The Farmington times., 1919-02-07
THE NEW ERA
AND BIG BUSINESS

Whether Bolshevism is to take root
in the United States is in the hands
of Big Business.
Big Business can stud America with
Red Flags or Big Business can root
up even the few that have been plant
ed in this country.
On the golden banners of the indus
trial oligarchy that has been built up
in America is inscribed but one word
Profits.
Big Business has the choice of pull
ing those banners down and hauling
up others carrying the word Human
ity, or Big Business can wait until
surging multitudes pull them down
and hoist blood red ones in their
places.
The choice is plain, and we believe
that Big Business will see the light
and make its own change of banners.
1t is going to require revolutionary
upheaval in American business ideals
to put Humanity above Profits-but
what is serious operation to man
with cancer if it cures the disease?
The New Era of the Greater HUI
manity which we have been preaching
in these columns does not decry hon
est competitive effort or honest profits
gained by honest, conscientious effort.
What it does dccry is dividends
gained at the cost of underpaid and
overworked labor. blood d-stained prof
its drown from stunted children, sur
pluses acquired through business de-
ceit and chicanery and sinking funds
obtained by political manipulation
and violation of the laws.
So-called Efficiency experts and So
called business efficiency Magazines
are the greatest foes of Humanity in
America today.
Efficiency has no place for Human
ity, it knows nothing but results; it
aims at getting more work out of Ia
Dor without increasing compensation.
Efficiency is the core of the CONNER
cial carbuncle on the national neck.
We recall reading in Efficiency Mag
azines stories of superintendents and
managers who became presidents of
corporations because of their expert
ness in cutting down expenses and
thus increasing dividends. We have
yet to read story of factory Off
cial being commended by Board of
Directors for using part of the profits
to improve conditions for the en-
ployees. Efficiency halls the dividend
producer and decries the humanitarian
as dreamer and a menace to good
business.
In the New Era the first thought of
Big Business must be Labor. 1t must
share its profits with its workers, it
4ha,,, hun h,nt .
it must recognize their longings and
their hopes and their comforts. 1t
must constantly bear in mind that the
humblest laborer is a man with a
soul-a brother to be assisted to bet
ter things, not to be smashed further
into the dust by unrewarded toll.
A man who has been endowed by a
merciful God with brain power to
build up large organization of en-
ployees has been endowed at the same
time with trust. He is expected to
use his gift to uplift his weaker
brothers, not to use them to make
bricks without straw for his personal
gain. Brains and perseverance are
certainly entitled to greater rewards
than sloth and Indifference, but not
to such rewards as will make other
men slothful and Indifferent through
sheer hopelessness.
There has been tendency in Amer
lean industry to provide workers with
swimming pools, rest rooms, gymna-
Sums and the like. 1t is we'll to make
workshops comfortable, but where
conveniences are introduced to turr
the attention of workers from low
wages, it is not well. 1t is much bet.
ter to pay men and women large
enough wages so that they can have
their comforts at home. Industry
needs little less of paternalism and
more straight-out humanity and faii
play.
American labor is intelligent. II
does not ask unreasonable things as
a rule. Industry can grant its re-
quests without injury, but it cannot
ignore them without injury.
The change from Profit to Humani
ty must come quickly. There is {
wave Of unrest in the air and it is
growing.
Only drooling fools and senile reac
tionaries deny the danger of Bolshe.
vism in America, and only silly human
ostriches believe that psychological
wave can be dissipated by ignoring it
We have number of the type in st
Louis, and no doubt they are genera
throughout the country.
"There are 100000 men in 1913 in
dustrial communities out of work,
says Secretary of Labor Wilson, "anc
employment must be obtained fol
them to prevent the philosophy Of
force from entering the country"
"Serious unrest faces the country
unless Big Business adopts new hu-
manitarian policy" says A. L. Filene
big Boston department store owner
and employer of $500 persons.
Here are Labor and Capital talking
enlightened Labor and enlightened
Capital.
Let us look the situation in the face.
A quarter Of a million men are out OF