Evening journal., 1914-12-16

knowing as all fathers know that some
how boy must earn his own living,
and in most eases the living for two or
three more. according TO the size OF the
family looked about 10 find the most
beneficial and suitable enterprise mi
which TO thrust his son, thinking oy So
/ doing ne had fulfllcd his obligation TO-
society.
Fortunately for the boy and others,
! this parent placed him in an industrial
establishment, employing at that time
about twenty-five hundred men noW
this institution employs at least hNc
thousandl. His place was the pattern
shop. and as | have said before, iortu-
natclv he was adapted TO the work De-
fore him and cndeavored to learn al nc
could that would advance his position.
The firm by whom he was employed
was one Of the progressive Kind, GIVING
am cmployc every advantage Whlch ne
himself might gain. so at the end OF
three years OF his apprenticeship nc hau
rhar,c of some Of the most intricate
work with men under him Older thah
himself and receiving twice ms pay
out of eleven boys in the shop at
| thnt time only three todny are .ad-
vanccd or advancing TO better positionsi
of thc other eight ! can account for
several who arc today even lower uo"h
i'm tho industrial scale than they were
when they became iourneymen' me
law of nature holds everywhere, if q
man does not 90 forward he must 60
bacDward there is no standing still; IN
other words. they arc inefficient and he
come so as time goes ON.
/ a.. a | fu hTImM
is this. Arc not most of our labor
troubles traccablc to the fact that be-
cause of thc inclliciency of a great ma
ioritv of our labor today. in whatever
branch we may try il, labor rs such,
cannot attain TO the maximum of none
tarv value
Pcrhaps from this condition the ques-
tion may arise: Why is this so aud
how can IL be overcome and while VIC
hear II said from the lecture platform
there is chance for everyone, if this
is so. a chance it is at tho most | am
reminded here of the address most
eminent educator made before class
at our school. that there was chance
for some TO whom he was speaking q,
become president of the United
States" Several of us tried 60 figure
| this out aud we found that out of the
many who might be eligible, We as in
J diyiduals had about one chance in on'
! hundred thousand OF becoming the heat
= of our nation.
III Again. Professor Scott Nearing of The
! University of Pennsylvania has told ms
no matter what responsible position We
may strive to attain. VIC have one chance
in ten thousand. 30 VIC sec by this. some
ono must retain the more humble posi-
iiun. nut must these positions be place,
and Kept below living wage? IheS
must unless we are prepared TO e
= higher. for employers are not going &
:. stand by aud see their money bcini
used 10 no advantage either 10 them o
their firm.
| Taken as whole labor is not prcpar
ed To go higher. and Why! Because %
various reasons. First children ar
forced To leave school before receiving
oven an elementary training; second nc
! glecting their opportunity after begin
ming work: third, unable because Of ala
: lack Of funds and time to improve thei
opportunities: fourth, inability, becaus
OF their lack Of earlier education TO ente
schools of higher training; fifth, becaus
they do not realize its worth until TO
late. then rcfrainmg from the necessar
effort falls into the disquieted elias
(which thinks society is all wrong.
These conditions are primary cause
OF the great lack of efficiency in our in
stitutions Of today; it is not because
man does not want TO be worth all h
receives but because he lacks inspira
tion and oftimes physical stamina {
better his position.
Men in the shops as whole, do appre
ciate the position OF the employer, the
do look after his interests or the IN
tcicsts Of the concern which may en-
plov them. but the TACT that they do a
this does not make tbcm better m,
chanics neither does it enlarge their in
come. Twelve years ago men of on
class of labor had wage scale OF
Der week. today this same class Of labo
is receiving Sl4 per week. yet the ell
cheney of tho laborcr has not increase
and the employer SAYS this is loss I
him which he should not have to bea
but society has forced it upon him. Ih
laborer answers that society has ais
forcci him to claim higher wages in ol
der to meet the demands of that socct
in the care of his dependents. eve
though he acknowledges his output &
dav is no greater nor Of higher vall
than that of twelve years ago.
Who then is TO blamel Fair judi
. ment would say each we're in a wa
III guilty. in that they do not consid'
II the claims of the other, or that neith'
arc guilty. but it is the condition
III arising out OF economic matter f
III which providence alone is responsible
iii If these conditions are brougl
II about by agencies which man is vi
able to combat, then with these col
ditions must come a cure. II has bee
I said. Necessity is the mother of il
II yention,7 then too in this case nece
sity should and will become the mot
er of a remedy which will serve, i
III purpose until again conditions vi
take on new form, and as the histol
of civilization itself, will again moth
new ideas and formulate new habi
by which we must for the time abid
so, II labor wishes to become mo
| efficient and able to demand mo
| money for energy; and capital is
demand more value for money, thu
something must be done and Il la
largely with the capital TO do II, f
/ TO improve the condition from viii
its labor arises, labor will quick
respond as is evidenced by the e
amples which, although few, are sho'
ing the benefits of cooperation
increased output and advancing {
ficiency
As an agency for augmenting ei
| cheney among iourneymen, the CO