Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1913-10-22
LABOR CLASS GAINS
EngIand's Middle Class Feel Ad-
vance of Former.
Paper Declares That the Lot of Pro-
fessional With Moderate income
Is Far Worse Than That of the
Average Working Man.

London-A good deal of attention
is being paid to the true meaning and
effect of the almost continual labor up
heavals that have affected this country
in the last few years, and that threat
en- to continue for an indefinite period.
The Daily Express finds ground for
hope of peace in the circumstance, or
alleged circumstance, that, as result
of the recent strikes, many of the la
Dor organizations are virtually bank
rupt mot one or two, but nearly all
the societies of organized workers" 1t
says, 'are suffering severely from the
strain put on their resources by the
strike mania of the last few years.
The grand strikes have duly taken
place. They have neither intinidated
the employers nor broken the back of
organized society, though they have
done much to imperil that right to
work which ought to be no less in
alienable than the right to strike. But
they have effectually bankrupted the
General Federation, reducing it's re"
serve fund to meager sum. largely,
it. is said, hypothecated in other di-
rections.
The Globe, pointing out another fea
ture of the situation that has arisen
from the labor unrest, prints thought
full article headed Middle Class Bur-
dens." 1t is" it says, "easy to wax
sentimental over the woes of the so"
called working classes; and now that
labor has secured a certain amount or
political power, demagogues are find
ing that to heap benefits from the
ample Golfers of the state upon the
working man is sure and safe road
to the attainment and retention of off
fee"
Obviously, however, says the Globe,
the state can not continue to provide
free education, old age pensions and
expensive insurance, as well as salts
flying the hundred and one other de-
mands of the trades unions, without
some other class feeling the pinch. 1t
goes on to say: "If the added burden
fell solely or chiefly upon those al
ready possessed of superf1uity or
this worlds goods, there would not be
much cause for complaint. Probably
we should all, collectively and indi-
vidually, be better off if society were
so constituted that neither the million
aire nor the pauper could exist. But
that is a prospect outside reasonable
calculation, and, as things are, the peo'
pie who pay for the tightening of the
often well-to-do workingman's life are
that great middle class, which, even
before the recent marked increase in
the cost of living, has always found
the struggle for existence hard and
strenuous one.
"At present the lot Of the profess
sional man with moderate income
is, we say it unhesitatingly, far worse
than that of the average working man.
If the latter has cause to complain that
his wages do not possess the same pur-
chasing power as formerly, the pro-
fessional man has good ground for
maintaining that he suffers even more
severely from the same cause, while
his unavoidable expenses are far
heavier.
"In what direction, it may be asked,
is a remedy to be found for this state
of things? 1t is clear that this one
class can not go on forever bearing
not only it's own legitimate share of
the country's burdens, but everybody
else's in addition. Yet politicians and
least of all radical demagogues-have
no thought for them. Our ears are
deafened with the din of many speech
es expressing the deepest sympathy
for the woes of the people; parliament
passes measures intended, at cost, to
relieve this or that grievance Of the
same sovereign people. But it is to
be noted that this phrase, SO remi-
niscent Of French revolutionary times,
covers, not all the honest working citi-
zens in the state, but only that class
of workers already sufficiently cared
for.
1--WE do not believe that 1t would be
possible for the middle classes to COM
bine as the working classes have done,
and wrench their rights from parlia-
ment. But we do say it is the duty
of the Unionist party to come to the
assistance of a class which, above all
others, has suffered from the preda-
tory and socializing Legislation of the
last few years"
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