The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1911-11-12
|IOHN MITCHELL ARTICLES---NO Hp H5 puNzSpl6 @ %

,.r was over 100000, If, indeed, 1t
vas 900, ,000 II signified serious loss
her were but half n million in the class
of Isborers. there Is still 10 be added
the number in the Glasses not SO &c
noninatod Even when modified BY
persis,ent doubters and careful bureau
statistlcisns. the number or the ul,sIno @
pioyed Is sufficient TO constitute source
of national anxiety. When we ln.ih VI
the misery OF the man or woman de.
pendcnt on wages being out OF work put
willing and anxious TO work ana re-
fleet that perhaps today million OF oa pos
sons are thus suffering, we must DECIDE
that of all the economic questions brought
before society none Is more. serious tlan
this.
With the wage -eerners given steady
employment at living wages, society
might proceed to answer all The other
problems OF the human race In com
parative peace and happiness. But thls
is long stage beyond any yet sought
by the nations that have givoh the
problem OF unemployment the most AT
tsn,ion. They have gone no further
wage -earners just about alive and 10
put them in connection WIN employ
ers. In this work Germany has taken
the lead, enabled to do so through her
state systems OF insuring and pension
ing the laborers. of rendering aid through
trade union and other voluntary admin
reaus and temporary lodgings FOR the
| unemployed. Great Britain is now III
the second year of experimenting with
national system OF government labor bu-
rcaus, from which much Is expected, as n
step supplementary to old-agc pensions
but which has been the subject OF crltl-
cism by some of The trade unions.
There IL not space In these articles
10 enter into a description of Ger
manys interviewer methods Of protect
Ing Its leborcys in the less gainful call
I,.x, 4 I.,.r ,,T,tI
OF its principal agencies viii show their
iDspplica5llity as whole In this coun-
try, at least for q long time, and the in
adequacy of any of them separately from
the rest,
In Germany. every person under 2l
years of age must have labor BOOK
which Is held by the employer during
employment and must be shown by ALI
applicant when seeking work. When
over 81, all wage workers, except COM
paratlvely small number of the higher
paid, carry insurance cards there being
AT present about lS 600, 600 persons in
sured The card OF each individual
shows 4 record OF his occupation. wages,
health, insurance payments. and other
econ omic circumstances, This card he
must produce when he takes a new job
applies at q labor exchange for work.
asks his union for out -of-Wori payment
or seeks lodging in one Of the munich
pal or union shelters. There are other
cards. also. for the class of migratory
laborers Liable 10 become homeless
tralnps, who are subject TO a system OF
police and organized philanthropic SUI
pervision which brings as nearly as pos
sble all OF them under a discipline from
which i is difficult 70 escape as, single ,e
arrest In the light OF these systems.
one working I'm With another, IL may be
seen why there is little begging in pub
lie and no nuisance OF lawless vagrancy
in Germany, But It would be a woerui
( InmSt SuDDOSe there
fore that there is little poverty in The
great German empire. Much acute sui :
prevented through the governments
elaborate methods and vigilance that
never reaxes. Absolute starvation is
rare, scientific prevention of disease Is
from sources public and private: not ex-
listing in America. But the statistics re-
latns to relief reveal the degree to which
the masses still bear the burdens OF
deprivation, For instance, the number
Of persons obtaining temporary lodgings
in a year in the shelters reaches two
millions. Municipal out-of work insur-
ance. of which much praise has been
written In this country, seems small
matter to an American. The amount to
be drawn may run about 80 cents q day
for six weeks. But then. as to the
whole system OF pensions and sick in
surance. much the Same comment is TO
be made. The amounts drawn. while on
the whole an undoubtedly important aid
the barest necessaries for existence.
Enough is suggested I'm the foregoing s
facts to lead TO the conclusion that Just
what German experience might teach
us would be matter for careful study,
No example for our imitation lies on the
surface OF the German situation. No
more is there any lesson for us in the
outcome of either the British of French
lil5e methods. except warning.
1t is 10 be seriously doubted whether
our worlsing-class population in Amer
cia can be helped much through the
European point of view with regard 10
the wage workers. or the three most
obvious elassifcations of our laborers
the foreign-the flrst class. stands SO
far apart not only from the others. in
economic condition and mental devel
opment but from the European work
help adapted to the latter might not
In the least degree be suitable TO it,
The American-bred worker does not
or system-classined. numbered, tagged
and obliged to carry a card of
worker who is the product OF our gem
eral system of education Is about the
equal of his fellow citizens and needs
only ne fair opportunities promised in
the principles of our republic to work
out his own economic salvation.
Safe conclusions TO be derived from
tnc reports OF those public employment
offices thus far established I'm the
United States are that they are adapt
cd principally to the needs Of uuskiied
iaborers and persons in domestic serv-
ice and that their beneficial develop
ment might lie in facilities for MAX
Ing public the points where labor is
In demand and for the movement OF la
borers on the land especially in har-
vest seasons In the industries and
mining. the most pressing need exists
for not, only compensation for acci-
dents. but for inspection How little
the public here is prepared for such
a network OF labor exchanges and It's
accompanying institutions as cares jor
the unemployed in Germany. was H.
lustrated by the history OF New York's
state labor bureau Established ia
1895 as the beginning OF a proposed
system on the continental plan. its
work always of > feeble character it
was abolished in 1906, a failure, the APP
preparation for 1t being turned over 10
additional factory inspection
Wen. what can he done for our un-
employed? Alas, 1t is. In the end. one
OF the deepest questions confronting cur
government. our civilization. our Social
system. Immediately, In the United
states, effective and TO n point contiru-
relief olir 10 bo-