The Wheeling intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1903-1961, 1918-11-19
WAGES IN THE FUTURE

". H. Barr, president Of the Ma
tional Foundry Association, declares
shat the wages Of labor must be re-
Huced il successful manufacture is to
DE carried on in this country. Mr..
Gompers promptly takes up the
gauntlet and declares that labor will
mot consent to a reduction. This Is
IA good way not TO settle an important
economic question 1t does not take
great wisdom to see that American
manufacturers cannot continue TO
make and sell large quantities OF
goods if their wage cost is from two
ITO three times as high as that Of their
scompetitorS. We are now engaged in
;building a great merchant marine.
we are spending upwards Of one bill
Slion dollars for carrier ships. These
carrier ships will do Us little good 4
we have in the course OF time nothing
to carry in them and 20 market that
they can supply.
!, Wages in this country have been
Increased beyond all previous expert
Ience. 1t is impossible at the present
time to tell what will be the wage
conditions in Europe. but it may be
assumed that for time, at least. fol-
lowing the rehabilitation OF the great
armies that have been engaged in
warfare. wages will not be high.
Every business man knows from eN-
perience that the most dangerous
competitor is the competitor who is
hard up. He will sell his goods for
less profit and work his plant on q
closer margin than competitor who
is in prosperous condition. The
manufacturing countries Of Europe are
going to be hard up. They have de-
Stroyed wealth at an unheard Of rate
ING the past four years. and will be
faced with the necessity Of rn-eStab-
Fishing their businesses. rebuilding
their plants and reaching out into the
markets OF the world for their old
trade. Under these conditions It is
feasonab bic to expect that they will De
sharp competitors in all neutral mar
kets and may even invade our home
marker.
Mr. Barr may illuminate on one side.
and Mr. Gompers may roar on the
other. but the essential facts Of bust
ness will not be changed thereby.
The law OF supply and demand will,
in the long run. regulate wage condt-
tons and determine whether or not
the present American standard Of
wages can be maintained, or will OF
necessity be lowered. The Intelli-
gencer is firmly convinced that. except
-5or special products. in which we have
some particular advantage. the world
market for American manufactures IS
only ar irridescent dream. Whatever
may be the sentiments Of South Amer
Hea towards Us, She IS not going to pay
moro for an American-made article
,Ahan she will be required to pay for
The same kind OF an article made by
Great Britain. France or Germany.
and, in spite Of our newly made mer-
chant marine, We will not be able to
make many goods with high priced
4abor and sell them in competition
IN the open market against goods
made by low priced labor.
=. It does not necessarily follow. how
Eyer. that there must be a radical re-
suction in wages. In our great home
market we have capacity to consume
practically everything that the labor
~ America can create. We have I'M
5old riches hi den underground, which
can be developed for the uses Of our
own people. 4 wise. application Of
fhe policy Of protection. preserving to
the American manufacturer and the
American workingman the magnificent
home market which has been created
3or them, will do moro TO maintain the
American WACO scale than any other
one thing It is the only defense
which the American working man has
,against the fierce competition Of the
Tnder-paid. under-fed, over-worked
workers OF the old world. and this
does not only apply to factory en-
.ployces and workers in home in Euro
aTean countries. but also to japan and
s42hina In fact. the latter countries
are rapidly developing an industrial
capacity which may we'll become 4
Serious competitor to our manufact-
ares.
SEIsToRY'S GREATEST WEEK