Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1915-02-02

The frantic efforts OF soctologists and
laborites 20 create employment OH the
spur of the moment would he humorous
were the situation Of the unemployed
themselves not so tragic The desire
to Immediately aid the sufferers from
this plight seems to blind the relief
agencies to the main causes for pres
cnt conditions-and these causes must
be removed before any permanent i'm
provcncnt can he effected
The war in Europe is blamed for IL
nil, and war tax measures are being
adopted here To- relieve our own dis
tress. AS Il matter OF fact. every bust
ness man knows that affairs I'm this
country were In pretty bad shape long
before tho war was thought OF. Bust
ness has been harassed 10 death for the
! last ave years or more, and restrictions
rather than Inducements have been
placed around capital.
as cN-PrcSidcnt Taft recently re-
marked the pendulum has swung the
other way, and the mass OF labor lcgis-
lntton fo.stcd OH the country hy Con
Prcss ana State Legislatures is making:
itself severely felt Compensation laws
minimum wage laws. factory rcgula-
ton laws, shorter hours laws, all have
their good points, hut Ike castor oil.
they need To he administered judicious-
/ ly or the patient viii suffer more from
the cure than tho aiimcnt.
No humane empioyer--and the ma
1ority are such--is opposed to the prin-
c!plc of compcnsatinS his employees for
their injuries. but the scheme is In IA
measure revolutionary in this country
and ~Hould be adopted Sradually--not
as has been done, for instance, in this
state, the whole hog, hide, hoofs and
bristlcs ut once manufacturers can
not adjust Themselves TO il in a twink
lnE-buslncss suffers from an overdose
which may eventually wear off with
good results. hut in the meantime, while
business Is suffering. the employees arc
suffering, too. and they don't possess
the staying qualities always TO tide
them over until the reaction comes
There have been too many foolish
labor laws and regulations enacted In
this state In the last few years. The
highbrows. the dcmaGogucs and the
union leaders have hid a regular car
nival of legislation, and the working
man Is paying the toll The leaders
have thoughtfuily provided soft borths
for themselves in these new laws. and
make IA large noise about the wonder
ful uplift they have accomplished for
the lahoring man. But some Of the lat
ter are so +ingrateful as not TO see IL.
The average workman. be he a mem
her Of union or not doesn't ask for
all these laws--thcsc restrictions on
buildings, fire escapes on two-story
buildings, so many cubic feet OF space
work and wages. He can't get the lat
ter If he can't get the former. and this
very multiplicity Of regulation by leg
islat!on is one of the causes for his
inability TO get either
That's one thing for these commit
tees on unemployment TO recommend
the prompt repeal OF q large mass Of
this hampering and harmful lcgisla-
ton.
The labor leaders are among the
loudest in their demands for work
and lots of It. What arc they doing
in their own unions TO meet the situa-
tion halfway? LevyinE an assessment
on those members who are working
to support those who are not Is mis-
cradle malteshift, and suspect Is
done for the purpose of creating n
public notion Of their unseliishness
union trait.
There are five labor leaders on the
Mayors committee on unemployment,
of which Judge Gary is chairman,
namely, Hugh Fraync. Timothy IIcaly.
James T. Holland. Juhn Mitchell and
Roswell -. TompIins. Have they Of
fered as "A partial solution II suspen-
sion Of the union scale OF wages for
the purpose of stimulating new build
ing construction? Materials We're
never cheaper, and If labor would offer
itself 1T rate proportionate with
present conditions many builders
would be encouraged to start opera
lions.
Scores. yes, hundreds, OF high class
professional men are seeking employ
mcnt at any Wages or SO Il day
until things pick up. Surely Il brick
layer is better Off working for 80 or
81 than staying idle because he cant
get ST. -Four dollars Is better pay
than the majority of workmcn get
but the union rules must he maintained
or the member Is liable to expulsion
and ostracism by his fellow members.
Are the union leaders ready to reduce
their scale for II certain period? It's
no secret that many OF the men are
and have eagerly offered To take Il
lower rate, because hunger knows no
union rules-hut the agreements be-
tween the builders organization and
the unions prevent builders from ac-
ceptinS these offers under pain OF dis
cipline from their own body
The labor leaders are clamorinp for
public work to go on. What have they
done on the work which Is already
going on? Tho alien labor suits are
still pending--caused by the labor
leaders. Some of the work which was
partially suspended won't Resume with
fun force till spring. New sections
of the subway. which should have been
under contract by this time, have been
delayed In advertising until the Court
OF Appeals has given its opinion on
the law. This means at least three
months delay from tho tlme Originally
set for receiving bids. Labor leaders