The sun., 1919-10-17
Nicholas Murray Butler on the La
Dor PrOblem--A Straightforward
Presentation.

Presentation.
The industrial questions which in
their political aspect go to the very
foundation of civil society and ma
tional existence have seldom been dis
cussed with such penetrating insight
and breadth Of view as by Columbia s
president in his address on 1.-THE Real
Labor Problem" delivered last Mon
day before the Institute of Arts and
Sciences. Parts of this remarkable
address were printed in THE Sun of
Tuesday morning. We advise every
citizen who is concerned about the
future of both industrial and political
organization or disorganization In
this country to send for DR.. Buffers
address and to read 1t through at
least twice. The pamphlet may be
had on request to Box 213, Post Office
Satisfaction "a, 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
obtaining better conditions and the
privilege of collective bargaining have
commanded increasing support and
public approval:
AS a consequence, the condition
of. handworkers has greatly and
steadily improved. At no point in
the complicated social and Industrial
system of modern times has so great
personal and group advantage been
reaped from the changes of the past
generation as among the handwork-
ers. The rewards, of invested saw
ings or capital have steadily declined,
while the lot of that immense frac-
ton OF the population which receives
salaries rather than wages has grown
constantly more difficult. OF the
present population of the United
States perhaps one-sixth. almost GER
tainly one-seventh. is made up of per-
sons in receipt of salaries and those
Immediately dependent upon them.
These persons may be in a small way
capitalists and in a very large way
handworkers, but they are not usu-
ally classed with either Capital or
Labor, but are rather expected to re-
main acquiescent spectators of a
struggle from whose outcome they
cannot possibly reap anything but
disadvantage"
After a swift but comprehensive
survey of the recent world events
which have expanded credit, inflated
currency, enhanced tremendously the
cost of living and made it impossible
for men to resume their old mode of
life at the old compensations, DR..
BUTLER states and then restates in diff
ferent 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 to
| 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. lib
erty and progress can possibly rest?"
Otherwise stated, the problem, no
longer purely industrial or wholly eco
| nomic, but in large part now political
as well, is this:
Must the American form of gov
eminent commit suicide in order TO
give to industry better and more sat
isfactory organization"
The manner In which President
BUTLER approaches the first Of these
questions and finds hope of intelligent
cooperation between the respective
factors in production is indicated in
the passage we quote below;
IF we abandon our fondness for
! distractions and look at any indus
trial process just as it Is, we quickly
discover that it rs an enterprise in
human cooperation. and that in It
| there may be and usually are three
different kinds or sorts of cooperat-
ing human beings-those who work
! with their hands, those who work
| with their brains and those who
work with their savings. These are
| all essential to productive industry,
and production is the joint enter
| prise In which all are engaged in
common. II the wage Garner
| can be made to understand that his
| wages are paid out OF product and
not out of capital or out of pronts.
he will speedily assist in increasing
production, because he will under
stand that only In that way is it
! nossible TO provide for any permanent
increase in wages.
again, just 30 soon as the wage
| Garner is led to see the truth of the
| fact that he and the man who works
with his savings, the so-called CAPT.
| talist, are alike interested in greater
| production, he will begin to compre-
| Iu,a .,hat cooneration in Industrial