Atlanta Georgian. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1912-1939, 1913-06-07
FORBES WRITES
D n CAPITAL
AND LABOR
Employers Seem to Be Getting
More Reasonable Toward
the Proletariat.
BY q. C. FORBES.

or with labor?" Is the question put
me by reader.
My a. shies" are not governed
by the mans bank account
or by patton.
! haNc ,ng since abandoned hero
worship of rich men simply because
OF their riches, and | long ago
learned that a poor man Of The right
stamp can be happier than a king or
q pluteerat.
My questIonsr really wanted to
know WHISTLER hsbItuaIIy supported
capital or labor. To that ] must
reply; Neither" My experience
Is that capital sometimes is in the
right and that labor is sometimes in
the wrong.
II ls human nature to sympathize
with the "under dog" Labor used
TO be nearly always the weaker par
ty. Therefore, public sentiment in
Variably favored labor. But latterly
organized labor, and more especially
professional labor leaders, have oees.
alonaIIy resirted to arbitrary acts,
to brute force, to unfair methods.
They have sought 70 take undue ad-
vantage Of their newly won power,
They have not always had regard for
justice. They have not always eonsid-
cred the interssts, the comfort, the
safety Of the public. Having become
the supper dog" in certain cases they
have abused their position.
Let labor keep ever in mind that
public sympathy goes out to the
"under dog" OF late the public has
too often been the "under dog" A
rsvuIsion against autoeratie labor as-
itators is inevitable IL unfair tactics
are pursued.
In this column humble efforts have
been made to bring about a better
understanding between capital and la
Dor, a clearer appreciation Of the fact
that enormous riches are not TO be
envied, and a realization on the part
Of employers that they must treat
their employees humanity, consider
atsly and generously. Too much class
hatred is being stirred up. Men hold
ing the very highest offices in the Re-
public are as guilty in this connee-
ton as the most rabid Industrial
Worker leader. Nothing is to be
gained by fostering insensate class
amnesty. Much may be lost il II IS
carried much farther.
Ny own experience and obserVa-
ton are that capitalists and en-
ployers are becoming reasonable in
their attitude toward labor and to-
ward the public. They are realizing
that we are all human beings, that
we are all in the same boat, that we
are all made Of the same erumbling
clay, that life is short and the grave
never far of, that happiness is not
the product Of selfishness, that SER
vice is nobler than mere gain-that,
in short, tho only life worth while is
that founded on justice, sympathy,
moderation and brotherlinsss. To be
worth playing, the game has to be
played fair.
Read this telegram just received;
KANSAS CITY, Move should
concern ourselves as much nation
ally about the welfare Of our en-
ployees as of the stumpage itself"
With these words Everett G.
Griggs. Of Tacoma. Wash, president
of the National Lumber Manutac-
turers' Association, prefaced an APP
neal for thoughtful treatment Of the
working man in the lumber industry,
in the course Of his address before
the annual convention Of the organ
ization, which opened here to-day.
Efficient labor and proper equip
nent mean as much in the final cost
Of lumber to the consumer as the log
ITSELF he continued. our business
affects the lives Of more employees
than any other in the United States"
Fancy our Lumber Kings talking
like that! Would they have talked
20 ten years ago or even five years
aqo7 We have, indeed, Travelled Tar
Of late along the road whose goal
is the brotherhood Of man
One important step Of the near tu-
ture will be the fixing of a minimum
WAGE. Yes, know there are economic
drawbacks, but humanity is more i'm
portant than any apparent obstacle. !
was talking the other evening with
Mr.. D. A. Thomas, the largest coal
mine owner in Britain and the oPer-
ators' representative in the recent coal
strike. and he tells me that the mimi
mum wage then introduced has not
urset things seriously.
The most pitiable people in An'eri-
ca are the very. very rich and the
very, very poor. Evolution IS making
for the modification Of the elreun''
stances Of both.
i have rambIsd far from the ques-
ton I started out TO answer and have
not written what : originally had IN
,,i,d hut Il is too late 20 mend mat