Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1919-10-01
WEDNESDAY. OCTOBER /. 1915
WAGES HERE AND ABROAD.

Are not all sorts of people rather
overriding, in the uproar about high
cost of living, and lack of sufficient
compensation to keep up with the
procession? Complaint is warranted
to a large degree and aroused public
sentiment is helping to reduce abuses
But are We not more mad than mod
crate? The most emphatic expression
about insufficient compensation nat
urally comes through labor organiza-
tons. which have a method of ex-
preston. The great steel strike is not
of course principally for higher wages,
but wage demands from some other
sources are heard. and may be justi-
fled in some cases. Costs of commodi-
ties are high in America where labor
folk are growing more accustomed
to and are entitled to good things of
life. But here pay is better and costs
less now than in the countries with
which we co-operated in the costly
wal. Allu ny GUN ldliHOll Will tilN Pug
of union men and others in Germany,
workers in the United States are in
great fortune. The salaried classes
in America are the worst sufferers un-
der advanced prices of necessities
especially the employees who are not
able by aid of unions to command
proportionate increases.
German carpenters, plumbers and
masons in their own country are now
receiving only SIS cents per day. ex-
pressed in American money The New
York World had a correspondent per-
sonally investigate and tabulate fig
ures paid union eight-hour-d day work
ers.
The wages Of German labor. paid in
marks, have gone sky-rocketing. The
average daily wage paid to working
men in the twelve principal groups of
German trade and industries today is
approximately 1886 as against $129
at the outbreak of the world war in
August, 1914, and 1912 at the out
break of the revolution which follow
ed the armistice last November. There
has been an increase of 1O4 per cent
from November until now.
Actual cash wages have increased
more through the period of revolu-
ton, armistice and post-revolutionary
peace than they did during the four
years of war.
Women are paid half as much as
men.
If German money passed current
at the former exchange rates the men
over there would be receiving the
equivalent of from $40 to $40 per
day. But the mark now goes for less
than four and one-half cents. 1t used
to be worth % cents in exchange.
Formerly il anyone here desired to
have 500 paid to anybody in Ger
many. bank here would arrange for
the payment of 400 ..,qrks. Now one
can 20 to a bank IN Albuquerque and
for $1S56 have 400 marks delivered
over there. But 400 marks in Ger
many are not what they used to be.
in fact less than one-fifth as useful.
even if merchandise there be as cheap
as in the United States. OF course
consumption during four years, with
lack of production and importation,
reduced stocks to very low state,
and the best paid mechanics. who are
paid the above wages, have very little
margin for anything but bread for
their families.
A similar investigation was made
in Britain one week ago, and the facts
cabled to the World. OF course high
costs of living have kited wage de-
mands there. too.
British wages show an average in
crease of nearly 100 per cent since
the beginning of the war in 1914; in
many instances industries pay more
than 100 per cent increase. Three
fourths of the miners were paid from
40 TO so shillings a week; they are
now receiving from to S pounds a
week--more than twice as much. A
shilling is the equivalent now OF but
201s cents. instead OF 24h cents, Am
erican money. The miner, therefore,
gets from SIT to sS5 per week. Dock
laborers about s2.25 per day. and
others less, A union printer. hand
compositor, earns s2.75 per day
In France it is the same story, The
franc is equal to 1914 cents American,
in exchange. 1t used to be good for
20 cents.
The serious trouble now prevailing
in England is due to the need of rail-
way forces and miners for greater
compensation, The railroad employees