The Ocala banner. (Ocala, Marion County, Fla.) 1883-194?, 1919-03-07

The last issue of the Manufactur-
ers Record Of Baltimore reprints the
following letter from Colonel S. H.
Gaitskill Of Mcintosh which We know
will be read with interest by the
readers Of this paper
There is a question that | have
wanted answered for some time and
that IS nov coming in an acute form.
.lt is about our shipbuilding and mer-
chant marine. cant understand
Hny it should cost more to build
shi ps in the United States than in
other countries We have all Of the
raw material necessary and at as
little. if not less, cost than other
Countries We export lumber, snip
plates etc Now. if labor cost is ey-
cessive, ny should it be? Meat and
bread living cost for labor should be
less ia the United States because
other countries that build ships dc
mot make enough food 20 sustain
their pc piles The United states
does, and exports feed and food 10
other countries. Besides it has been
claimed that if the ahoy cost ia tae
4 lted States vas greater the labor
Wae mora efficient. and the unit cost
Of product W2s less on account ct
lth:s efdciency. ! hope YOU can give
Ime this information. and also, why
shiIs elnnCt ue .2Ued at as low a
Iccst as ships from other countries
Another question. Just now the
farmer is urged to greater production
and asked to work harder.
Why?
To make more food thus making
the results OF his labor sell for less.
The mechanic must have shorter
hours 10 give him more leisure for
pleasures.
The farmer is asked to speed up,
working ! to IA hours out OF a What
about the farmers leisure and pleas
ure. with his wife in the kitchen COOK
ing for the farm hands?
win the worm turn? Some day.
The New York milk producers have
Just finished a fight. trying to get d
decent living for their long hours and
hard work
VIII the general farmer have toI
saw Il will make home supplies only
for che season" before the non-pro-
.a ng and e0n@nning World IT,
.-n51e ne position & the faraer2
Lei no 9iehlE-paid builders rail
read me- and teIegraDhers set lt-l
lie hung anJ .hiak u.3le Of meat
ana Head tAan they dc 81 going to#
The moves end other forms u a43.e-
menr. LET them Try farming There
is lots ri idle land High wages as
rgip does not mean prosperity but
thew do mean indulgence and eHtlaF
aganCe.
The railroad men. from station
agents gp. give their wives diamond ,
rings and automobiles, while the
farmer miks the cow and guides the
plow AN day long" and his wife i9l
40 At in the morning and IS still IN
he kitchen cleaning up the pots and
mans and dishes until at night.
Please tell us what you know about
these things. Better not wait for the
farmer to sulk.
S. II. GAITSKILL
In the foregoing MIR. Gaitskill raises
many interesting question, some OF
which no philosopher can answer III
costs more to build ships in the Uni
TED states LUdU III many CIAA~A
tries because our rate Of wages Isl
several times as high as wages paid
abroad. This cost also enters lntoi
the mining OF the iron ore, the mining
of the coal, the making Of steel and
the higher freight rates paid. Every
item which enters into the construc- |
ton Of a ship represents a very much
higher labor cost than in other coun
tries The Wall Street Journal, inI
discussing the wage question for ship!
workers in this country and abroad, |
said
When British wage rates are con i
trasted with those paid our own aris-
tocracy Of the shipyards the size Of |
the American handicap in shipbuild- /
ing can be estimated For instance. /
riVeters in England, working s. hours
per week, received $3.50. ship /
wrights, $3.50; plumbers, $3.50. |
blacksmiths, ST.; machinists, $685. /
caulkers, $3.50: electricians. $1750: !