The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1906-01-07

- RGANIZED labor men will read
with interest what Karl Poert-
ner, a well-known member of
the local Retail Salesmenis association,
has to say about the workingman of
Germany. Mr.. POertner has but re-.
Gently returned from an extended visit
to the fatherland, after an absence of
twenty years, and while there he took
occasion to gain as much knowledge
seoneerning conditions governing the
workingmen as possible. What he has
to say about the system of govern
ment insurance in operation in Ger
many should set the average American
TO thinking, as there is no doubt as to
the success of the plan in that country.
SIN speaking of the German work
ingmen,'' said Mr.. P%oertner, 81 must
say right here that they are 40 diff,
ferent from workingmen in other coun-
tries-some are good, some are bad and
worst of all some are of a very indif-
ferent character-and I do believe that
lin the failings of human nature the
worklngman is more apt to be a strlk-
ing example, when given most power.
sit is hard to follow the narrow and
unbeaten path, when there is a con-
venient short cut leading over your
~neighbor's cultivated fields. Therefore
very few of our most prominent Amer
lean labor leaders have been known to
use judiciously the trust given into
their hands.
Jealousy an Enemy.
"Personal jealousy and arrogance
have destroyed many a successful cam
paign at the most critical point, and
The result is that we are surprised to
find a few shining exceptions to the
rule, for example, John Mitchell.
2: HEvery good merchant takes inven-
tory regularly in order to know exactly
his condition of business; and why
should the la~boringman not do the
same, to learn the truth about his stock
in trade should not be feared by him.
Commercially honest business princi-
pies have always been considered good
method, Notwithstanding the. fact that
some successful men will loudly de-
clare that the public wants to be hum
plugged. Moral honesty has it's own
reward, in putting man at rest with his
conscience and giving him self-respect.
Elm ordinary business life a good
merchant will aim to gain the good
will of the people who may trade with
him and quite often he will select as
Che motto, Not how cheap, but how
good
cit is high time for most labor
Unions to live up to this motto, for their
franchise has been granted them for
reason Of this golden text.
Heeds His Lessons.
81 EfIt is a striking and most agreeable
fact for Germans to see how much the
German laboringman is adapting the
good lessons of the long past days il
modern industrial ways. Some years
algo it used to be the custom in Ger
Snany that a mechanic or tradesma1
had to furnish a masterpiece, of hi
spwn work, the same to be judged b,
older and more experienced men of hi
#raft, in order to give him the RICH
10 start in business for himself. Thi
anne idea is used in Germany today il
s. good many trades, but it is used in
little different way.
AFTER a young man has passed hi
apprenticeship, lasting a term of thre
fsr four years, during which time hi
Remuneration is hardly ever more tina
10 find him in board, clothing and
little pocket-money, he will then hav
70 make his masterpiece in order t
demonstrate to other masters of hi
raft that he has been benefited by hi
Instructions to the extent of being
ielper worthy of his wage.
"sThis has been the means of bring
Gg certain trades to a standard of pc:
ection which is well worthy Of init;
ion.
"Shorter hours Of work and Sunda
est is today the aim, and object of a
herman laborin gmen, and the work
lowly but surely going ahead: An
be most surprising fact in the matte
that the movement has not deve
ped a single prominent champion {
eader. Every single worker seems
0 his share towards furthering tt
god cause. .s"T ~.
No Unions, but Results.
HILabor unions in Germany are a
host unknown. What few there a:
Re doing their work in such a quiz
jay@that one will hardly notice them.
ssGentral labor bodies are unknou
~astitutions, Many laboringmen b
ing to socialist clubs and the chars
as often been made, that these clu1
re- nothing more or less than centr
thor bodies; but that is a char,
hich canno be substantiated, for Il
iborer loses his trade distinction al
ecomes a political dreamer. g
Germany leads all other nations
system of sick and accident inst
nee and invalid insurance Gold a
adj total Disability insurance), provi
g material financial benefits for
orkmen in sickness and old az
hese laws date back to Tune Is, l9s
Id have proved themselves a wondt
II success. They insure male a,
male workers, native and foreie
rove the age of 16, and pay benef
II twenty-six consecutive wee]
forking people who work in one pla
r one week for salary or wages t
tai amount of which for ffty-t7
eeks does not exceed 1000 mar
ust take out insurance and in case
tilure to do so, both the employer a
e employed will be fined. :
ssServant girls and servants co,