The star-progress. (Opelousas, La.) 1917-1921, 1919-10-04
LABOR LEADERS FAIL
INTERPRET SIGNS
OF THE TIMES
American Architect Places La
Dor Unrest on the Union
Leaders

II a IuQQameQCaI CruCn CnaC Cne
present high cost of living can only
be materially reduced by increased
production and the practice of the
most rigid economy. Organized labor
all over the country apparently de.
liberately ignores this truth and is en-
devoring to wiring from capital con.
cessions, the granting of which will
have but a temporary beneficial re.
suit, states the American Architect
editOrially:
"It is unfortunate that organized
labor, now intoxicated by an inflated
prosperity condition as unreal as
it is universally unjust-should in Sc
many instances, show complete dis
regard for the rights of the public as
to ignore agreements that, at the time
of their making, they were willing
to safeguard as binding for the full
period of their respective contracts.
Evidence multiply that many labor
organizations are making unreason-
able demands for an increase of
wages that they have made have yet
long periods to run. A specific in
stance is that of the Painters Union
in New York city. An agreement en-
tered into by this union with the AS
ISOLATION Of Master Painters and De-
corators vii not expire until Decem-
Der 81 of this year. In this contract
a wage of Sc per day and a forty
four-hour week are agreed to, but in
spite of this agreement the union is
now treating this contract as "scrap
of paper" and insist that the wage
shall now be 81 per hour and fifty
hour week, with no work on Satur-
days or Sundays. Their demands as to
working conditions would practically
deprive the master painters of the
control of their shops and vest in it
representatives of the union.
This is not an isolated instance of
the unreasonable demands of labor.
Similar conditions are to be found
ali over the country. The question that
naturally arises is Glow may labor,
drastically and speedily be taught
that it will absolutely lose the respect
and support of the very element it
looks to for encouragement if it con-
tinues course so antagonistic to all
the principles it will be necessary to
employ if we are speedily to return
to normal conditions"
Restatng, as an economic truth, the
necessity for increased and uninter-
rupted production as a necessary con-
dition in the reduction Of the high
cost of living, will not appear that
labor presents an example of a group
olindly seeking to accomplish its own
destruction? If labor continues to
regard with indifference the oblig-
atoms of contracts solemnly entered
into, is there not introduced an ele-
ment that will prevent The existence
IF claims that are based on such ut
Ter disregard of moral and legal OBJ
legations?
In a public statement issued by
President Wilson with reference to
the present economic conditions, he
stated: "Only by keeping the cost of
production on its present level, by in
creasing production and by rigid econ
'my and saving on the part of the
people can we hope for large decrease
in the burdensome cost of living,
which now weighs us down. ANY
substantial increase of wages in lead
ng lines of industry at this time
would utterly crush the general cam
paign which the government is wag-
ing with energy, vigor and substantial
hope of success to reduce the high
cost Of living"
1t will be wen for labor to serious
y ponder the significance of an opin-
on from so high source, and one
hat will be so well able TO influence
he action of the government in
hese matters.
As in marked contrast to the gem
raj attitude of labor all over the
ountry, there is to be noted with
large measure of approval, that the
representatives of thirty thousand
Employees of the Midvale Steel and
)rdance Company and its subsidiary
in session at Atlantic City
ecently passed resolutions opposing
lrther demands for higher wages
nd shorter hours as uneconomic and |
nwise. This action,it is stated was
AIKEN entirely on the initiative of the |