The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1919-03-29
LABOR AND CAPITAL.

has skilled hands and him whose cap
itai is in manual labor.
The day is at hand for resumption
in this city, as in other parts of the
country of the construction of houses
and the erection of buildings for
homes or for business; for peace and
prosperity. The war is over. This is
The reconstruction period. We are
into it now
Will labor and capital leave
thoughts of greed in undue profits or
wage behind and put thoughts of good
in their hearts for themselves and for
Topeka and their respective COM
munities?
Building will be resumed in vol
ume, it is confidently predicted, if
capital will be reasonable in the
charges it makes for necessary ma
terials, and if labor will be reasonable
in construction. Both are important,
| one is as important as the other. THE
| laborer is worthy of his hire and
capital and brains are entitled 10 due
returns
We know this to be true for the
writer has worked hard with head and
hands for hire and has employed 9TH
ers. and is proud of all labor. both
manual and mental, in any worthy
cause.
| Materials and labor reached the
high point last year before the great
war closed. In the stress of efforts
to make the wsrld safe for democracy
and to indeed save our own Republic
and the liberty of nations and indi-
viduals, the cost of materials rose to
unprecedented heights and for labor
were paid the highest prices knoN0
| The State journal hopes for heavy
decreases in the costs of building ma
terial. 1t does not advocate decreased
wages. 1t is in favor of the retention
| of the high wages of last year in all
avenues of labor. excepting in the
special emergencies where laborers
were paid fabulous prices for impera-
| tive war demands.
High cost of material and high cost
| of labor are the only things that can
prevent the immediate construction of
the great ten-story Hotel Kansan in
| Topeka at Ninth and Kansas avenues,
work on which is practically ready for
the word "go," unless labor insists on
higher prices than the prices of last
years high scales. Materials were in
the main bought over year ago, be-
low the present market.
The imperative war demand for
material has been cut off. Millions of
feet of lumber and other manufac-
tured products, in the hands of the
government and individuals, remain
ready for uses in civil and commercial
life. Skilled laborers and others are
no longer demanded for work night
and day and Sunday at the canton
ments, at the shipyards. at the NUM-
ton factories. in field and factory. for
war purposes Thousands are return
ing from overseas to the pursuits of
their trade caillings.
| II is senSeiess that materials should
be held at the same high prices. They
are in many instances coming down
but they are not down yet to practical
peace prices.
1t is senseless for labor to expect to
get increased wages over the wages
paid during the last strenuous year
before the armistice was signed.
The contra ctors of this city are will
ing and desire to pay the general COM
mon 1aborer more than he receives
now or received last fall; he works
the hardest His is real toll. He was
paid 371a cents an hour; he is now
; offered 30 cents and If he is a mortar
mixer, as cents; and if he is a hod-
. carrier. he is offered so cents. The
master builders which means the con-
tractors Of this city, are willing to pay
the painters So a day instead of 81
the present wage. because the paint
ers generously and conscientiously car
ried out an old 2-year contract they
had which only expires next week.
But here is the rub: Bricklayers
now receiving 81 per day want IS;
stonemasons receiving Sc per day want
81: carpenters receiving s. per day
want Sc: plasterers receiving s. want
SIS. 1t is said these demands are as