Evening journal., 1919-10-18

The industrial questions which i
their political aspect go to the YER.
foundation Of civil society and nation
al existence have seldom been discuss
ed with such penetrating insight an,
breadth Of view as by Columbia's pres
ident in his address on "The Rea
Labor Problem" delivered last Monda!
before the Institute or Arts anc
Sciences. Parts Of this remarkable all
dress were printed in the sun Of Tues
day morning. We advise every citizef
who is concerned about the future oil
both industrial and political Organiza.
tiOn or Dissemination in this country
TO send for Dr. Buffers address and "a
/ read 10 through at least twice. The
! pamphlet may be had on request "a
/ Box 2i3. Post Oillce Sub-statiOn 81, New
! York city
President Butler points out that in
| what has commonly been called the
/ contest between Capital and Labor
/ Labor, as the under dog, has won well
nigh universal sympathy. For half a
century the efforts OF the handwork-
ers TO organize for the purpose Of OBJ
laining better conditions and the priv
ilcge Of collective bargaining have com
manded increasing support and public
approval:
AS consequence, the condition
Of handWOrkers has greatly and
steadily improved At no point I'm
the complicated social and indus
trial system Of modern times has
so great personal and group advan-
tage been reaped from the changes
OF The past generation as among
the handWOrkers The rewards OF
invested savings or capital have
steadily declined while the lot OF D..
That immense fraction Of the popu-
latiOn which receives salaries
rather than wages has grown con-
stantly more difficult OF the pres
ent population OF the United states
perhaps One-siXtli almost certain
~ one-seyenlh Is made up Of per-
sons i'm receipt OF salaries and
those Immediately dependent upon
them. These persons may be in
small way capitalists and i'm a very
large way handworkers. but they
are not usually classed with either
Capital or Labor, but are rather
expected 10 remain acquescenl
spectators Of struggle from
whose outcome they cannot posi-
bly, reap anything but disadvan-
iage'
After swift but comprehensive
survey OF Tie recent world events T.
which have expanded credit. inflated /
currency. enhanced tremendously the /
cost or living and made it impossible /
for men 10 resume their mode Of life /
at the old compensations. DR.. Butler |
states and then restates in different |
form the real labor problem as now
presented to the people Of the United
states:
Can the nations industries be so
organized and administered as 10
bring TO The service Of Industry the
well tested principles and ideals Of
political democracy without over
turning the foundations of the Re
public. and without destroying the
only guarantees on which order.
liberty and progress can possibly
rest?"
Otherwise stated, the problem. no
longer purely industrial or wholly eco
nomic. but in large part now political
rs well. is this:
Must the American form OF gov
ernmcnt commit suicide in order 90
give TO industry better and more
satisfactory organization ."
The manner in which President
'utler approaches the first Of these
uestions and finds hope Of intelligent
cooperation between the respective
actors in production is indicated I'm
he passage we quote below:
'lf we abandon our fOndness for
distractions and look at any indus
trial process lust as it Is. we quick
ly discover that it is an enterprise
in human cooperation. and that In
10 there may be and usually are
three different kinds or sorts OF
cooperating human beings-those
who work with their hands those
who work with their brains and
those who work with their savings.
These are an essential 10 produc-
tive industry and production Is
the joint enterprise in which all
are engaged I'm common II
the wage Garner can be made TO un-
derstand that his wages are paid !
out OF product and not out Of capi-
tai or out Of profits. he will speed
lily assist i'm increasing production,
because he will understand that
only in that way is Il possible to
provide for any permanent increase
in wages
Again. just so soon as the wage
Garner is led 20 see the truth Of the
fact that he and the man who
works with his savings, the So
called capitalist, are alike inter-
ested in greater production, he will
begin 10 comprehend what cooper
alton In industrial production
really means
Persons otherwise intelligent go
about the country telling us that IL =.
Is mere hypocrisy to say that the W ~.
interests OF employer and employed ~ ~
are the same. ON the contrary, it vi vi
Ia mere ignorance TO say they are "
not the same" VI ~,
WHAT follows when 10 Is once clearly III
en- that industry is cooperative y"
lerprise in production? From Or.
Tiers point of view Tie answer must
something like this
"Those who sNurk with their
lands. like those who work with
heir brains and those who work
With their savings, are entitled 10
axe part in the organization and
Erection Of the industry and to