The labor advocate. [volume] (Cincinnati, Ohio) 1912-1937, 1917-03-31
BONUS SYSTEM WOULD
DESTROY WAGE SCALES

indianapolis, Ind.-The bonus system
was started by employers to forestall
permanent wage increases, says Presi-
dent White, of the United Mine Work
ers of America, who makes this inter-
esting statement:
"When the war boom began, more
than year ago, and the demand for
men became greater than the supply,
every large employer in the country
realized that wages would have to be in
creased. Many employers paid the in
crease as matter of course. Others
with an eye to the future decided to
grant the increases in such manner as
would permit them to be withdrawn as
soon as the end OF the war or some
other development offered an excuse
In spite of the permanent increase in
the cost of living, they wished to pre-
vent any permanent increase in the
standard of wages. They knew that
any flat wage increase would have to
stand. The day has long passed when
wages, as such, can be reduced. But
bonuses are different matter.
so a group OF men i'll New York
and New England got together and
launched quiet but active and effective
movement among employers. They
called conference and marked the in
vitations confidential They even gave
anonymous interviews to the New York
Times and other newspapers in which
they pointed out that wages once raised
could not be reduced at the will of the
employers, and that increases granted
at this time must not be given in such a
way as to let the men feel that they were
to be permanent or that they were
given in form that would make them
legal right.
Therefore, urged these employers,
any increase given to the men should be
paid in the form OF bonuses, with the TN
derstanding that the extra payments
represented only the generosity of the
employer and his eagerness to share a
temporary prosperity. With this made
clear to the employe, they explained
it would be easy to reduce or cut of
the bonuses at any time, because the
employe would be made to look upor
the extra money as free will offering
over and above fair wages.
at was an excellent scheme for de-
feating a permanently higher standard
of wages and converting the upwarC
out of philanthropy-a philanthrop,
which could not be claimed as righ
and which could be discontinued with
out provoking protests or strikes. Ant
the scheme has been successfully car
ried out by many an anti-upion EN-
ployer-employers who dealt with help
less, unorganized men-men who hav'
to take what is given them and let th'
future take care of itself.
"And today some members of thu
United Mine Workers are being asket
to take part OF their wages in the form
of bonuses, certain employers hoping
thereby to ward off any demand fo
higher wages. But this demand Cal
neither be warded off nor denied if th'
miners exercise their good judgment a
intelligent union men and refuse an,
and all specious substitutes for the per
manent, substantial increases to whicl
they are entitled.
"Do the coal miners want increase
which are substantial and permanent
increases which they claim as a righ
and which they can protect by their owl
organized power? Or will they pla.
into the hands of the relatively small
number of employers who are strivin,
to keep the level of wages just abov
tnc StdI VdtlOli nllc, anu WIZ, " dSSoiiP
liSf their purpose, propose to make an
increase given at this time temporar
by attaching string to it and holding
one end of the string?
Fair wages and the bonus syster
never did and never will travel togethe
for any distance. Once let our member
form the habit of watching the bonu
and neglecting the wage SCALE and tina
scale will not only not advance-it wi
begin to recede The miner will the
find himself dependent on somethin
over which he has no control-the Civ
ing or Withholding of charity disguise
as bonuses"