The Washington times., 1913-05-26
PROFESSOR SCOUTS
WILSON'S ARGUMENT
Declares Nation Is Even Now
Facing Industrial Crisis of
Magnitude.


PHILADELPHIA, May B.-Dr. Simon
Nelson Patten, professor Of political
economy, University of Pennsylvania
has written an article on national crises
in which he declares:
President Wilson is reported to have
said in a recent speech that any one
who suggested the idea of another crisis
should be hanged as high as Haman.
Such statements are based on crude
economic doctrines; no man, or group
Of men can cause a crisis. One might
as nationally accuse the scientist who
studied lightning, or the child who
screaned at the thunderciap. of causing
the storm.
The causes of great crises lie in the
Fundamental economic changes which
are continually at work in society. Nine
men out. Of ten will tell you that the
failure Of Jay Cooke was at the bottom
OF the crisis Of s73
The truth is, that the panic was
caused by the shifting of agricultural
activity from the East to the middle
West. Eastern land values had been
greatly inflated; the Western lands were
more fertile; when agriculture shifted
the bottom fell out of the Eastern val
uea: The readjustments incident to that
entrttng process spelled Industrial crisis
to the American people.
New Crisis Imminent.
America Is the congestion and misery
among the working population Of
Eastern cities Men and women live
unwholesome lives. and their children.
brought up under the worst conditions,
become degenerate adults.
Then, too, the cities in which these
people live are large cities In New
England forty-nine out of every hum
dred people live in cities Of z, 900 or
over in the middle Atlantic States
hfty-five out Of every hundred people
were living In cities Of the same size
Cities Have Engulfed East.
The East has become a land of great
city populations. Between Baltimore
and Portland, Ne, there live q 8000, 900
Of people packed together in congested
acres while the abandoned farms tes-
tify eloQuently to the potency of the
city's call. The city has engulfed the
East.
Two Investigations were recently
made in Fall Rfver-one by the Fed
eral Government into the standard Of
living, and one by the State bureau
OF labor into wages.
Wages Below Decent Standard.
Put the two Investigations together,
aud you learn that the cotton industry.
weEe-eArners in FAN River, pays
wages below a standard of decent nv-
ing. For all employees in Fail River,
the cotton mills pay an average yearly
wage or $447.40; a sixth Of the work
ers earn less than 81 a week; three
nfthS OF them earn less than $40 a
week; and nine-tenths of them earn
less than $15-a week.
The Federal Government, making an
in Fall River during this
same year, reports that a family con-
gfGttng Of man, wife, and three chfl-
dren under fourteen. cannot support the
minimum standard of decency or less
tnen $sS4A year, and cannot support
2 fair standard Of living on less than
ee9o.95 a year.
The grinding force of concentrated in
dustrfes has sent the wages of most of
The employees below a standard which
any one should regard as adequate.
Inc woEkers. working in a piecework
system, DO their own speeding-they
must to- make even the barest living.
Time after time the workers speed up
to pace at which they might hope to
make fair living. Then the piece rate
is cut again and they must speed up
q,
which they go-furious. and yet pitt
ful because 1t leaves them at the end
OF ten or eleven-hour day too ex-
even to enjoy the meager recre-
ataon facilities at their disposal
Women Worst Sufferers.
Such conditions would excite indfgna-
don when applied to men. How yigor-
ously shall We protest. then, when we
that they are applied to wom-
en- and children. In the clothing trades
In New York alone there are employed
DO 600 persons. of whom more than
are ''wage-earners'
What proportion of these are little
children no one has been able to de-
termine definitely, but that large num-
bers Of children are engaged in making
New York clothing every investigat ton
shows beyond question.
No society can prosper in which
5uch conditions persist. Men and wom-
IN cannot continue to live in great
heaps without degeneration. City
life in the East is a menace to the
welfare of humanity. A readjust-
nent is inevitable The fertile areas
" the West their better-built cities,
higher wages. greater opportunities
Ind less restricted notions of things
are already At work calling people
ast census shows that, with the ex-
,eption Of a few cities. the East has
ceased to grow. People
go where opportunities are
greatest
Wages Higher In West.
The relative advantages Of the East
md the West are made plain by the
gages paid in the two districts. Some
" the latest State reports show that
he wages In The West are consider
lbly hf9her than in the East, as this
able will illustrate:
The proportion Of men engaged in in
Iustry who received more than SIS per
week:
In each 100.
n Massachusetts, ...........--------..-- IS
n kansas ........... 80
n California .-....-...-...--.;.:--.. o.
When the people move, wealth must
move, too. With the movement OF
wealth and industry into the West. land
,alues there are bound to increase,
While those in the East will collapse. In
his readtustment Of population and
wealth billions Of Eastern wealth will
,e destroyed.
Nife Ad Big Success;
Postmaster Begs Mercy