The Logan Republican. [volume] (Logan, Utah) 1902-1924, 1919-09-25
woRKINGMEN SEEING BOTH SIDES

Amazement,, even to incredulity, was
widely manifested the other day at the ac.
ton of numerous representative commit
tee of the employees Of great Industrial
establishment. These men, in convention
assembled adopted series Of resolutions
earnestly opposing any further demands
for an increase in wages or for reduction
of hours of labor This was done entire
ly on their own initiative, and at time
when other men, in both private and gov"
ornamental employ, were demanding higher
wages and shorter hours, and were str,H-
ING or threatening to strike for the en-
forcement of those demands, to an extent
both in numbers and in impassioned deter
mination unprecedented in industrial his
tory. On its face the incident certainly
seemed strange anomaly
Fun explanation, however, was obvious
and instant, made in the very act itse,f.
We have only to read the resolutions
which those men adopted, and to compare
them with those of other organizations
taking the opposite view. Usually the res
omtions and other outgivings of labor uii-
ions, strike committees and similar bodies
are concerned solely with the needs or the
desires of their authors. The men feel
the need of more money and therefore
they demand it. They want for thenl-
selves more time for recreation and there
fore they demand shorter days of labor
The argument is surely subjective. Cir
cumstances, the interests of others, the
inevitable results of granting OF their
demand upon the vast and intricate inter-
locking social and economic system of the
state are disregarded. They simply waht
what they want, and want it when they
want it.
These men of whom we are speaking,
however, employees of the Midvale Steel
and Ordnance company, took other
views. Doubtless they felt their own
needs as keenly as anybody. But they
looked beyond them. They considered the
causes of that high cost Of living which
is so commonly made the pretext for de-
mands for higher wages. They saw and
said that it was to be abated not by rails
ing wages, which would aggravate it, but
"by diligent, efficient and conscientious
labor, by thrift and by avoidance of waste
and extravagance;" and especially by in
creased production and the sterilization
of prices in conformity with wages now
being paid" In brief they were to seek
lOl lilcTc uOlidIS DuI q SlCuICi Pun Nhe'o''AS
power for the dollar. -.-.-.~. .-.-..-- ..--
They went further. They pointed out
that the workman who demands great
er proportionate return for his labor than
his fellows in other industries are get
ting, is just as guilty of profiteering as is
the grocer or other tradesman who charg-
es extortionate prices for the necessities
of life; and that the granting of their de-
mands would simply result in higher
prices being set by the profiteers for the
necessities of living to all purchasers
alike" Therefore they asked not higher
wages for themselves but the national
control of private monopolies, the restric.
ton Of profits to fair rate, prohibition CT
unnecessary exports of food and clothing
and the open marketing of unnecessary
exports of food and clothing, and the open
marketing of boarded supplies, in order
Ito bring about normal conditions, with
special privileges to none but justice 20
ALL"
How Influential and effective their APP
peal be, we do not know We do know
that it is of inestimable value as an ex-
ample and an inspiration to the whole
country to employers and employees alike
and as the manifestation of spirit Of in
relligent comprehension and impartial
judgment which, if it could generally pre-
vail, would satisfactorily and speedily
solve our social and economic problems.
1t simply means that employers and EN-
ployes alike shall carefully consider boCn