The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1919-02-26
CHURCH ! OPPOSES:
REDUCING WAGES
Increased Incomes for Labor and
Participation In MANAGEMENT
Urged by Catholic Council.

u0lS SAUIlS 40huS W AdOOI " aACOANl
general wage reductions, Bishop Peter
J. Muldoon Of Rockford, H.; Bishop
Joseph SchreInbs Of Toledo, o.; Bishop
Patrick ]. Hayes Of New York City
and Bishop William T. Russell of
Charleston, S. c., representing the hier-
archy Of the Catholic Church In Amer.
lea in administering the National Cath.
Ollie War Council, have issued the fol
lowing as part Of an official pro-
nouncement on economic, and social re.
construction: .g.,. II. a
Wage Rates Should Be Sustained.
"The general level Of wages attained
during the war should not be lowered.
In few industries, especially some di.
rectly and peculiarly connected with
the carrying on Of-war, wages have
reached plane upon which they can.
not possibly continue for this grade of
occupations. But the number Of work.
efs in this situation is an extremely
small proportion Of the entire wage
earning population. The overwhelming
majority should not be compelled or
suffered to undergo any reduction in
their rates of remuneration; for two
reasons first, because the average
rate Of pay has not increased faster
than the cost of living; second,1 be-
cause a considerable majority of the
wage-earners of the Unitdd States,
both men and women, were not receiv-
ing living wages when prices. began to
rise in 1915. In that year, according to
Lauck and Sydenstricker, whose work
Is the most comprehensive on the sub
ject, four-fifths of the heads Of fami-
lies obtained less than 500 dollars
while twO-thirds Of the female wdge-
earners were paid less than 400 dol
lars. Even II the PRICES Of goods
should-fall to the level on which they
were in something that cannot
be hoped for within five years-the
average present rates Of wages would
not exceed the equivalent of a decent
jority. The exceptional instances to
the contrary are practically all among
the skilled workers. Therefore, wages
on the whole should not be reduced
even when the cost Of living recedes
from its present high level. 80 u
Living Wage Minimum Of Justice.
Even If the great majority Of work
ers were now in receipt Of more than
living wages, there are no good reasons
why rates, of pay should be, lowered.,
After all, a living Yn,ge is not necessa.
rily the full measure Of JUSTICE: All
the Catholic authorities OH the subject
explicitly idecJareythat this is only the
minimum Of justice. I'm a. country s1s
rich as ours there are very few cases
in which tits possible to prove that
the worker would be getting more than
that to which he has right If he were
paid something inexcess Of this. ethical
minimum. Why then should we assume
that this. is, the normal, share Of almost
the whole laboring population? Since
our Industrial resources and ginstru-
mentalities are; sufficient to provide
more than q living wage for a very
large proportion Of the workers why
should we aequiesce in theory which
denies them this measure Of the com:
forts Of life2 Such a policy is not only
Of very questionable morality, but IS
unsound economically. The large de.
maDd for goods which is created and
maintained by high rates Of wages and
high purchasing power by the masses
10 the surest guarantee of a continuous
and general operation Of Industrial es.
Adjustments. Itvis the most effective
instrument of prosperity for labor and
capital alike The only persons who
would benefit considerably through q
general reduction Of wages are the less
enRcient among. the capitalists and the
more comfortable sections of the con.
sumers. The wage-earners would lose
more in remuneration than they would
gain from whatever fall in prices oc'I
Cured as direct result Of the fall in
wages. On grounds both Of justice and
sound economics we should give our
hearty support to oil legitimate efforts
made by labor to resist general wage
Turning now from those agencies
and laws that have been put in opera
ton during the war to the general SUBJ
1ect Of labor legislation and problems,
we are glad to note that there is no
longer any serious objection urged by
persons against the legal
minimum wage. The several States |
should enact laws providing for the
Of wage rates that will
be at least sufficient for, the decent |
Of family in the case of |
all male adults and adequate to the de-
cent individual support of female |
In the. beginning the legal
minimum for male workers should suf.
Zee only for the present needs 81. the
family, but they should be gradually
raised until they are adequate to fu-
ture needs as well-that Is, they should
be ultimately high enoughsto make pos
si5le that amount Of saving which is
necessary to protect the worker and
his family against sickness, accidents,
and old age.
Labor Participation In Management.
1.-THE right OF labor to organize and
10 deal with employers through repre-
has been asserted above IN
with the discussion Of the
War Labor Board, It is to be hoped