The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1910-09-03
CONSERVATION OF NATURAL RESOURCES Of No
VALUE UNLESS WORKERS LIVES ARE PROTECTED

citizens should object to any policy
that would give the remaining coal
lands, timber lands, and water power
sites of the United States and Alaska
to capitalists to be used by them as
a means of extorting swollen profits
from a plundered people, says q
writer in Boot and Shoe Worker.
If conservation means that the re-
naming natural resources of Uncle
Sam are to be preserved for the peo-
pie and are to be utilized only for
their beneft-that they are not to be
turned over to private speculative
control-then every wage-earner
must be in favor of conservation.
But the struggle for present day
existence is too keen to permit
wage-earners to devote very much
time to the work of preserving natur-
al resources for future generations.
They are already engaged with Il
greater or less degree of intensity Of
effort in the broader struggle which
may properly be termed the conser-
walton of humanity.
Every wage-earner Is engaged in
the attempt to earn enough to pro-
vide reasonable food, clothing and
shelter for personal and family use.
Every family represents more or
less successful cooperative effort to
conserve humanity.
Many wage earners work under
such unfavora ble conditions both as
to insanitary workshops and as to in
sufficient wages as to make existence
we'll nigh impossible, and mainly rs
a result of this, many families live in
such, unhealthy tenements and envi-
ronments as to cause the needless
sacrifice of hundreds of thousands
of lives annually.
If the human race is to be de-
stroyed by the greed of industrialism,
the forests, COAL and water power Of
the future will be of little value.
In order that conservation of nat
ural resources may assume it's proper
function of service to future genera
tions of mankind, it is necessary to
pay much more attention to the con-
servation of humanity now.
In very brief consideration of
! this biggest of all human questions
two essential facts stand out very
! prominently, viz:
l. That the lowest wages, the long
est hours and the most squalid and
unhealthy conditions of living exist
in these industries where the en-
ploying interests assume and exer-
else full authority to determine the
wages, hours, and all conditions OF
| sanitation and nourishment com
rrised in the factory and home life
Of their employees, and in the regula-
ton of which. the employers are per-
nlitted to have no voice.
2. That the unions of labor are
the chief active force that inter
poses direct opposition to the con-
tlnuance Of such conditions, and con-
| sequently constitutes the greatest
force working for the conservation
of humanity.
Nor is the\ imposition of unspeak.
able conditions of work and life upon
employees, due to the necessity of the
employers, particularly in the larger
industries
The steel industry serves as not
N0>> T..
The annual report of the United
! States Steel corporation shows its
profits to exceed it's payroll by some
! millions.
In other words it's grossly inflated
share capital, after paying interest
! on bonds representing all or more
! than its property is worth, receives
more than was paid in wages and
salaries to the workers and managers
Who produced its entire product
/ If this corporation had paid so per
cent more in wages it would still
| have received as profits for its in
| flated stock an amount equal to one
third Of the sum paid to all it's work
erS and managers who were the only
real producers engaged in the in
dustry.
This illustration serves to prove
that the conditions imposed upon the
workers by this corporation were not
necessary even from any distorted
view of alleged rights of capital but
were purely the result Of human
avarice taking full advantage of the
opportunity offered by the strength
of the corporation upon the one hand