South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1918-12-17
Other Editors Than Ours
GIVE UNORGANIZED LABOR a VOICE.
New York World)


The air is full of jubilant talk about the trumphs
the gains. the shining prospects OF organized labor
Who will stand forth and say word for millions o.
workers in the country who are not organized who
their banners proclaim their policies and issue
their ultimate?
Organized labor is a mighty force
But will maintain that constitutes than
a part OF vast toing strength nation,
than of the numbers who give their daily
service return-caH wages salary, what you like
that Is paid by capital
Organized labor may have right TO rejoice
what it has won sooner because of the war. Higher
wages shorter hours. better working conditions have
been secured TO it in many instances its just and
permanent due
There has never farer outlook cooperative
understanding adjustment for common advantage and
profit organized labor and its employers-pro
v;ded organized labor does make the mistake OF
regarding itself the part of the national economic
sharilg its costs
To urge the claims of unorganzed labor is in no
hold brief for capital.
To speak for unorganized labor is to speak for a
great silent. non-miltant body of wOrkers-clerks.
workers in various professions-who toll for fixed
stjpends and whose economic claims rarely if ind
concerted expression.
War has can't no increase of income TO these work
ers. other hand the rising of necessities
has their pay less and less adequate for thei~
needs Their chances of saving have been cut off Their
standards living been forced down Yet all the
while they their jobs and done their
90 buy Liberty bonds Savings stamps give
Is this class of American labor to have no represen-
tation, voice.
Amid the camor with which organized labor nov
seeks its gains and make permanent The
highest of the high wage levels TO which a great
tona1 emergency helped it, nothing be heard
from those other workers whose pay is than &,
was before the and whose purchasing power sinks
lower and lower prices rise?
Are those workers with pre-war incomes b.
charged progressively still higher prices what they
buy order that other classes of labor may suffer
diminution of the high wages the has brought
them
Is this reconstruction as organized labor sees it,
If So .t is time tor reconstruction programs be
sharply rcconsUcred i'm the light of American standard
of fairness and justice.
work millions who better because
the war and who bearing the bigger share OF its
burden of high the productiyt
and prosperity of the country the work of those who
favorably placed to obtain wages and war prem
ims.
Why should the lucky expect to perpetuate their
ira rewards the expense of the less fortunate?
Nobody believes that wages must 20 back TO pre-way
levels.
But no upward evening of wage standards be fair
if considers only the claims OF that part of labor
which voices it's demands most loudly and insistenty
if ignores the old vicious circle of higher wages
circle that closes ruthessy and crushngy upon those
+ whose remain the
week the head of the bureau of investigation in
federal department of justice resigned because his
81 500 year salary from the government had
utterly inadequate. in the face of prices
, support a wife and FIVE children in Washington.
His texperence is the experience OF ten of thousands
Of Woodworking self-denying heads of families in all
sections o the country.
be until brushes them be
cause the people Of the United States whole viii
consist shut their TO soaring prices long
certain number can boast record wages
Organized labor holds the platform.
But at least give some of the unorganzed toilers
chance TO rise in their places and make their plea