Grand Forks herald. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1916-1955, 1919-04-28
Industry And The Labor Situation

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The thing which most complicates the Industrial sit-
uaton in the country today is the uncertainty which sur
the labor situation. The industries Of the country
may thrive and prosper during the period of high prices:
they may make progress during a period OF low, prices.
but inevitably they will languish during a period Of un-
certainty. A lack Of established stability in prices leads
to a slowing down Of every Industry, for the men interest
ed cannot take the necessary, steps with any degree OF
assurance. They are surrounded by doubt and must either
discontinue business SO far as that is possible. or base
their prices on the expectation Of the worst. 1
There are many men who profess to be friends of La
Dor who. do not appear to understand that the worst SER
Of uncertainty as to what demands will be made on la
boris behalf. and what effort will be made to enforce
those demands. The building industry furnishes a good
illustration of the way in which this works. A contractor
is asked to make estimates on the cost Of a building. In
order to prepare these estimates he must study the mar
kets and learn the prices Of materials. He must learn as
nearly as he can the cost Of labor, and he must be able
to gauge with a reasonable measure Of certainty what
these costs will be during the period when the work lis
likely to be in progress. and what will be the prospect for
obtaining materials and labor even at the prices which he
expects to pay. If he finds that certain materials which
will be need in the building will not be available at any
price he must abandon or postpone the work entirely. II
he finds that the prospect Of obtaining materials or labor
is doubtful, he may take a chance. but in taking that
chance. in order to protect himself he must quote a high
price for the completed building.
II as a result Of any doubt which exists, prices higher
than are warranted by the actual conditions are quoted,
the chances are that no building will be erected. The
work will be postponed until another season in the hope
that conditions will be improved. Wherever, therefore, al
legged labor leaders are engaged in the work Of stirring up
dissention between workmen and their employers, and
creating such a condition of uncertainty that the entire
lahor situation is left in doubt their has tho direct
effect of checking industry and therefore of diminishing
the demand for the employment of the very men in whose
interest they profess to be working.
Something Of this effect has already been seen in
Grand Forks this spring. Several local labor disagree
nents have occurred, and certain individuals and interests
have used every effort to foment and aggravate these, and
to spread abroad at least the menace of a general strike.
That there will be a general strike in Grand Forks of a
sympathetic nature we do not for a moment believe.
We believe that the wage earners Of this city are too clear
minded, too level headed, and too strongly inclined
toward fairness and justice to indulge in that most vicious
and unjustifiable form of labor welfare, the sympathetic
strike. Nevertheless, the agitation which has occurred,
and which is now in progress, has injected an element of
uncertainty into the whole situation, and individuals who
have contemplated the building Of homes or the erection
of business structures find themselves confronted with
prices which they do not feel that they can afford to pay,
certain conditions. The wage earners of this and every
other community are entitled to good compensation for
their work. We believe that there is every desire on the
part of the community that they should receive it. but the
community needs the assurance that work undertaken
shall proceed without needless interruption, and that Ia
Dor costs shall not fluctuate in such a manner as to bring
disaster to them. Those are the real friends of labor who
are striving to bring about a feeling Of certainty and sta
bility in the entire labor situation.