Denver labor bulletin., 1918-09-14
URGES IDLE RICH TO
FOLLOW. lAB0R'S EXAMPLE
Prof. Hollander. Of Johns Hopkins
University. Believes Englands
Example Will Teach the Les
sea Of Cooperative Thrift
LABOR STRICTLY BEHuD wAl

tion for var purposes 10 one not only
OF Increased production. but Of de-
creased consumption A. vail. and the
application OF the saved margin to
the National defense. That the mechs-
nism OF this In practice may be comp,
pIicated by loans. taxes. food conserva-
tion. etc. he does not deny. but s6
vances the solution In the homely doc
trine that ws may not have the toaS
and eat IL
Professor Holiander explains hio
formula more cloarly. nrst as to In
creased production. then as to reduced
consumption
1t 10 q common habit for social
phil6sophers-as far back as Bernard
handevills-to speak OF Industrial 30
ciety as q bes-hivs. and to dilate upon
the hum Of marts and the buzz Of miliA
The metaphor 10 graceful. but We musa
fsce It's full Implication Every hive
has It's complement of drones and
every society has iu dead.weight- OF
IaIiiy. ieisurely idie--to say nothing OF
those whom economic arrangement and
social convention permit to ait vitA
folded armf
a nation orRani1ed for var vtn
tolerate none OF this- Every unit-maa
or voman-rspressnu degree -
productive power 10 he does noe
he has not produced. be IL A. delih-
crate Q Stacker as the lout Who shirks
the draft. But there II no
place for haoitual leisure and voiuns
tary idleness first enthusiastic
nush TO do ones Bit 10 likely to
peter out In lieu Of II must come .
steady dAy-afterdsy grind-mAde pos
sibls not by force OF law. but BY re
Ientisss unforgivinE pressure Of public
opinion. which pIiiories the citizen. oo
be rich or poor. man or woman. who
can do some work and remains idle
1T ia not always easy TO md ths
vacant niche. and there will be mis-
directed eIort-some wasted material
But English experiences teaches us
bow speedily this great Industrial
army OF the wsllto-do-idls can bs ab
sorbod. and With what stupeadoua
Eainx.
Labor Not LAeiias In P.triotisu
We have relied In the main upon
the Law Of economic motive-hieh
wases. urgent labor demAnd-to speed
up the pace OF Industry. on the whole
the progress has been encouraging
The world Of iAbor-orgnnired and un-
oreaniIed-hns shown itself. now. as
always. not lacking In patriotism
Trade union restrictions upon adulis
sion. output. apprenticeship. workine
condiuons. have been relaxed. or d.
luted-And labor leaders have shown
title deposition to exploit strategic
opportunities to the Injury Of tina Ne
tons needs. When ve realize aov.
In train OF war iunation. wAses have
risen much more slowly than eem-
modify priees. this moderation Is n
striking contrast to the ardor vita
In
Brides have bsen vooed'"
Applying The Saved Msrsta
uust produce more aud consume iesa
and. more wisely. Professor Holiandes
believes that the problem OF produo-
tion will. u not quite take care OF ~
calf. certainly DO more easily con-
trolled on ths theory that demand
fashions supply II 10 because vs ash
toe and buy things and services With
out which we could easily get along.
that such thinss and services continue
70 Be made and furnished. and that the
Nation continues to pay the price. But
every unit OF labor force that 10 rs-
ouired to supply thsss-svsry ounce
OF raw material. fuel. convertible ma
ehinery that 10 engaged In making
them-is just 90 much detached from
what would otherwise become await
Abie for our armiea Let everyone
mentally inventory the dsniais and
abstinsnecs which be has practioed.
the Professor urges. and the sum total
OF the things which be has gone with
out will furnish the acid test OF HE
patriotism
Professor Hoiiander concludes his
plea for war abstinence by admitting
kA ~sls lAr Ill
OF labor and capital. but to q Tar less
degree than alarmist and biased sen.
timent would have us believe. As
against this temporary Inconvenience,
differing In . degree from the read
jsstmsnts in the business world. made
necessary by seasonal and cyclicM
fluctuations - there would become
available great stocks OF labor forcs
and capital material which the citi.
sens could place at the disposition OF
the State In the form OF taxes and
loans. to be converted as needed into
the requirements Of National defense
He concludes as follows
The citizens of the United States
desire to be counseled-not exhorted.
They desire a rule OF conduct not an
academic homily. This. then, Ia the
program-in words of one syllable:
Cut your spending to the bone. OF
the food which you must buy. be guild
cd by the instruction OF the Food Ad.
ministration; OF other things. the less
the better-with complete abstinence
aa the ideal Husband the income,
which you will thus save as a bank
deposit and convert II into Liberty
Bonds. or In smaller units. into War
Savings Stamps In tho interim. 10
you are working. work harder. 70
4ov are idle, fnd something to do.
Let US at least be frank with our.
selves 10 realizing that. to tho extent
that we do fall short Of this counsel
Of perfection. by Just so much do we
foil In contributing to the Nations
ssfety that which we might"