La Junta tribune., 1915-09-04

- = - eS~~~D - -~--7t =
though one may question TIE ideals
OF nation which rewards exceptioa-
al service only BY burdensome for
I tunes
/ For the commissioa's sake - well
q his own. l an glad that MT. Man
" inserted that last CLAUSE. Il sone-
what paliiaies this statement Of .
xross economic error. from which he
race has suffered throughout in
existence-
II We admit that the reward given
BY society 10 the man who serves Il.
is 10 be proportional 70 the value Of
the service 70 society, then Who II to
say that the starvation wages Feceiv-
ed by the lowest paid wa&e-earner.
are not more than his services are
worth.
What is the true measure Of the
value OF labor! thing the commits
sion approxir.ates II IL the following
statement:
The welfare Of the state demands
that the useful labor Of every able
bodied workman should. as = mini
mum, be compensated by sufficient
income TO support In comfort him
self. wife. and At least three minor
children. and In addition to provide
for sickness. old age and disability"
Not what . mans services are
sorth to society. to be aseertained
by resolution OF q labor union. or to
be determined by the arbitrary will
Of an employer. or even to be fixed
by the law Of supply and demand.
but what is essential for his welfare
and that OF those dependent upon
him. is the true measure OF the val
ue of labor. But this measure Of
value of labor. leads logically To
some conclusions to which even the
representation OF labor may be 10th
to subscribe. This measure OF value
must be applied to the services Of all
men. Sound economic Law. as well
as economic necessity. demands that
We cease To measure the value OF Ia
Dor by differentisi scale. The rea-
son some men must labor for less
chan $40 = week. Is that other men
are receiving more. The total
annual income OF the world IL profits
measured BY the total wages. salsr-
les and dividends received by all
the people. So that II we are TO In
crease the wages OF one class Of
workers. we must reduce the wages.
salaries. dividends or profits. Of some
oihe: class or classes Of persons. In
like amount.
But u this measure Of value Of la
Dor. means that every man must re-
ceive sufficient for his needs. u
means also. that NO maa saall re-
csive more. THIS ID an economic
Law which society. In the pursuit Of
its ideals. must eventually obey to
the letter.
concrete illustration may make
II clearer. A surgeon. educated in
the hesi schools. and skilled by years
OF practice. receives. under present
conditions. several thousands OF dol
lars year for his services. A day
laborer. having no education. and
Possessing no skill. beyond the abiii-
~ TO handle = spade or a shovel. re-
ccives for his services five hundred
dollars year. Applying the meas.
arc Of value. which said IL an econ.
omic Law. let Us assume that the sum
Of one hundred dollars .. month, 10
sufficient for the iaborer's needs.
Then the Sane sum IL all that the
physician should receive. II Il 10
claimed that the physician has great
sf ability. and has speat yeass II
fitting himself 10 serve society, LEI
~ apply 10 him the social law 70
vhich ~e all subscribe. that svssy
nan owes 10 society the hishsse ~.
vice of vhich be V capable. II that
view. both The iaboses snd the phy.
seeisa have resdssed 70 society, she
highest service Of Which each u eap-
ssss. sad hsacs are equally deserving
q revasd. Nor caa Il b. said. that ~
sssvscss Of the iabores ars isa 500.
- thss tAoss Of the pAysicias.
1hs Highest aitsuism b bus Q
ssn es ssblinased sslfishssss. Deeh
~ physician sad laborss. u inbusd
vssh shs rslietea Of sesvics. ass sessv.
~ % maize The world . bssess paoeo
~ shsasslves ssd tAsir Desesslay -
Ilvs b.
Nsss vssa viii follow . lleeusssso
80 A.