Wheeling majority. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1907-192?, 1915-09-02

Cor the convenience of editors the
following summary of recommends
lions contained in the second sec
ton of this report has been prepared
by the commission.)
The second section of the final re-
port of Director Basil M. Manly, en-
bodying the findings Of fact and con-
ollsions of the staff of the United
6 ates Commission on Industrial Re
lations, was made public by the Com
mission today.
Its principal feature is a vivid por-
trayah of living and working cOndi-
tons that prevail in American indus
try today. Evidence is presented at
great length in s1opont of the re-
ports findings to the effect that In
dustrial unrest is caused by the pay
ment of wages too low to provide a
decent standard of living, and in sup
port of the reports further conclusion
that his situation is direct result of
thelac kof strong labor organizations
by which wage earners could force
the payment of living wages.
The section made public today also
recommends many remedial meas
ures.
Among the recommendations is a
strong argumen emit urging equal rights
for women as one of the means by
which women in industry may obtain
living wages.
Other parts of the report deal with
women and children in industry, with
conditions of employment in the
telephone service, the telegraph SER
vice, the Pullman Company, and the
railroads.
One CT the most striking findings
presented today concerns the exist
ence of many typical industrial COM
munities that are declared to present
/ every aspect of a state of feudallsm,
with employers controlling the social
and political life and abridgement Of
| the fundamental rights of citizens.
Past Conditions No Criterion.
Discussing the question of whether
or not labor conditions in the coun-
try's principal industries are satisfac-
tory. the report repmdiates the view
that hese conditions hould be Judged
| by comparison with the past. It as
serts that conditions should be judged
/ "only by comparing conditions as they
/ actually exist with what knowledge
and experience shows that they might
easily be made during the immediate
future, If proper action were taken. tc
utilize the resources of our nation suf-
ficiently and distribute the products
equitahly."
'"The cnlIx of the question" says
/ tho tffcs
cefVed q dair share of the enormous
| increase in wealth which has taken
tplace in this country during the past
Quarter century as a result largely Of
their lab0rs? The answer Is emp(haf-
ically-No!
|. sThe wealth of this country be-
tween 1890 and 1912 increased from
IS to 1877 billions, or 1873 per cent,
whereast he aggregate income of
wage earners in manufacturing min
ing, and transportation has risen be-
tween 1889 and 1909 only IS per cent,
| from SIG millions in 1883 to, 4,916
millions in 1909 Furthermore. the
Wage-earners' share of the net pro
duct of industry in the case of the
manufactures was only 40.2 per cent
in 1909, as compared with 44.9 per
c6Hb IN 1862
Foreign Conditions Not Pertinent.
Similarly, the attempt to dismiss
deplorable labor conditions in the
United States by arguments that they
are better than in European countries
Is repugnant. To say that conditions
are better than in Great Britain, for
example, is simply to say that some
what less than one-third of the popai-
lation are in a state of absolute pow
erty, for that was the condition re-
ported by the last British Commits
sfon.. 1t should be matter of shame
also to boast that the condition Of
American laborers is better than that
OF laborers In the black bread belt
of Germany
That hey are, as a matter of fact,
but little better is proved conclusively
by the almost complete cessation of
immigration from Germany, England
and France. No better proof Of the.
miserable condition of the mass Of
American workers can be sought than
the fact that in recent years laborers
In large numbers have come to this
country only from Russia, Italy, Aus
tria Hungary and the backward and
impoverished nations of southern and
eastern Europe.
with the inexhaustible natural re-
sources of the United States, her
tremendous mechanical achievements,
and the genius Of her people for or