The Detroit times., 1908-12-28
LABOR PROBLEM TO
Be SOLVED IN
FUTURE
ANDREW CARNEGIE SAYS JOINT
STOCK FORM WILL 90 IT
WoRkMEN SHOULD BE PART.
NeRs IN BUSINESS.

NEW YORK. Dec. 2S.-Andrew Car
negie, in an article in a leading maya
zine, says labor in the future Is to rise
higher. The joint stock form. he says.
opens the door to the participation of
labor as shareholders in business OF
ton Of the labor problem. The prob
lem Is to be solved in the future BY
people In keeping with the advance OF
human society.
Mr.. Carnegie refers TO the beginning
OF the Carnegie Steel Co., in which 40
young men became partners and paid
for their interest in the business by
their own notes. payable out Of the
company's profits. Mechanical work
ers, especially. who had been neglect
cd by employers, were admitted.
Every corporation, says the article,
could AFFORD to sell shares to its saw
ing workmen, giving preference N re
payment at cost as q -hrst- charge In
case OF disaster. just as present laws
provide hrst for the mechanics lien
and for homestead exemption.
Advance Of Labor.
The writer points out that lust az
the mechanical world has changed and
improved, SO the world OF labor has
advanced from the slavery of the la
borer to the day OF his absolute inde.
pendence and now to this day. when
he begins to take his proper place al
the capitalist-partner OF his employer.
We may look forward with hore to the
cay when 1t shall be the rule for the
workman to be partner with capital.
the man OF affairs giving his busi-
ness experience. the workingmen In
the mill his mechanical skill to tie
company. both equally interested In
the success OF their Joint efforts. each
indispensable"
Replying TO the possible charge OF
being ovorsanguine. Mr.. Carnegie de-
clares himself convinced that "the
huge combination, and even the mod
crate corporation. has no chance IL
competition with the partnership
which embraces the principal officials
and has adopted the system Of pay
ment by bonus or reward throughout
it's work. The latter may be relied
upon, as a rule, to earn handsome divi
dends In times OF depression, during
which the former, conducted upon tho
old plan, will incur actual loss and per-
haps land In financial embarrassment"
The Filene stores OF Boston. he saws,
"has Como farthest Of all in the direc.
tion Of making its employees sharehold
ers." The establishment, he says, en-
ploys seven to nine hundred men, the
capital stock Is held only by employees.
ond Is returned TO the corporation at
its value. should the employe leave
the service. Every share OF stock be-
longs TO some one working I'm the
stores. THE most important al
vance" says Mr.. Carnegie. is that all
questions are submitted to arbitration,
rot only complaints or disputes. bat
wages, scope OF work. and tenure OF
More than four hundred
cases OF arbitration have arisen. ana
the result is that both managers and
employees have been satisfied that this
is the true plan. When an employee Is
discharged he has the right OF appeal
to an arbitration board composed OF
fellow employees OF different grades.
All wage disputes have been sat'sfac-
torily settled. There il a profit shar-
ing department. having nothing 10 do
with wages, which has been abe 10
distribute varying amounts each
year"
Future Not Revealed.
Whether the communists ideal is
TO be finally reached upon EARTH after
man is SO changed that selfinterest,
which is now the handspring of human
action. will give place to heavenly
neighbor.interest, cannot be known.
The future has not been revealed.
lie who says yes. and he who says NJ,
are equally foolhardy. Neither knows.
neither should presume to