New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-05-26
Gompers Would
Abolish Flunkies
AS Aid to Labor
Everybody Should Be En-
gagged in Productive
Work, He Says
From The Tribune Bureau

dsHiHStOl, NAY -. DdHuucl pVli-
pers, president of the American Fed
Grafton Of Labor. in a statement pre-
pared for the June number OF 'The
American Federationist," the official
labor organ, refuses to admit there is
n shortage of labor in the United
States. He recommends that before
there shall be an increase in hours of
work a comprehensive attempt be made
to organize the nation for efficient pro-
duction, and as a first step that
"funkies, Wallets and servitors' be
abolished. He says:
Scarcity of labor is the explanation
given for all manner of projects and
changes. Every employer who cannot
Immediately iinG a person TO do par
ticular kind of work, even that of NOV
ing furniture, at once raises a howl,
Scarcity of laborl' These various
walls, coming from many different
places and constantly reiterated, be-
come in the public mind an established
fact. even without investigation, and
to-day there is a general impression
that there is real scarcity of work
ers in this country; but scarcity is such
a relative term that this impression
cannot be accepted as fact without
thorough and scientific investigation.
Of Serious Importance
This matter is of serious impor-
lance, because there are at the present
time under consideration proposals for
government policies based on the sup
posed scarcity of labor.
"In this connection it would be well
TO remember that the managerial part
of industry has been very poorly or
ganized, if organized at all. Employers
have never taken the pains TO use
carefully and for the purpose of con-
servation any factor in production
which was not expensive. Only when
workers have succeeded in making
their labor power Of sufficient financial
cons liberation have they secured recog-
milton of their rights or protection OF
their physical strength. Cheap work
men seem 20 have no rights which cap
tains of industry care for or are bound
to respect.
at has been the settled policy Of
large corporations. such as the steel
companies, 20 have always available a
mass of unemployed. These can be
called on whenever needed and DIS
missed as the temporary needs cease.
As a result these great corporation
managers, when they find that they
cannot readily pick up hundred men
for one or two hours extra work. feel
that they have been denied a condition
that assured cheap labor and have at
once declared a scarcity of workers.
From government departments have
come also these complaints OF scarcity
of workers, and frequently upon
grounds equally flimsy
Attacks Government System
wherever a genuine need of labor
has been presented the trade union or
carnations have never failed TO pro-
duce willing workers necessary Tor
government work. However, they have
found a very great difficulty In DONG
this at times because of the practices
of the government.
"In the navy yards and other estab-
lishments, the work Is not carefully
planned in order to keep the force of
workers constantly employed. Ihey
take it for granted that men can be
employed a few days in week, then
dismissed and then reemployed at the
end of few days or week, and VIII
cheerfully submit TO conditions that
fail to provide an assured income.
Government establishments some
times pay wages under the prevailing
rate i'm private industries or denote
workers or impose other hardshlps on
them. Under such conditions their in
ability 10 secure sufficient workers Is
NOT due TO a scarcity of workers, but
70 the fact that these establishments
are trying 10 undermine prevailing
standards.
There has never been in this coun-
try a general comprehensive effort to
Give information of positions open or
70 enable workers out of employment
IN connect with available positions.
Until some sane, rational effort has
heen made and statistics are available
showing that there is real scarcity
of workers for the whole country, there
is no basis for the demand that hours
of labor should be increased IN order
10 overcome the scarcity of workers.
Away with the Wallets
"One of the first steps in organizing
for efficient production is to abolish
the funkies and the Wallets. Too many
who might give productive service are
engaged in useless labor that might
better be dispensed with. Instead oil
funkies. Wallets and servitors to do Tor
able bodied persons what they oagn'
to do for themselves. let us have ma
ton every member of which shall De
an Independent, self-respecting person
engaged in productive work. In ADA,
ton. there are an amazing number oil
persons who do no work. though physi'
cally and mentally fit. In this, the ma
tion's emergency, each must DO MS
part. Avaunt. you shirkers'
"Not even If there should be estao-
lishcd a scarcity Of labor would II
necessarily follow that increasing
hours of work would be desirable. /,
has been demonstrated by actual PROOF
in shops that decreasing hours OF work
increases productivity.
THE experience of Great Britain un-
der war conditions, and the experience
Of managers OF industries prove con-
clusivelv that tie wisest plan, not only
from the standpoint OF production, but
from tina. of maintaining the virility
OF our nation, is 10 continue the eignt-
hour dav wherever it has been estab-
lished and 10 establish 1t where II does
not already prevail
A.