Omaha daily bee., 1902-09-27
STUDY OF AMERICAN LABOR
British 0OmmiSgisa Makes Report to
Association Which Sent 1t.
TRADES UNIONS ARE LESS AGGRESSIVE
Freedom of Labor and Aptitude in
Use of New Inventions the Sc
cret of Americas Crow
H. ing Supremacy.
a stan Correspondent

WA. IN, Sept 26.-(special)-
Labor ce ms in the United states is
the subject Of a chapter in the recently
published report Of the commission from
the British Iron Trade association which
visited the United States a few months
since and reported upon Industrial condi-
tions. and especially those relating to iron
and steel. Discussing this important ques
tion Of the condition of labor in the United
States as viewed from the standpoint of
the English citizen and manufacturer, the
report says:
"The conditions Of labor in the United
states is another matter that has received
a good deal of attention, as being funda-
mental in the progress of America m
dustries. If not also in the relative progress
Of some Of our own. The influence Of trade
unionism is not nearly so strong nor so
aggressive in the United States as in Great
Britain. The reason is largely capable Of
mathematical demonstration. A recent re-
port BY the New York department Of labor
shows that while in Great Britain at a re-
cent date there were 1.905, 900 trade union
lists, there were only 1,s0O 900 in the United
states and Canada for about twice the pop
ulation, while Germany is credited with
1896, 900, or about one-half the British fig
ure. The trade union is not generally rec
ognized as a militant force in the United
States, except now and again. Few en-
ployers are ready to acknowledge that II
has any influence worth naming.
Decrease in Labor Cost.
The almost absolute freedom Of labor has
been the chief instrument whereby 1t has
won such conquests in the field of indus
trial economy during the last quarter Of a
century. In all countries Industrial pro-
cesses have been great cheapened during
that period, but in America the cheapening
appears to have been carried farther than
anywhere else. According to figures re-
Gently made public by Mr.. William Garrett
rail roller in an up-to-date mill is paid
less than 1 cent per ton for rolling against
10 cents at a not very remote date. Within
that time. again, wire rod roller has seen
his earnings per ton reduced from S2.12 to
IL cents per ton, and yet he earns larger
wages at the lower figure, while cents
are paid today for heating bilIets to make
wire rods. against so cents during the
period referred to. If rod rollers SAYS Mr..
Garrett were to receive the same wages
| per ton that they did twenty years ago
they would earn s424 per day
| me average output per worker has in
all cases increased enormously At the
| nine Edgar Thomson blast furnaces I was
told that 10000 men are employed for an
output Of $4,000 tons per week, including
all the hands employed in handling and
stocking raw materials, transport, etc.
This gives an average Of 1873 tons OF pig
per man per week, OF 1855 tons per man
per annum. The minimum wage paid at
the blast furnaces is $3.50 per day OF
twelve hours. did not get the average
wage paid at these works, but Mr.. A. c.
NnlrA H.
works, recently testified that the average
earnings Of the workmen there, excluding
offlcials. is $2.7S per day, while the earn
ings OF rollers and heaters rise to $15 per
day. Wages, in short, are generally so
good. and the men have their futures SO
much in their own hands. that they have
every encouragement to do the best they
can both for their employers and for them
selves.
Human Factor Counts.
The human factor and the personal
equation appear to count in the United
States for more than they generally dc
in Europe. Workmen appear to enjoy a
larger measure of Independence, based or
the knowledge of the fact that work Il
more easy to obtain than in older coun.
tries; that they are able, as a rule to save
money. and are. therefore, less dependent
than when living, as it is not unusual ir
europe. from hand to mouth. and that they
are living under a political regime which
is founded on democratic principles.
Two features of the relations of EN-,
ployers and employed may be named al
exercising a powerful influence on tho
amity of their connection-the first, tn,
encoura cement and reward Of workmeni
inventions, and the second. the readiness
with which workmen of exceptional ca
pacity can themselves become employer
and capitalists"