South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1915-03-07

have scrimped along on a smaller pro-
portion Of his wages and had a FEW
dimes laid away for this rainy day
but we fail 10 perceive exactly how
that would have warded of the rainy
day. Under ordinary economies
American spendthriftiness is what fur
nishes the sinews Of general employ
ment. else why this buy II now
campaign that is being put on in the
hope that the public demand for
things will necessitate their manufac-
ture and start the wheels OF industry
again to whirling?
our principal objection TO the inn
port Of the article, however, is antic-
ipated in the article itself, indicating
that the author may have felt a bit
conscience-s mitten by his suggestion.
We are not quite ready to submit that
il is either moral or economic right
or duty for an employer of labor TO
superintend the expenditure Of the
Iaborers wages Under the present
system of maintaining a rock bottom
wage scale, such superintendency
would merely serve TO encourage the
employer in his natural inclination to
try to get below rock-bOttOm. Cap
italists are not the least bashful in
denying the right of labor-especially
organized labor-to have any voice
in the management of their affairs.
They object to the collective contract
and insist upon employing their labor
upon competitive basis and, their
reason for it is that they think they
can get their help for less and render
it more subservient.
Much as you may dislike to believe
it. employers are scarce who care to
see their employees in any considerable
numbers, become sufficiently thrifty
that they need not be afraid of losing
their jobs. Confidently we believe
that to place the superintendency of
workmans pricate affairs in the
hands of his employer, would, as fast
as it was found that he could pose
sibly get along for little less. result
in his getting less instead of his saw
complete the subservient toolship of
the workman. He would no longer
be a man, with the brain. and heart,
and muscle of a man, but as much
the vassal and the slave of his lord,
as were his forefathers in times me-
dieval.
The proposition worked out would
be so destructive of personal respOn-
sibility that the suggestion of it we'll
nigh skaters our faith in everything
paternalistic. There is some excuse
for an employer of labor forbidding
his employees to drink on the ground
that it destroys efficiency: likewise to
smoke while at work since the drop
ping of a spark might burn up the
shop; but that is different than butting
into a fellows purely private affairs,
with instructions as to when and how
he must kiss his wife and demanding
an itemized statement of expenditures
made on the babies. 1t might cut
down the number of divorces but we
doubt if it would minimize the grounds
for divorce The less the average
employer pays personal attention to
the welfare and comfort of his en-
ploye's wife-under the present ten
dency of femininity to worship the
man with the dollar,-the better we
believe it will be for society, and es-
pecially for the preservation, not only
of the employees home, but of the en-
ployer's as well.
OF course, it may depend to an ex-
tent upon whether or not the en-
ploye has any red blood left. Mr.
Divine O'MOre seems to have COM
pletely overlooked those human i'm
pulses, which among freemen, make
red blood to boil. Man does not live
by bread alone Sufficient to the
day" may be the evil thereof" and it
is well that we have a thought of
the morrow" but it is better "suffi-
cient for the day than that we be
made slaves to the morrow and ever
afterward.