The Liberal democrat. [volume] (Liberal, Kan.) 1911-1924, 1912-10-25
LABOR

T"~~N@
LABOR
To look at the politics of the day
from the viewpoint OF the laboring
man is not to suggest that there is
one view proper to him, another to
the employer, another to the capt.
tallst, another to the professional
man; but merely that the life OF the
country whole may be looked
at from various points OF view and
yet be viewed as a whole, The whole
business of politics Is to bring classes
together upon platform OF accom-
mediation and common interest.
In political campaign the voters
are called upon to choose between
parties and leaders. Parties and
platforms and candidates should be
frankly put under examination to
see what they will yield us by way
of progress, and there are great
many questions which the working
man may legitimately ask and press
until he gets a definite answer.
The predictions of the leaders OF
the new party are as alarming as the
predictions of the veriest standpatter.
He declares that he is not troubled
by the fact that very large amount
of money is taken out of the pocket
of the general taxpayer and put into
the pocket OF particular classes oil
protected manufacturers, but tnat
his concern Is that 30 little OF this
money gets into the pocket OF the
laboring man and so large pro-
portion of it into the pockets of the
employers. have searched his pro
gram very thoroughly for an indica-
ton of what he expects to do in or
der to see to 1t that larger proper
ton of this prize" money gets into
the pay envelope, and have found
only one suggestion. There is a
plank in the program which speaks
OF establishing a minimum, or liv-
ing wage, for women workers, and
suppose that we may assume that
the principle is not in the long run
meant to be confined In its applica-
ton to women only. Perhaps we are
justified in assuming that the third
party looks forward to the general
establishment by law of minimum
wage. 1t is very likely, take ii
for granted, that II minimum wage
we're established by law the great
majority OF employers would take oc-
casion to bring their wage scale as
nearly as might be down to the level
of that minimum; and it would DO
very awkward for the wOrkingman
to resist that process successfully, be-
cause it would be dangerous to strike
against the authority of the Federal
government.
Moreover, most of his employers
at any rate, practically all OF the
most powerful of his employers -
would be wards and proteges OF that
very government, which is the master
OF us all; for no part Of this pro-
gram can be discussed intelllgently
without remembering that monopoly,
as handled by 1t, Is not to be pre-
vented, but accepted and regulated.
When you have thought the whole
thing out, therefore, You will find
that the program of the new party
legalizes monOpOlies and systematic
ally sabordinates worklngmen to
them and to plans made by the gov
eminent both with regard to employ
ment and with regard to wages. Take
the thing as a whole, and it looks
economic mastery over
the very lives and fortunes of those
who do the daily work Of the nation;
and all this under the Overwhelming |
power and sovereignty of the national
government. What most of us are
lighting for is to break up this very |
partnership between big business and
the government.