The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1917-09-03
LABOR DAY.

LAOSH w
Picture a big ocean-going steamers
life.boat bobbing about in stormy SEAS
manned by miscellaneous assert
ment of men.
The waves fill the bottom OF the
boat and threaten to swamp It, II not
bailed out. And there is vital need
also of the help of every man at the
oars.
It is inconceivable that man who
worked with his hands would say TO
a man of means: 81 won't bail Ana
won't row. This is not my AFFAIR
This is your boat. You rich fellows
get together and save it,
The wage Garner wouldn't give voice
to any such nonsense unless ne want
ed to commit suicide. He would real
ize that all in that boat were in the
same dire danger, and that salvation
could come only through common Ell
fort-the maximum labor at pumps
and oars by all on board.
What is true Of the life-boat on the
stormy seas is true of America in this
world war.
It has sometimes been said by VI
cious marplots, more friendly to Ger
many than to our country, that this is
a rich mans war and, therefore. OF no
concern to the wage earners. There
never was more despicable and dan,
gerous and lying statement.
This is not war of any class OF
Americans, but of all Americans to
preserve American independence and
make democracy safe for the world
And democracy means more to the
wage Garner than to the capitalist
Democracy throws open to the work
man the door of opportunity closed to
him by autocracy.
Much is said at times of labor con
ditions in Germany before the war
1t is true provision was made by law
whereby there were few unemployed
men in the empire. 1t is true there
were old age pensions. But the idea
? in all, these laws was to preserve the
workers so they would be available fol-
cannon fodder.
The laws were framed primarily fol-
the benefit of the state and of the
employing class. There was no great
depressing poverty and few slums
But the general level of wages, hours
and working conditions was not high
1t was low.
The Germans had a system that
bound the wage Garner very much tc
his class. The son of the blacksmith
was also very likely to be a black
smith, 1t was rare that the textile
worker became proprietor of great
knitting mill.
The worker, through adhering tC
socialism, might possibly win a seat
as member of the reichstag, but, sc
trickily was Germany gerrymandered
he had to receive an extra ordinarily
heavy poll to win over some member
of the more favored castles.
But the worker could not hope to
be an officer in the army or the navy
or the kaiser's cabinet These post:
were reserved for the ruling caste
the young mobiles, the members of thu
junker class, the pets of Prussian so
ciety.
Under the German scheme of thing
it was for the workers to obey thel
master--MASTERS BORN TO THU
POSITION OF MASTERS.
Now, however hard some may. tr.
for it, there is no caste system il
America. In the great republic tn
prizes generally speaking are for thos'
who have the talents to gather them
The wage Garner is wage earne
only until he advances into wide
spheres of opportunity. There is NJ
bar across his path.
Many millionaires of today are tn
sons of the wage earners of day befor
yesterday.
And in many instances they are tn
grandfathers Of the wage earners O
day after tomorrow.
In our democracy the son of tn
wage Garner may be the officer of on
army or our navy. He may go 20 co,
gress He may sit in the cabinet, a
does that examiner, William B. Wi
son. He may be president Of tn
United States.
But even leaving politics aside. Sc
what American democracy means t.
the wage Garner. 1t means the grea
established principle of the eight hou
day 1t means a scale of wages high
er than is known on the continent
1t means a standard of living astound
ing to the German or the Frenchma1
or the Englishman.
1t means that the American wag
Garner dWellS in better houses. wit