The broad ax. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1895-19??, 1917-02-03
OUR BUSINESS MEN
ASK FOR PUBLIC
COOPERATION
Leaders Point Out Partnership
Between Capital and Labor.


SAY INTERESTS Are MUTUAL
Our Future Prosperity Depends on .
Better Understanding and More Prae-
tieaI Application Of Get Together
Spirit In lndustry-Must Eliminate
Trouble Breeders and Agitators.
A better public understanding and
appreciation Of the needs and problems
of our American industries is conceded
on every side to be one Of the impor-
tant national requirements for the de-
velopment Of our future Industrial
prosperity. Few people seem to I'M
derstand that the majority Of our bust
ness men are fair minded, reasonable
beings. legitimately engaged In the de-
velopment of our economic resources.
In the opinion of our business lead
ers this misunderstanding leads the
public, through the legislators, into
thoughtless and unnecessary acts of
reprisal against all branches of indus
try. which are often inimical to the
To cure this lamentable condition 1t Is
first essential that a closer degree of
cooperative action for the common
good be established between en-
ployees and employers. The first step
in this direction is to eliminate the
selfish, destructive agitator. This hap
by event would greatly facilitate a
general get together spirit among en-
ployers and workers.
The Work That Men Do.
The nation is confronted with more
work than ever before-ships to build,
factories to enlarge, railways to COM
plete, new foreign business to be at
tracted and help to be extended to the
unfortunates on the other side. There
are about 80 900. OOOmen at work; If they
work ten hours day that is 100000
900 hours a day or sc, 600, 100000 hours
a year. II they work eight hours it Is
IA ,SS0,0O0,0O0, or a difference Of 49,
72OOOOOOO hours year. At eight
hours q day this means that about
100000 more men must be employed
to do the work that could be done by
the 30.OOOOOO. and where are they to
come from?
During the past year there has been
a unified and standardized banking cur
rency system tried and not found
wanting. But there are yet other steps
to be taken before the ideal Of eco
nomic unit is worked out
There are 662OOO stockholders Of
railroads in the United States. A large
proportion Of them depend on the earn
ings Of the carriers for a meager in
come. Many Of these stockholders
have less than $1,000 a year income.
and they are unable to earn more, be-
ing elderly persons or women. Thou
sands Of them are former employees Of
the railroads who depend upon their
stock dividends to pay their rent and
their grocery bills.
Labor and Capital Are Partners.
The manufactured output of the
United States amounts to S2S,OOO0O0,-
600 In value per annum. This is three
times the amount Of the yearly output
Of the ranches, farms, orchards and
gardens; it is a dozen times the output
Of the mines; It is larger than the COM
bined manufactures Of any two for
eign nations. Labor received, as its
share of the fruits Of industry, wages
amounting almost to seven billion dol
lars in the single year Of 1914 Does
not this prove that the interests Of
employees are joint with those who
employ them and that a real partner
ship exists?
Today there are over 1OOOOO.OOO peo-
pie In the land who must be fed,
clothed. sheltered. kept warm and
many Of whom travel for health. pleas
ure and business. The railway systems
are in many places overtaxed in doing
this work.
What will be the conditions when
there are 15OOOOOOO people to be
served?
This means an addition of at least so
per cent to the number Of tons OF
freight moved one mile and the num-
Der OF passengers moved one mile.
There was a total mileage OF 41.9SS
in the hands of receivers in 1915. the
total capitalization Of which was So
264.0OO.OO0. In that year alone 2O.143
miles OF road went into the hands Of re-
ceivers, and these roads had a total cap
italization of $1,O7O. SOS,62S. This CON-
pares with 4.222 miles in 1914 with
total capitalization of $199.571 .446. in
receivers hands. This is not a healthy
condition; 1t is a malady that affects
directly and indirectly every one in the
country.
Railways do not belong to few rich
men or bankers. There are at least
100000 owners OF the securities OF
American railways. There are 1.SOO.-
COO men approximately employed in
the railway service. The insurance
companies have s1.5OO.OOO.OOO invested
in roilUov SpPIrritiaS reDraSentinC an