The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1918-12-02
IS
DEPENDENT0N
THEPR0DUCERS
Richard Spillane, New York FL
nancial Expert, Analyses
Problems Ahead
LABOR DEMANDS REWARD
Workingmen Will Not Return to
Former Levels Without
Struggle, He Says
ILAROR DEMANDS REWARI
BY RICHARD SPILLANE.
Editor of Commerce and Finance,
and Special Writer for the Daily
Tribune. .

/ Editor or commerce tAu Ii'a1iS>'
and Special Writer for the Daily
Tribune.
Downright, 1913. Newspaper Enter
prise Association.)
There has been conflict between capl-
tai and labor since the prehistoric day
when for the first time one man en-
gagged another to do work tor- him.
Many persons fear there may be
ashes between employer and employed
IN the rcadustment necessary to meet
peace conditions.
Labor is tenacious in retaining any
concessions it has Won through moral
suasion or through force from capital.
Today in America, labor gets return
beyond any it ever expected. The ad-
vance since 1911 has been unequal. In
various brunches it is artificially high
owing to. ME pronounced shortage OF
workers and the urgent need to speed
production in wars necessities. lii
others, particularly in regard to sal
aried employees, it has been less than
the increase in the cost OF living. 10,
TO bring about Il revision of the
scale without disturbing the relations
between capital and labor will require
delicate handling. I.....
| 1t is to the interest Of all classes of
society that labor should receive a full
and just reward for its toll. There can
be no enduring prosperity unless labor
prospers. By the same token there
can be no continuing prosperity unless
capital prospers. - -.
Through organization, labor has wol
most of what it has obtained from capt.
tai. Organized labor is a great power
for good. 1t has, wiped out many Of
the injustices under which labor suf-
fered. 1t has reduced the hours. Of toll.
It has raised the status Of the worker.
At the same time. it has gone beyond
the limit Of reason in various instances
Where, 1T has stipulated that man
must not do more than so much work
within one day; where it measures the
output Of all men by the capacity Of a
poor or slow worker where it demands
more than is legitimate, it errs griev-
Dusty against itself and the nation.
! II there is anything this war has
brought out wildly, it is there is no
profit in injustice or wrong. =.
4 We want no aftermath of war in
the. form Of labor trouble In America.
There is no need or warrant for it.
The government bias done a wise
thing in providing for the gradual re-
duction. rather than the abrupt stop
ping Of work on war contracts This
makes the translation Of labor from
war work to peace work much simpler.
Two things more are necessary.
H First, except where the wage is ex-
travagantly high, reduction of the wage
scale should follow, and not precede.
the reduction that is coming in the cost
OF living.
Il Second, production should be in.
creased. ss.z
n Production in wealth. Wages do no,
come from capital but from what labor
produces. Capital is but the tool. the
connecting medium or agent between
production and labor. The larger the
production the greater should be the
reward for capital and labor. To limit
production is to limit or reduce wages
Good wages can be maintained only
lby good production. Coal. gold, copper