The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1919-08-31
! O The Editorial Page of The Daily Ardmor cite q
LABOR'S REST DAY

w OF resolutions by tne SOnS OF CoHleueiaIe
nobody is supposed to labor thereon Labors
Rest Day would be filter title for the holiday,
which has come to be an institution IN TINS
country almost as important as Thanksgiving,
Christmas, or the Fourth of July. In former
years some employers begrudged their work
ing people the privilege of taking day OIL
on the first Monday in September, but now The
practice of closing down business has become
almost universal. "There's a reason" The en-
ployer has learned that the employe is entitled
to his day Of celebration Of the fact that labor
is the controlling force of human society.
Labor Day was established and has been
maintained and developed by organized work
ingmen, otherwise union labor. In other days
there was a tendency to look upon the LABOR
unions as dangercC'iy "50cialistlc,' but the
country has outgrown that error. Inc fght OF
labor to organize for its own defense and
benefit is acknowledged nowadays in the hlgh-
est quarters Here and there some individual
or corporation still despises the union prin-
ciple and defies unionism, but whoever does
that deliberately does not get very far along.
The trades unionists, federated and working
together for common purpose, are too strong
to be ignored or despised. Their purpose is
to see to it that labor gets fair share of the
proceeds of industry, and also that working
conditions shall not be unjust.
Labor today is enjoying larger share OF
the proceeds of industry than ever before. ms
is true particularly of labor in the United
States, where the average pay OF an artisan
TODAY is considerably higher than the average
nav or income of a professional man. Never IN
the history of the world has the workingman
received such high wages as he receives today
in the United States Never before has there
been such a demand for labor as there IS at
present Never has there been heretofore such
an environment of safeguards and mutual bene-
fits as the working people now enjoy.
This may not be the golden age of labor,
but it begins to look like it. The fact that costs
of living have risen along with wages is not
taken as proof that labor is no better off than
it was a dozen years ago, or half dozen years
ago. when both prices and wages were consid-
erablv lower than at present. 1t is a very gen
eral belief based upon obvious facts, that many
wage-earners have become spendthrlfts, along
with MANY who are not in the Wage-earnlng
section, and that if the workingman will but
learn how to stand prosperity, his condition
will be found greatly improved over that OF
a few years ago. Many of the wage-earners
are saving more money now than they ever
saved before, while many others, on the other
hand are spending a great deal more than
they ever spent before or than they need to |
spend in order to maintain decent standard
Of living.
The spendthrift either in the ranks of labor
lr the ranks of idleness, is a detriment to the
cause of the common people, for he aids and
abets the nefarious practice of protlteermg,
thus making prices higher for the hard-work-
ng and provident element of the population.
The hardships due to profiteerng are dis
,inct burden to salaried employees whose earn
ngs have not increased along with those of the
wage-earnerS, and to the families
supported by unskilled labor which is not well
Daid Men and women who are earning high
Oay these days should take into consideration
he fact that when they splurge with their in
comes, paying exorbitant prices for various
kinds of commodities, they are doing a grievous
wrong to many of their fellow-citizens, mas
much as the profiteer makes no distinction IN
)rice to the spendthrift and to the thrifty.
This is no Sunday morning sermon, but
simple statement Of patent and painful state
If affairs now existent. If you show dispo-
;tion to buy at any price, the profteer will put
he price to the limit, and that hurts those less
avored than yourself by the present status of
abor. This by the way, may be thought
o take along with you when you go forth to-
morrow to celebrate Labor Day.