The Catholic bulletin., 1913-02-15
MINIMUM WAGE LEGISLATION
Excerpts from an Article by Father
Ryan in the Catholic World.

The proposal to establish a lowest
legal limit of wages has, even in the
United States, got beyond the confines;
of academic discussion, writes Rev.
John A. Ryan, d.. d., of st. Paul
Seminary, in the February Catholic
World 1t has found a place in the
statutes of Massachusetts, been intro.
duced in the legislatures Of two other
States, been inserted in the national
platform of great political party,
been authorized in the new constitu-
ton of Ohio, and it will be among the
bills discussed in the legislatures of
several States this winter. Perhaps
the most conclusive evidence that it
has become live and general ques-
ton is to be found in the fact that
it will be the topic of discussion at
one session of the American Economic
Association at it's annual meeting this
month
The establishment of a minimum
wage is quite as much a proper func-
ton of the State as the safeguarding
of life, limb, or property. All these
are goods which are of Immediate
necessity for the individual, and
which indirectly promote the social
welfare. To protect the health NOR
ais, and mind of the citizen against
the injury resulting from an INSULT
cient livelihood, is quite as important,
both individually and socially, as to
protect his life against the assassin,
his body against the bully, or his
money against the thief.
When the State neglects any of
these functions, it fails in it's primary
duty of protecting natural rights, and
promoting the common good. The
notion, so common throughout Amer
lea, that, whatever else the State may
do for the regulation of industry, it
may not touch the wage contract, has
neither political, moral nor logical
foundation. 1t is the last surviving
remnant of the shallow and discred-
tied doctrine of laissez-faire. If the
believers in this notion were logical,
they would condemn State regu1a-
tion of child labor; of the hours of
labor of women and young persons;
of safety and sanitation in factories,
and of workmen's compensation for
industrial injuries. All these legisla-
tive provisions are justified because
they are designed for the protection
of classes that cannot protect them
selves against economic exploitation.
Precisely the same may be said of
a minimum wage law
So far as the present writer knows,
the first modern enactment of the
minimum wage principle was made
in one of the communes Of Belgium
in 1887. 1t provided that the en-
ployees of firms doing certain work
by contract for the commune should
be paid a minimum wage, respectively,
of thirty-f1ve and twenty-five centimes
per hour. Since then the require
ment that contracts on public work,
and the makers of supplies for public
purposes, should pay certain minimum
rates of remuneration has been ex-
tended throughout the entire kingdom.
Herein we have suggestion that is
of value for our own municipal, State,
and national governments. If laws
may be, as they have been, passed
requiring that the eight-hour day be
observed on work done by private con-
tractors for the government, it would
seem that a minimum wage clause in
all such contracts ought to be feasible.
The first minimum wage law apply
ing to purely private employments
was enacted in the year 1896 in Vic
toria, Australia. The method of de-
termining the rates of remuneration
was that of boards, composed of en-
ployers and employees in equal num-
bers, and third group of members
representing the public. Applying at
first to some half dozen trades, the
law has been steadily extended, un-
til it now embraces the great ma
jority of the Industrial employees in
the State of Victoria. While sweat
ing has not been entirely abolished,
the lowest levels of wages have been
considerably raised, industrial peace
has been greatly promoted, and the
scheme has given more general salts
faction than any other measure of
equal Importance ever enacted.
Neither the cost of production nor
the price of products has advanced.
Some of the most beneficial effects of
the law are not pecuniary at all, but
intellectual and moral