The daily Nome industrial worker., 1916-12-07
WILSON'S INDUSTRIAL POSITION

President Wilson's message to Congress on Tuesday is most inter- esting in the recommendations which he makes with regard to strike le- gislation.
 Briefly and fairly put. he advo- cates legislation which will prevent a stoppage of the industrial pro- cesses as due society in the matter, being a safeguard against the abrupt termination of the means whereby the social wants are adequately sa- tisfied.
 It seems a reasonable proposition, does it not, that any action tending to work a social hardship should be prohibited by legislation: strikes no less than anything else?
 Society as at present constituted consists of number of industrial operations all of which are supposed to be devoted directly or indirect Iv to the satisfaction of human wants. Without these collective ac- tivities, the wants would continue unredressed and the needs unsatis- fled. It is highly important there fore that every and all means be taken whereby the continued satis- faction of the requirements Of so- cietv would be assured. That seems reasonable, and it upon this stand that Wilson advocates strike legis- lation.
 He advocates the introduction ot strike legislation which will prevent any national interference upon the part of large bodies Of men with those industrial processes which are devoted to the satisfaction of human needs.
 Unfortunately Wilson has begged the question. Who can say with any sort of elementary correctness and justice that the industrial processes are devoted to the satisfaction ot human needs? Industry at the pre- sent time is carried on only for the production of profits. And there IS not an employer in the world who would continue the industrial pro- cesses. as far as he is concerned, II those profits are not forthcoming
 Indeed there have been times when owing to business depression, which is another way of saying that in dustries has ceased to be money-mak' ing and were closed down, when the industrial processes suspended all over the nation. And they were suspend ed all over the nation not because there were no wants no needs and no requirements which society need ed to satisfy. but because there was no money in it.
 Experience has taught us all that industry is conducted for profits not for the satisfaction of human needs. and that supreme necessity of money making which is the sine qua non of all industry, involves em- ulover and employee in a continual wrangle over the portion of the pro- duct that will fall to labor in the form of wages and the portion that will otherwise fall to the employer in the form of profits.
 But the employer is the man who has the entire say whether or on' the industry shall be continued And usually he judges that by the continuance of his profits. If the ledger shows balance in the rec the works are closed down unti such time as conditions grow better in industry and money is to bt made by profitable circulation ol commodities.
 On the other hand the employees face such conditions as give the em' ployers virtual control of the indus trial situation. Owning the tools and machinery of production he seeks in the labor market the penni' less and propertiless who must worR and work by having access to the tools he owns, so that they can live He needs certain number of men to carry on the industrial process He finds in the labor market a very great surplus of men over and above those whom he requires. The work. CTS knowing that if they do not take the job when the job offers,