The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1906-03-10
STUDY, Of the comparative ex-
pendttures of the workman of
America and 3Ar1n4T1v shows

4 y America and Germany shows
that, while the American
spends more for his food, his rent, his
clothing, his fuel and light than the
German the percentage of his total
expenditure to his income is less ex-
cept In the single item Of rent. Nearly
nair the wages Of the German is spent
Tor food, while the American only pays
two-nfths of what he earns. and is
oetter FED. On the other hand, the
American turns over to the landlord
one-seventh Of his income as against
the one-eleventh Of the German. Meat,
the great "working-fo is a luxury
TO the Teuton, who considers himself
lucky II he eats it three times a week,
while his outlay on it is some rs cents
week. A Pennsylvania miner pays
out an average Of 1882 per week to his
butcher: However. in twenty-five
years the retail prices of food to work.
men In Germany have fallen consid-
Grady, workman being able to pur-
chase for 100 marks the same quantity,
Tor which his father paid $50 marks q
quarter OF a. century ago. This is
hardly the fact in the United States.
Recognition Of the rights of labor Is
laws of Prussia forbade the organiza-
ton Of labor unions. and. until 1881.
those formed in the preceding twelve
years were subjected to police sur
velliance. The greatest progress in the
organization Of German workingmen
mas been during the past decade.
Dur1ng the last twelve years.. the
unions have spent more than $780,
600 to further the interests Of the
workingnen and women. German Of
ncla!s derive some satisfaction from
the fact that only % per cent of this
sum was used to promote strikes.
EmpIoysrs' Great Care.
German tndustrialists boast that the
welfare Of their men IL their chief con-
Germ. When Engel-Dollfus, the great
Alsatian manufacturer, founded the
Muelhaus societies, designed to protect
the workmen from accident he said,
THE employer owes other things to
MS workmen than salary. It is his
duty to occupy himself with their moral
and physical situation. and this moral
oo!lgatlon, which no mans salary is
able to discharge, ought to take the
place OF selfish interests, which appear
sometimes to place themselves in con-
h1ct with this sentiment"
The high principles which Engel-
Dollfus enunc1ated has been observed
bv many! of the Industrial leaders. The
philanthropy OF Frederick Krupp found
expression In the erection OF villages
OF slightly, sanitary homes Tor his work.
lngmen and the pensioners of the firm.
The rents averaged Al cents per room
weekly. against So cents in neighboring
towns In Oppeln. in Prussia, the en-
ployers have provided 1o6 habitations
for every 1000 working families. Din
ing rooms, baths, lockers and other
conveniences are provided within the
factories. Banks. subsidized by en-
ployers and partly supported by con-
'tributions from the workmen, make
payments to men whom the Arm is
compelled to lay of.
There are re1ief funds for sickness,
old age, death ana burial, which sup
plement the 1ega1 insurance and as
sistAnce IL gifvsn to warkmen desir-
ing to purchase homes There are
compulsory interest savings banks and
voluntary interest savings banks. Some
OF the works provide steam laundries
which do the family washing. often be-
low cost Buildings and grounds are
set apart by many factories for their
workinsmen, and some have libraries.
The best philanthropy is Germany is
embodied in the laws which require