out thirteen pieces a day. Sir
Hiram's further comment is as follows:
When ! lived in the United States | found
Englishmen as good as any others. When
an Englishman had been three weeks In
the United States he could do as much as
any yankee who ever lived. II is not a
question of any physical difference. In the
United States every man tries to do as
much as he can. In England each tries to
do as little rs he possibly can to make his
job last"
But, whereas many employers blame the
unions without qualification for this un-
productiveness OF British labor, Sir Hiram
admits that capital Is not free from a share
of the responsibility. When unusually eff
cient men produce more than their fellows
the result too often Is a reduction In the
rate of pay. and all the skilled and con
scientious man gets is the privilege Of
working harder, while the ordinary man
suffers still more. The fact is that the
British methods and conceptions need
overhauling all along the line.
We here In the United States have had
| occasion to complain OF the unreasonable
rules OF certain mismanaged unions, and
il is interesting to learn that our condition
is regarded as almost ideal by our British
competitors. Here Is the suggestion with
which the London Spectator winds up an
| earnest discussion OF the subject OF trade
decline on account of union restrictions and
opposition to labor saving devices: I'VE
believe, however, that II reputation or
British trade unionsts OF the best type we're
to visit America and conduct a thorough
investigation into trade conditions there,
they would return convinced that their
duty to their countrymen in the future
would be best discharged by encouraging
! the universal practice OF the best and
hardest work compatible with health dur,
! ing the recognized working hours"
We hope the experiment will be tried,
but at the same time deputation OF British
employers should visit the United States
and get hints from our most enlightened
Industrial leaders as TO the best way OF
attracting the sympathy and enlisting the
fidelity Of wage workers.