The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1917-10-13

III 1louIS OIL laDOr, want TO see SINH
lar improvments established all over
the world, and particularly in those
countries whose products will after
the war compete with American prod
ucts in the open market. The possi-
BILE helpful influence Of the American
labor movement is vastly extended
through the making of this war loan.
Democratizes Army.
Congress adopted the consumption
plan for raising q; new army, and at
once there was drawn into the army
a great body of men trained in the
school of trade unionism, and whose
Skill and quality seem likely to guar
antee that never again will the army
of the United States be Identified as
something hostile to, and ignorant of
the constructive program of the labor
movement. Today's trend is toward
the complete Identification of the con-
script and volunteer armies with the
mass OF the people.
Insurance Law.
II anything were needed to assure
the fundamental sympathy Of the man
in the. military service with his
brother in industrial service, that ele-
~AA~AAS ~ AuA A1oACN. W IuS cudClllcuL
OF the insurance and family allow
ance law. The nation has undertaken
to keep the soldiers family from
want while he is away at war, and to
assure him Of a livelihood when he
returns, If he is disabled. He will
not have to fight for the job of the
man who stayed behind, either, when
the war is done. Implied in the
whole scheme of insurance is the idea
that the returned soldier will be given
chance to earn a livelihood that will
relieve the government Of further pay
ments to his family. England has put
the guaranty in specific terms. Con-
gress will probably do the same in the
coming session.
Food Administration.
The Food Administration act, which
! carried with it the creation of the
fuel administration, was, like the in
| surance plan, strongly supported by
organized labor. There has been
! much preliminary uneasiness as to
how these schemes " reducing the
high cost of living, and preventing
! famine in food and coal this winter,
would work out. Up to the present
they have not reduced prices to any
considerable extent, but it is prob
able that they have kept prices from
going far higher. And, what is
vitality important, the Hoover food
administration has made certain the
preservation Of untold millions Of
: : dollars worth Of food in the United
States that would otherwise have been
permitted to spoil. or would have
been wasted, or would have been
shipped out of the country without
sufficient cause.
The food administration is going
to be under far greater degree of
public control, and will distribute
food much more evenly among the
American people, than would TIE
commercial go-as-you-please which
it has abolished. It has put into rrac-
tice another principle of the labor
movenent-that those who create
wealth have a fundamental right to
food and shelter, regardless O. mar
ket profits. And the same rule ap-
plies to the fuel control. In the lat
ter case, also, the organized coal
miners sit at the chief council board,
and advise the fuel administrator as
to the burden to be borne and the
earnings claimed by the men who dig
and hoist the coal. This is urea.
and permanent gain in power for or
ganized labor in the fuel industry.
Merchant Marine.
Congress has done another big
thing in this session. It has arrro-
priated more than $1.000,00c,o00 to
build amerchant marine which will
be under complete government con-
troll. The success Of the Interna: 'onal
Seamen's union in securing thu At
lantic agreement with the SHINING