The labor world., 1903-10-24
Wages and Disputes . ~; ~
/ i.::. " +. >= ( ~ = in Great Britain

By. Henry M..~james.

By. Henry NJ. James. =, !. =
On the, principle that the progress
Of ,nnionism: in Great Britain has a.
lively interest for the members OF
ricarsStradeunions the figures
statements given below will be. excuse
enough for their. appearance in these
columns. What we are doing 1and:what
others are doing or are about to do
are matters >of deep interest that are
ably presented in The Journal month
after month, and that this informa-
tion is studied seriously by union men
and political economists is evidence
enough that it is of economic value.y
Not long ago the Hon.: Carroll D..
Wright, United States labor commits
sioner, pointed out that the wages
question is perhaps the most import
ant branch of political economy. and
certainly it is the most difficult. The
question is the most important because
labor is at the basis Of all values, and
it is the most difficult because of The
varied and complicated conditions
surrounding labor. 1t may be-, we'll
to quote him here, for, although: this
article deals with part Of the
economic conditions of another coun-
try, it should not be forgotten that our
prosperity depends upon the - we'll
being. of that and other European ma
tions. Our largest exports 60. to
Great Britain, and if that country
were to cease to be prosperous the
pinch would be sorely felt by all classes
in the United States. Besides' Mr..
Wright's remarks apply also TO- the
ofr Britain q goi6.
!: 1--WE see in every progressive: COM
munity that the demand of the work
ingman is no longer for a wage suffi-
cient to enable him to keep body and
soul together. Labor has been taught
to feel that it is a social as we'll: as
an economic power in the community,
and this educating process has gone
on until the demand of labor is for a
reasonable margin beyond that fixed
by the common law of wages. How
far this demand shall be granted, how
far. the work,ngman shall be enabled
to benefit by the results Of his edu-
cation, are the great questions.
I'VE have the communism and So
cialism suggested as the true solu-
tions of the problem what is an equi-
table adjustment of wages and profits,
but in them the patriotic citizen does
not find that he can place the labor
ing man on a just and equitable basis
where he shall receive an increased
share of the benefits arising from the
Introduction of machinery or the many
novel processes for speeding on pro.
duction. The great majority of men
still feel that the ethical and economi-
cal objections to the wages question
can be met in other ethical and eco
nomical adjustments, which shall re-
lieve the question of it's irritating ele-
ments."
The remarks, good and true, apply
to the conditions that obtain today
throughout the civilized world, and
are Of peculiar import; to ourselves.
1t is desired to. impress on the read
en-, in connection, with the: figures given
herewith, that as<:compared with other
European countries. France for ex-
ample, living is incomparahIY cheaper
in. Great Britain, AL scientific eco
Fnomists are agreed that to tax. one
part of the community, especially the
larger part, for the benefit of another
is bad policy, and to levy duties or
food, above all local duties, is the ne
plus ultra of economic folly. But this
is what is done in France, where al
most every necessity of life that en-
ters any town of Importance pay an
octroi duty at the entry gate. AS g
| result the French workman expends
although receiving much the same
amount in wages as the Brlton, from
one-third more to three or four times
what is paid across the English Chan
mel. The British workman also does
not live up to the standard maintained
by his American brother, and al
things considered there is reason TO,
that equanimity which is his felicity
To enable the reader to arrive at =
correct idea of what is represented
by the figures herein the following
table, compiled from the eighth an
nual Abstract Of Labor Statistics OF
the United Kingdom" and showing
the standard rates Of wages per week
for various trades recognized in Lon
don during 1902, is appended. Wages
rents, cost Of food, etc, are generally
lower outside of London:
Trades. Wages