The Ordway new era., 1919-12-12

of the difficulties between capital and
labor, bids us put our own house in
order. Frankly, there can he no per-
manent and lasting settlements be-
tween capital and labor which do not
recognize the fundamental concepts
for which labor has been struggling
through the years. The whole world
gave IFS recognition and Endorsement
to those fundamental purposes in the
League of Nations.
| The statesmen gathered at Yer
sailles recogn zed the fact that world
stability could not be had by reverting
to Industrial standards and conditions
| tgainst which the average workman
of the world had revolted. 1t is, there
fore, the task of the statesmen of this
new day of change and readjustment
to recognize world conditions and to
seek TO bring about through legisla-
ion conditions that will mean the end
ing of age-long antagonisms between
capital and labor and that will hope
fully lead to the building up of n com
radeship which will result not only in
greater contentment among the mass
of workmen but so bring about Il
|
perity to business itself.
Workman's Right to Live Deeentiy.
To annlyze the particulars in the
demands of labor is to admit the jus
tice of their complaint in many mat
ters that lie at their basis. The work
man demands an adequate wage, suf-
ficient to permit him 10 live in com
fort, unhampered by the fear of pow
erty and want in his old age.
He demands the right to live and
the right to work amidst sanitary sur
roundings, both in home and in work
shop, surroundings that develop and
do not retard his own health and well
being; and the right to provide for
his children's wants In the matter of
health and education. In other words,
1t is his desire to make the conditions
of his life and the lives of those dear
to him tolerable and easy TO bear.
The establishment of the principles
regarding labor laid down in the GOV
enant of the League of Nations offers
us the way to Industrial peace and
conciliation. No other road lies open
TO us. Not to pursue this one is longer
lb lllNitt tilIlllltSs bilAtiiA'oS anu
tagonisms which in the end only lead
10 Industrial and social disaster.
Unwilling Workman Improbable.
The unwilling workman is not a
profitable servant. An employe whose
industrial life is hedged about by hard
and unjust conditions; which he did
not create and over which he has no
n.,.I-. hot ,f,.iF Of
thusiasm and volunteer effort which
are the NECESSARY ingredients of Il
great producing entity Let us be
frank about this solemn matter
The evidences of worldwide unrest
which manifest themselves in violence
throughout the world bid us pause
and consider the means to be found
10 stop the spread of this contagious
thing before it saps the very vitality
of the nation itself. Do we gain
strength by Withholding the remedy
Is it not the business of statesmen tn
treat these manifestations of unrest
which meet us on every hand as evil
dences of an increasing disorder and
to apply constructive methods where
ever necessary, being sure that in tn.
application of the remedy we touch
not the vital issues of our industrial
and economic life? There can be no
recession of the tide of unrest until
constructive instrumentalities are set
up 10 stem that tide.
Labor Not Commodity.
Governments must recognize the
right of men collectively to bargain
for humane objects that have at their
base the mutual protection and well
fare of those engaged in all indus
tries. Labor must not be longer treat
ed as commodity. 1t must be re-
garded as the activity of human
beings, possessed of deep yearnings
and desires.
The business man gives his best
thought to the repair and replenish-
ment of his machinery, so that its use
fulness will not be impaired and its
power to produce may always be at
.ts height and kept in full vigor and
motion. No less regard ought to be
paid to the human machine, which
after all propels the machinery of the
world and is the great dynamic force
that lies back of all industry and
progress. Return to the old standards
of wage and industry in employment
is unthinliable.
The terrible tragedy of war which
has just ended and which has brought
the world to the verge of chaos and
disaster would be in vain If there
should ensue return to the condi-
tions of the past. Europe itself,
whence has come the unrest which
now holds the world at bay, is an ex-
ample of stand-patsm in these vital
human matters which America might
well accept as an example, not to be
followed, but studiously to be avoided