Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1907-12-30
MIR. co,pERs on WAGES.

The official heads " organized labor
. iu this country are not always either
/ clear or correct 900 their theories on
/ profits aud wages.
Mr. Samuel Gompcra far example
/ declares that employees will NOT have
/ easy sailing" BE- they try Co adjust
wages 90 slackeuing demand and dim-
inished profits Workugmou are not
responsible for the panic, and they DO
not propose to submit to any cutting
down of their earnings TO lower
wages. Mr. Gompers argued further
would be- 90 reduce the consuming
power Of tha people, whereas the
need OF the hour is TO heighten that
power.
The Now York Post answers MT
Gompers's argument by asking why
then. he would not double or treble
the wages OF workiugmen ia time of
business depression, and so save an
the country by increasing the cousum-
Ing power OF wage earners.
The argument OF MI Gompers re-
minds us of the freshman who being
told that If be would purchase GER
tain make of cookstovc. he could save
half of the kitchen coal that was conn
monty consumed. responded by re-
marking that he would buy two stoves
then. and save all OF g.
We have every reason. in sympathy
belief. and principle. to advocate good
wages FOR workingmcn. Their wages
are always the last 90 RISE and when
the bubble bursts. they are among the
earliest 20 suffer Just as they have
| succeeded 800 getting their wages Raised
| 20 correspond Go the increased cost of
| living. there ls usually a general re-
cession, work falls or. and laborers
have 70 take less or lose employment.
| In every case the outcome Is severe
upon labor OF an kinds. There can be
little question that labor suffers most
I'm times Of depression, and gains least
in times OF initiation. And yet. as am
exchange truly remarks. the klndest
consideration for the misforuncs OF
workingmen suddenly face 20 face with
depression. must not blind as to the
absurdity of such a protest in their
behalf. and such novel theory of
wages. as Mr. Gompers puts forth.
Now, 10 is "A common thing for trades
unions 20 make agreements with en-
ployer5 whereby wages shall vary as
the price of the product This is Of the
essence Of the sliding scale OF the
Amalgamatcd Association Of Iron and
Steel Workers The same principle
enters into Che fixing of the wages OF
coal-miuers. and was indeed, recoE-
nized by the commission appointed az
the time of the anthracite coal strike.
WglNSe at this moment another n-
lui In the case Of the copper
mi Il the Lake Superior region
Their wages have been reduced. and
they have accepted the cut without
"a murmur. because the price of copper
has fallen 30 per cent. According 90
Mr.. GompCrs, this was a great mistake.
II the mine owners had only kept on
paying fun wages the miners would
have consumed" so much copper that
the price would have been speedily
restored
The argument of the official head OF
the American Federation of Labor sug-
gests that ho. too. is aiming 20 ostab-
lish monopoly OF the very kind that
orsauized labor has often rightcously
condemned. For what is the Inference
when the head on organized labor viii
say 10 the American people that what
ever their hardships and however
much their income might be reduced.
he VIII not consent 60 share at an lu
the common prlvauons but unl insist
upon making them pay hIm the high-
est price f1r what Dr., has 90 aells III
the Beef Trl. should take such "a posi-
zion, ve should know what 90 think of
it Why should $500 have different
opinion of .te import when it cmanatss
from union labor Iaador2
ln times OF expansion ana activity.
labor shares the benefits Not au
classes of wage Hmers however ac-
ualN share iu tho profit. of "Gusha
dimes. CLERKS. teachers b1akao.pers.
HeHspaucr employee. uH uademan of
various SORTS DO moi usually have choir
wages raised 90 correspond with tae
ri+. ol th0 general Towel off prices Bul
-he members of labor union. almost
invariably 900.