The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1911-10-14
MINISTERS VOTE FOR .
MINIMUM WAGE SCALE
4 -.
]. 1ota Baptists Follow Meth
Npf Unions Of Labor in
.. 4 Fixing Salaries. :
40 -
~- - =
''''SsA 81 NSs ss.'s5:z ssSs::4as ss:e4.
A Living Wage Is the Cry Of All.
Trusts Are Certain-Profits
Are Safe. -

1t was resolved by the convention
Of the Minnesota Baptists. at its ses-
sion in this city on Tuesday, that the
minimum wage of an unmarried
minister should be 500 per year,
and that married minister should
not preach for less than 5000 per
year.
Probably 1t would be more proper
to say that the ministers union Of
Minnesota Baptists, following the
methods forced upon the unions Of
Workingmen by our latter day indus
trial system, has declared for a
minimum wage based upon the cost
of living and the worth Of the ordi-
nary preacher.
Union Shop Essential.
Men may harangue against the
union shop, which they misname tho
''closed shop" until doom's day, but
without 1t no minimum wage rule
can be established and maintained.
The Baptist ministers have the
union shop. There is not minister
of the Baptist faith in Minnesota who
is not member of the ministers
uaion." as represented by the Min
nesota State Baptists convention now
in session in Duluth, and since a
minimum wage scale has been
adopted no minister who adheres to
the "ethics' of his profession will
accept q call that does not guarantee
to him at least the minimum wage
scale of his union.
There Will Be No ScabbinR.
Can anyone take exception to this
newly adopted principle of the Min
nesota Baptists? The laborer is sure
" worthy OF his hire. No minister
ought to be asked to preach below
that which it costs him to live. There
may be some of them who are not
worth" the minimum wage set by
the convention, but it will make no
difference for they must be paid at
least the wage scale of the union.
Others will be worth more than the
union scale, and they will be paid
more In accordance with their abil-
ity, or as we would say in industry,
according to their skill.
Advantage Over Trade Union.
In this latter respect the Baptist
Ministers union has an ADVANTAGE
over the wage earner's union. For
seldom does an employer of labor
willingly grant to the laborer of alb
ility more than the minimum wage
scale of the union. He usually meas
ures the worth of all laborers by the
skill of the exceptional workman. If
he succeeds in employing the best
workman at the minimum wage scale
set by the union. he believes that all
inferior workmen ought to be graded
IN wages below the amount receiy ad
by the best workman.
No Classification for AIinisters.
The ministers evidently do not take
kindly to the plea OF the labor crit
les for classification Of their men,
bers. The fact that they fixed a
minimum wage scale indicates that it
is not practical, nor would it be safe,
to put the best preachers in the first
class, the next best in tho second
class, and the rest in the third class.
A preacher placed in a lower class
than the one IN which he thinks he
belongs might start something.
What Labor Critics Want,
Yet a certain number of labor
critics insist that labor organizations
should so classify their members,
when experience has shown, as the
ministers we'll know, that it is not
only impracticable, but impossible. :
The minimum wage Is regarded
for the. time being as the worth Of
the ordinary workman. If the en-
ployer is really concerned about. the
vJa1fo~@ ~ ~
will pay them as much above the
minimum scale as they are worth.
Only he and the individual workman
are the Judges. If the union should
attempt to regulate this 1t would re-
suit in fixing a maximum wage scale
which would destroy all hope Of
advancement. There then would be
a real reason for objecting to the
union for destroying the personal lib
erty Of the workman. *s#s -.
Two Minimum Wage Scales,
=. The Baptists ministers have two
| minimum wage scales. one for un-
| married preachers, and the other for
married preachers. The difference is
| $500 per year. If the organizations of
labor did this Industrial greed would
prevent the employment Of any but
unmarried workmen. Naturally there
would be exceptions, for there are
employers who try to keep the spirit
of humanity in their business, but as
q general rule the cheaper laborer
would be preferable. He would be
more valuable to the employer for
the reason that he would have youth,
speed and agility in his favor.
Living Wage Is First. :
Why should there not be mini
mum scale for all wage earners, and
s a tContinued on Page 81 r. 2.