The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1919-04-07
THE THIRD PARTY.

THE 16ltO FAh1E.
The building contractors of Topeka
have placed the responsibility for
continuation of the disagreement be-
tween themselves and their employees.
over the matter of wages, on the Shout
ders OF the public. This is where the
burden ultimately must rest and per-
haps it is as well to have an under
standing about it now. All increases
in cost finally reach the consumers,
and among these are the mechanics
themselves who are asking for high
er scale of pay.
If the property owners decide thai
| they will pay an increased price for
building, then they must and will re-
imburse themselves by raising rents.
An increase in rents of course will af-
feet the men who are asking for high
er wages-that is. those who do not
own their own homes-equalIy with
all other tenants. Then if the mer-
chant be compelled to pay an in
creased rental, he will collect the
amount by advancing the rate of prof
it on his goods. This, too. will reach
the men who are demanding an ad-
vance in wages.
Few building trades mechanics
work turnout the entire year, but
rents and living costs, such as food
and clothing. go on for the full twelve
months. What will it benefit a man
to get dollar day more and spend
it on increased cost of living?
All prices are based primarily on
! the cost of labor. When we entered
the war, there was a grand rush in
nearly every line of business, labor in
cluded, to get out of everybody all the
traffic would bear. Mechanics de-
manded and received two and three
times the scales established by their
unions, before the war. Prices of both
labor and its products reached abnor-
NAL figures. Up to this time there
has been no marked decline except
where certain lines of government
work have ceased. Neither is there
likely to be any while jobs are hunt
ing men. If there shall come a time
when men are hunting jobs, then
wages will come down and the prices
of other things will follow.
There is an element of danger in
attempts to force wages to a higher
level than they now occupy. 1t may
cause stagnation in business. The war
taught the people that there are many
things which they can do without
They have not yet forgotten the les
son. If they should stop buying be-
yond the bare necessaries of life.
/ prices would come down in a hurry,
and wages would be in the lead.
History teaches that any violent or
rapid decline in prices is wholly un-
desirable. 1t is condition that al
ways is accompanied by hard times,
when instead of demanding more
wages, workmen are glad to get any
wages at all.
What is needed more than anything
else at this time is stability of prices,
SO that everybody can know where he
stands. Heads of industries will not
do business without a reasonable as
surance of a profit. When they are
called upon to pay out more than they
can take in they will shut up shop.
Prices of labor and prices of its
products must go up or down togeth-
er. There is no other way. We may
set aside the law of supply and de-
mand arbitrarily for a short time but
it is certain to reassert itself.
The purchasing power of dollar is
of less importance than the ability to
obtain the dollar. There have been
times in this country when a dollar
would buy several times more than it
will today but dollars were scarce and
hard to get and the condition of a man
who depended upon his daily toll for
living was worse than it is in these
times of high cost