Free trader-journal. (Ottawa, Ill.) 1916-1920, 1919-09-05
LABOR ASKS FOR FAIR DEAL.

labor unrest" and the labor prop
lem" Differences between labor an
capital, often coming to more OF
less violent parting Of ways-as ii
strikes, lockouts and boycotts-ars
extending into every industry in every
country We in the United States
have no monopoly of labor troubles
What causes labor troubles here
causes them in Iceland, Italy, India
the world over
The failure of the pay envelope 10
balance the cost of living when
weighed against each other,
Labor insists it Is not getting a
square deal when it receives in return
for its brain and Drawn less than it
needs to keep that brain and Drawn
in good working condition Labor be-
leves fair deal is that which brings
a wage outweighing the cost of living
so that there may be provision for old
age, the proverbial rainy day and the
rearing of children.
Some day labor will get it-and
soon!
Why not?
For deal labor calls fair and
square is nothing but granting to labor
the fruits of its own toiing. that por-
ton of its own production rightfully
labors share
Labor insists that labors share is -
Work for ALL but no overlooking OF
anyone,
Enough food good food, for tbs
body,
Enough recreation and rest for both
mind and body; and
Enough leisure Tor mind and body
and soul to develop.
And in return he is willing to do
his share of the worlds work-no
more--because overlooking one man
harms both he and his fellow man.
Just his share of work--his share of
life
To get his share of life, while giving
his share of work. he must have
Living hours, living wages and a
working place which doesn't make liz.
ing long impossible
The number of hours a man should
work should depend entirely upon the
amount produced by all men who
work, Now it seems that the eight.
hour day is the fair day. Gradually
AS man becomes more efficient and
less wasteful, and reduces the number
Of nonproducing grown-ups. the hours
will dwindle
The wage should be large enough to
provide for the living expenses of the
family. the rest and recreation of the
family, the health and education of the
family, insurance against the poor.
house in old age Though we may
speak of dollars let us think in terms
of food. clothing, housing, recreation,
rest and leisure when we consider the
wage problem.
There can he no honest questioning
OF the necessity of providing sanitary.
beautiful workshops So this may be
dismissed in any present discussion of
labor troubles. Granted the living
wage and living hours. labor will have
little difficulty getting working place
which measures up to the standards
Of health and safety labor may deem
mt.
Labor troubles of the past-and Of
the present--may be traced to one or
both of these labor demands. Living
wages and living hours. Here labor
mas come into repeated and prolonged
conflict with capital,
That Is all there Is to this much
talked of labor unrest"-mercly dc
mand for living wage and living
hours. more exact definition of a
square meal and fair deal
Labor believes it can obtain this
deal more quickly by collective bar.
gaining, by the banding together @.
workingmen into groups which may
speak in unison, strive as one man
and one mind that labor may climb
to the peak of hopes--the fair deal
and the square deal.