The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1906-06-23
LABOR is SCARCE
In SOUTHERN FIELDS
Suffering from Shortage Of Help, Con-
ditions Discussed by the Manufac-
turers' Record.

izing in this weeks issue, eight pages
of letters from manufacturers through
out the country, the beginning of ser
les discussing from the manufacturers
standpoint the supply Of labor and its
efficiency as related TO the industrial
advancement and immigration, the Man
nfacturerss Record says:
There is i shortage Of labor. This
il most marked in the Southern states,
where even individuals who, operating
upon special lines, have an adequate sup
ply, find general lack in their neigh
borhood, but in the East. in the middle
West and in manufacturing states be-
You'd the Mississippi the situation is sim
liar, though, perhaps, not 50 embarrass-
ing. In some regions, especially near
the great cities, the number Of skilled
workmen il sufficient, but there il Il
demand for the rnskilled BY no means
met. In others there are plenty 81 nm
skilled, but not enough skilled, and in
Others vet both classes arc short.
*LikcSvariations occur in efficiency of
the labor though a tendency toward less
cned efficiency OF lessened productivity
seems to be widespread This il attri-
huted by some practical students to the
organization Of labor permitting medi
ocrity to set the pace for the mass, and
stpprcssing individual ambition, BY
some To the increase In specialization
with Wachine tools whereby the operator
learns To do hut one part of d job and
is even stinted III doing that; by some
- the opportunities created in period
of prosperity for the partly trained man
TAI ,-
fed to do right BY some to the union
rules limiting the number OF appren-
tees in shop, with the effect that
the call for trained men cannot be an
swered adequately; BY some to a train
al radically false system Of education,
which teaches American youth to pre-
fer d $50 d week ioh and Il clean collar
70 d $4 a day job with soled clothes;
By some to undue restrictions upon itn
migration 10 this country; barring com
pctcnts as well as incompetents: and
by Others to the shiftlessness and lazi-
ness which practically makes an in
crease in wages a curse 10 the wage
Garner
The last mentioned is especially no.
ticeable in the case 81 negro common
labor, where the ambition seems to be
70 earn only 10 much every seven days
and ii il can be earned in two or three
days to knock off the rest for the other
four or FIVE days. The spirit Of so-called
independence OF employers thus begotten
is. however, not the exclusive possession
OF unskilled negroes, whose natural his.
tory excuses them in part, but it is also
the case OF white men of the highest
proficiency who. in the knowledge of the
ease with which employment may be
had are inclined "a rove and. consequent
III, Industries requiring steadiness and
stability for their full success are the
sufferers. Nagrancy OF the more pro-
noilnced type, that is the yagrancy which
win do no work except under compul-
sion OF the law. aud lives upon the in.
dustrious elements of the country, is
another evil. complained OF mostly in
the South, affecting both employers and
employees.
The desire for immigration to meet
| the Deficiencies II al present strongest
in the South. This seems 10 be ex-
1 planned by the fact that material for
common labor predominates at present
among the new corners to this country,
and 70 the fact that for killed purposes
the foreigner who is vet 10 be trained
/ IS NOT likely to become as efficient as
native American. Suggestion of I'M
| migration induces wide range of opin.
! ion, from a. Willingness 10 stop the
wagon in the middle Of the road" rather
/ than TO destroy the American spirit
| through large importations Of foreigners
10 the strong desire that the law cx-
| Guiding Chinese labor be repealed There
1 is shown, too, shifting after trial
| from one class of foreigners 10 anoth-
or; contentment is expressed with con.
tlitions in New England, where so great
a proportion Of the labor is Of foreign
origin
"A wish for a good class Of immi-
grants prevails in the West and in the
South, public sentiment is becoming
stronger and stronger for an enlargement
! Of The work done BY state immigration
bureaus and other reliable agencies to
he supplemented by the movement Of
foreigners direct to Southern ports
! whence they may be distributed wherev-
cr needed in agriculture, in mining, in
manufacturing, in the lumber camps
and in other construction work OF yari.
olls kinds One OF the strongest argu-
ments for immigration to the South
is that il will not only meet an inn
| mediate need, but will discover to the
negroes that their so.cailed independence
II but a temporary thing and that to
Ihaye any employment at all they must
be willing 70 work persistently and reg
ularly or disappear in the face Of com
/ position with foreign.born.
Meanwhile, In parts of the country
where manufacturing has been long es.
tablshed. emphasis IS laid upon the ne
ecssity Tor radical change in cduca.
tional methods, for. the founding and
| liberal support Of schools where the
| rising generation may learn thoroughly
a whole trade and for the enlargement
Of the apprenticeship system, the strong
/ point being that. whereas in train
| ing for the .professions, all is out 20 I'M
I'll active practice begins. the apprentice
| Is paid while he is learning. Criticism
Is also made of the methods Of handling
employees and employers upon some such
/ principle as that the one is merely an
liniisidual TO be exploited TO the full
for the sole benefit OF the other. and
4 experience Is cited to demonstrate tile
4 advantages Of what has come to be call.
ed industrial welfare work" and in adj
yocacy Of q recognition OF the human
element IN the relations OF employer
and employed"