Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1910-08-22


different countries is question lnvoiv-
ing many factors over which sociology |
cal investigators and tarln wranglers
have long disputed: What ! can give rs
the result of visiting workmen in their
homes in various cities. nearing the
statements of labor representatives ana
others as to prices and wages. ana COM
pleting this sort OF inI9rma anS tr @
union reports given me IN the countries
visited.
In the debates and conferences of the
British Trade Union Congress. at lps-
wich, in September the national trade |
union secretaries and other prominent
delegates could hardly be expected to err
greatly when referring to earnings IN
their own occupations, some some 81 R,c in
Bell. NJ. P, of the Amalgamated Society
of Railway Servants. speaking OF the
necessity for railway men In the Ipswich
that while working at II shillings (s4.2O
a week they had refused to assist the
union in getting them an advance OF
shillings. 1t is to be kept in mind that
the English shilling is really q Anne rican
cents, though usually computed at 20 e.
H. Roberts, NJ p, averred that in some
parts of East Anglia, the eastern, central
part of England, agricultural iaoore ei;s
Thorne, NJ. p. mentioned that builders,
laborers in Ipswich were receiving 40
pence g centsp an hour: Men In the au-
dience called out: Quite right and SO
cab drivers. said public motor-car men
received y per cent. on every pound
they took in. but as they had to pay for
it frequently happened that all they had
for themselves after a fifteen-hour day
was shillings.
In London the present weekly union
in printing offices is 34s. for fifty-four
hours, and for cutters 3Os., and girl
folders 15s. In the private shipyards do
ing naval work-those In Tyne, clyde,
the wages run, on the average: Platers,
holders up. 2Ss. Sd. Government dock
yards maximum pay is: Platers, Us;
The entire range here is Sc to less than
$3.50
The long hours worked in some occu-
pations was called to the attention of the
Hayhurst. J. p, of the bleachers' union.
to be common thing for men in the
bleaching, dyeing. and ico-printing in
dustries to work twelve and fourneen
hours a day.
In the FORGING figures We have for
England examples not -only of the high
est wages paid In some of the best-or-
ganized trades, but also of the rates cur
rent in those poorly organized. In other
words, the range covers the varying
scales for all wage workers occupations.
Further quotations would carry but the
repetition of what Is, general fact.
Earnings in England, however, can not
be based on weekly wage scales: Unem-
ployment, varying as to the individuals
involved, is now so bad as to be spoken
of as d settled national feature in indus
try. The inSpectorge neral of the army
was quoted at Ipswich as mentioning in
his last annual report that 80 out of
every 100 men enlsting in the army had
given unemployment as their reason for
becoming soldiers.
A general survey of wages in Germany
is to be had in. the tables giving the
average yearly earnings as reported I'M
der the workingmen's insurance laws.
The Correspondenzblatt of the Trade
Union General Commission for Germany,
April IS. 1908. page 50. has one of these
tables. Only three or four of the trades
average over loo marks $1,000. at which
sum, according to the law. begins the
excess reckoned at one-third the actual
amount Most of the average run less
than 1000 marks $3.50. These general
insurance statistics of wages may be
verified by union scales. For instance,
the Berlin saddlers organization calls
for Y or 2S marks week: the Hamburg
shipbuilders, "a to 80 marks: the Berlin
plumbers, go to 10 pfennigs an hour for a
nlne-hour day, being IS to 50 a week.
These are among the highest wages The
lowest are for day laborers, which rarely
below ~, in list complied by the local
authorities in three cities. in accordance
with the insurance laws.
In Europe it is a matter of great, as,
teachers can afford to make 'the grand
tour" on their own savings. Scores, per-
haps hundreds today of our bright in
structresses make the two ocean voyages
for 500 and travel to London, Paris. the
Rhine. perhaps Berlin and Rome for six
or seven or ten weeks for $3.50 more.
The young European mechanic or laborer
may return after two or three years in
m oil nd in,
spending moner perhaps back to be
married. is common subject for neigh
borhood gossip in Europe. Such facts
tell a story of their own
Two classes of writer's and takers may
be found who assert that ''one may live
IN Europe on half what it costs in Amer
lea" The first of these classes is the
employers of Europe as body they are
interested in keeping their workmen with
them. to compete with one another, be-
sides being actuated by anti-American
sentiment that calls for no more than
mention here. The other class is mostly
made up of well-tO-dO American sojourn-
ers abroad The latter undoubtedly find
several items in their own outlay less
than in America. among them being per-
sonal service. objects of luxury, and
selves and their social classes. their as
sertions are correct. especially as regards
city life. European working classes.
however. neither hire servants nor buy
IL Is.
The struggle for a barely decent living
is ever before them. Their nee
essary annual family budget" com
prises plain and cheap food. which.
on the average. takes 40 to S. per
cent of the entire outlay, quarters in
either an ''industrial' or "slum" dis
trict. requiring 20 to 80 per cent and
clothing 10 per cent, or more. These per-
centages must be indefinite. depending
as they do upon the size of the family,
on earnings. and on climate, and even
the government. Mentally contemplating
the many cities | visited, and having in
mind the conversations | had with work.
ingmen who had lived both in Europe
and America, l believe l may assert that
whether the cost of living in Europe or
America is greater to the workingman
depends entirely on the standard of living
he adopts while in America If he vol
UNFAIRLY lives the life of self-denial i'm
this country that he compulsorily lived
in his native land. his outlay in money
Will remain about the same Even then
he will hardly be able to escape gaining
something from the superior sIpply Of
the good things of life in America.
If l am called on to name one of the
good things which is conspicuous, I re-
ply: Our common schools for the
workers children" and as | write the
words | hear again the enthusiastic SEN
timents on this point uttered in nv pres
ence by Italians. Bohemians. Austrians.
and Irishmen. ITO think" they saw,
free"