Evening journal., 1919-03-01

business, both viii find that officials,
like workmen, are not equal and that
punishment must be imposed for tha
robbery inflicted upon the worker BY
the restriction imposed upon his earn
ing capacity. The only leader v Grthy
the name is one whose sole object Is
the raising of the ideals and status OF
the worker from the degradation in
which his Officials have placed him.
Trade unionism Is the nearest
approach to slavery in dhe world IL
is the only remaining aUtocracy and,
strangely enough, the one and only
system that never thinks of je-
mand'ng greater proficiency from It's
members or the means to improve them
technically OF otherwise. Instead, It
merely strives TO make them slack by
an existence lived at the slowest speed
with the least possible interest in their
function, the reason ostensibly being
to distribute the demand for labor over
the greatest possible time. The idea is
that the slower they work, the more
they get out OF capital, whereas. with
their power, they could get, in payment
by value, the same sum out of capital
in half the time.
The present system finds a young
man starting out in life with no hope
of being better wage Garner than a
cripple, because the theory exists that
all men are equal and so output is re-
stricted to the level Of the most incap-
able, II is obviously impossible for the
least capable TO exceed his capacity.
This stimulation Of incapacity by the
majority gradually produces atrophy in
the worker, and today the worker actu-
ally is, TO that extent, incompetent
How long women viii be content 10
permit this condition to continue -e-
mains to be seen. But it is quite clear
that at present they live on the wage
production level Of willful incompetents
and it is this sef-plundering of the
wage Garner from which their homes
suffer.
hope all who feel as keenly as I do
the need of an all-round change viii
believe that my charges against t-ade
union,sm are not made in any obler
than a spirit OF earnest criticism o: a
condition which is, feel, self-inficted
and is capable Of cure which should
leave the community healthier, strong
er, happier and Weather. / am fully
aware that there are a large number Of
splendid workmen who are forced to
join in a movement which has outlived
its reason for existence and they have a
right TO demand that the paltry debased
ideals OF trade uniOnism shall be
brought up to date. The organization
must adopt such ideals as will raise Il
to be the most exalted body in tn
world instead Of the most dishOnorable,
most wasteful, and most incompetent.
In 1917 suggested 10 the Ministry OF
Munitions that a remedy for strikes
would be industrial committees f1r the
adjustment Of values, and therefore
wages, in close and unquestionable
proportion to the cost Of living. This
would entail the establishment Of a
formula representing the cost OF liv-
Ing which formula might be a product
of ten or fifteen staple articles OF ex-
istence. As any variations of the val
ues Of these articles took place, result
ing In an appreciable change o. The
formula, so wages should, after oil
agreed period, be altered, and even con-
tracts should reflect the net advance or
reduction, but without disturbance .:
the profit thereon.
Never did labor exhibit less judg-
ment in disturbing employers than in
Its selection OF this moment. II he is
left workless IL will be his just desert.
BY pTolongng his work the worker
destroys demand owing TO the lack OF
confidence Of the capitalist and his un-
to embark in new under
takings, especially while Governments
demand the main profit In addition,
each trade is constantly increasing the
cost OF his own and his fellow work
mems living faster than his wages IN
crease. Labor is the most potent fac
tor in the rise Of the cost OF living.
When on the Local Government
Board Committee, we asked labor wit
nesses whether they would advocate
relaxation OF restrictions TO output in
connection with the building OF work
mems dwellings after the wa the an
swer was: 'eNo, why should we work
for them2" This is typical Of their de
praved ideals. They are, under trade
lnionsm, incapable Of seif-sacrihce or
mental balance
In the airplane factory with which I
I'm connected men were taking forty
line and one-half hours TO make pro-
,eller. and one of the great pushes by
Marshal Haig was neld up while the
waited for propelle-s. We Of
erred the men in wages whatever time
hey could save. After much delay they
we're induced to consider the PROPOSE
ion, and the first week they reduced