The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1902-01-21
The Labor Force, Machinery, the
Organization of Labor.
ARTICLE XII.

and the circumstances which furnish OPP
portunity for making the utmost posi-
bic out of a given quantity of labor
In estimating the labor force of a coun-
try we have to canvass two elements, the
immaterial and the physical. Nations
differ exceedingly in both these particu-
lars. The efficiency of labor may vary
greatly between two communities whose
hours of work per annum are equal, one
exceeding the other in the skill, spirit and
vlgor with Which work is prosecuted.
Superiority in these traits may turn upon
the peoples native strength, enterprise
and will power, in all which prevail diff
ferencss so great as at first to seem in
credible. The lifting power of Van Die
mans Land native and that of the Anglo
Australian differs as so to II. An English
laborer is said to do double the work of
a French labcrer. Some of these pecu-
liarities are i1iexplicable race idiosyncra-
sizes, others traceable to national expert
ences and habits favorable or Unfavor-
able.
Touching the physical aspect Of the la
Dor force, there rise into view first and
foremost the question of the present num-
Der OF the population and the question of
its rate of increase.
To the point of Saturation a country Or
community is productive, other things
being equal, according to the extent Of
its labor force. By this not the total
population is meant not the number Of
persons who commonly or ever work,
but the tale of hours worked, say, in a
year. Increase Of population is pri-
marily due to the excess Of births over
deaths. The number Of births we eX-
press by the birth rate viz, the popula-
ton, one of the most interesting figures
in statistics. A question of great i'm
portance is whether the excess of births
over deaths Is maintained more by the
feWness of deaths which occur or more
by the multitudes of the births which oc-
cur. Unless births exceed deaths the
population is of course not growing, and
it ds probably not gaining in q healthy
way unless the excess Of births is kept
UP rather by paucity of deaths than by
great number Of births. If many births
are what sustain the rate much sickness
is involved, calling from their work not
only parents but also their attendants.
Take Norway and Bavaria. Bavaria has
much the larger birth rate, 37.3 per LOCO
inhabitants yearly, to Norways 34.7 but
it also has much more rapid death rate,
1914 to Norway's 1879, which is the low
est known; SO that BaYaria's yearly in
crease per 1000 Is less than half Nor
ways viz, SO to 1873. France has very
low birth rate, 26.3 also an exceedingly
moderate death rate, 23.9, only Belgium
esd and Norway $50 having lower.
But Belgium has a considerably better
birth rate, 1871, so as to increase, 10 per
LOCO per year, to Frances 2.3. A de-
creasing population is abnormal yet not
so rare, being the case with the Ameri-
can Indians. The South Sea islanders, the
Irish in 1Seland, the French in csstain
districts Of France. In ireland the deficit
is from emigration in these parts of
France from excess of deaths over births.
We referred just now to the situation
,T-,Ls
'saturat1on. This perhaps needs a
word of elucidation. There is a certain
POINT up to which the greater the health
population on given territory the great
tia, but beyond which additions to pop
ulaticn, even if perfectly healthy, will
lessen the per capita yield. Up to this
point of its saturation it is obviously
Immigration and discourage emigration
After saturation is reached the reverse
policy would be the wise one. In any
case, of course, the character Of the Inn
mlgrantS and em1grantS in question is
of Importance. Rarely can any nation
afford to let go its intelligent, hardy and
temperate sons or to exclude people hay-
ing these merits when they seek adnis-
bonds and inYalids can always we'll be
spared.
The male population should outnumber
the female. yet not too greatly A main
reason for the rapid growth Of wealth
in Australia Is the fact that all over
the country men are more numerous than
women. Contemporary Review, Novem-
Der, 1883, page GID This is not the casa
in the world at large. Taking all to-
gether the countries which keep statis-
ties, 106 males are born to 100 females
and the male preponderance continues
until about the age of puberty After
that the numerical relation is reversed
and holds through life. More work COM
monty done by women can be done by
men than vice versa. For women to
perform tasks fit only for men in time
Weakens the entire population. On the
other hand, too great an excess Of men
would mean slow numerical growth.
The working hours per day should not
be too long or too short, the hSlidays
neither too few or too many. The more
hours people work per diem the greater
the production, provided energy and
alertness are maintained, but as human
endurance is limited mems per diem task
must be so, and holiday now and then
works well. The observance of Sunday
is undoubtedly an immense aid to the
peoples productive ability, but in GER
tain lands where the Greek or the Cath
Ole religion prevails, holidays are too
numerous for the populations best pro-
ductiveness.
Clearly a country is fortunate in re-
spect to It's productive power If its idle,
criminal, helpless and inefficient popula-
ton is small-those, that is who cannot,
or do not, support themselves. Here are
uSud4Ay ASChOuSu all pSrSOuS u1ueF III
teen or over seventy the remaining con-
shutting the productive population. In
France 6S.6 per cent are Of the produc-
tive age; in England, 61.2; in Germany,
81 Z; in the United States, 500. Then there
are the detectives, So-called, the blind,
the deaf, idiots and the insane, Of whom,
among the civilized nations the United
States has the largest proportion 496 20
every 100000 and Belgium the smallest,
POS per 100000. To all these are to be add
ed the pauperS and beggars and super
flouS soldiers, servants and religious per
sons.
The ways and means Of getting the ut
most possible out Of given amount and
quality Of labor are, If we omit capital in
general, whose advantages have already
been discussed, Of three main groups,
physical and typographical ADVANTAGES.
LABOR helping and labor saving inventions
and the organization Of labor itself.
peoples habit Is a prime deter
minant Of its economic welfare. IT'S ter
Tltory must be neither too large nor too
small Its superficial character, as noun
famous, hflly or plain, is of Importance
to the ease and expense of building roads,
railroads and canals. Fertility and nat
pral drainage count, as also spontaneous
production in forests, wild birds and
animals. Ostrich feathers, ivory, game,
peltry and guano are in places important
sources OF wealth. The possession in O
country Of desirable beasts, birds, insects
and plants IS most fortunate. as is the
absence Of noXious ones. In Russia 25,-
100000 squirrels are killed yearly for their
Skins. The English government in Cy-
pruS has sometimes spent $4,000, 600 q
year IN destroying the locuSt5 which In
tested that island. Block Island, part of
raising YexX great advantage in the