New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1919-12-14

.ssas4fv
the ~superaciel' indicst,o on "' of t BY
moment, and fail to regard The fundas
mental factors which will ultimately
decide whether lof, not Che Americas,
flag shall continue to fly on the mast
head Of q growing merchant marine.
80 long as the present shortage Of
shipping lasts and the pressure for
tonnage continues with its present re-
sulting abnormally high freight rates,
nothing can prevent tremendous In
crease in American shipping. The real
test will come later When the more
orderly economic processes Of the
world have been restored, we will find
that If present dues, wages and other
restrictions upon vessels flying the
ers will again transfer their vessels to
foreign registry.
"The successful operation of ships
is absolutely dependent on the ability
OF those of American registry to COM
pete in expense Of operation with for
eign bottoms. II the wage item alone
under American registry-continues
to cost, as it does now, under ordinary
conditions, in the neighborhood Of 40
per cent more than British or Nor
wegian owned vessels, it is easy. to
SEC tuc uutCOuto VI NbIc COInpeC1ClSH
which will prevail when normal con-
ditions are reastablished. The future
prosperity Of the shipping business is
vitality dependent upon business-like
facing of this situation.
Doesn't Believe in Theories ~
eve hear q great deal about the
labor problem. am one of those
who do not believe much in theoriz-
ing about labor and capital. do not
believe the world is going to be sud-
denly changed by any academic solu-
lions Of. or resolutions about, the
| labor question.
81 believe that the first and prime
need of every man engaged in In
dustry is to get and to keep his own
house in order and to obtain the con-
fidence and the enthusiastic loyalty of
his own men. We have great prob
lens to face, great work to do, and
our real job is to get out and get to
work, and that applies not alone to
the laboring man, but to every man In
business, no matter how high UP he
may be.
Carlyle, ], believe, said that Genius
is an unlimited capacity FOR hard work
and there is nothing of which the world
is in such great need to-day as it is. Of
a large amount of that kind Of genius.
the efficiency Of the Germans; but I
want to tell you from actual experience
that the efficiency of the Germans is
very largely made up Of the kind of
genius that Carlyle describes. | under
stand that the German workmen in
some trades have recently decided to
work eleven hours day to endeavor
to help the country pay its war debt.
Rather intimate opportunities for OBJ
serving the methods of the great Krupp
plant in Germany, conceded to be one
cations, convinced me that German eff
ticlency didn't consist in superior
knowledge, superior organization or
superior equipment, but that it rested
solely upon the fact that the German
workman was willing to do an honest
days work for full days pay And
when Germany again rears her head
in competition with the great indus
trial nations of the world, the effect
lveness of her competition will pri-
marty rest on just that kind of
efficiency.
Honest Days Work Sought
can honest days work for a full DAVIS
pay IS the supreme thing which it is
the duty of every business man and
manufacturer, not alone to obtain from
to make the workman see that lust
such a performance is in the work
mans own highest interest.
1T IS the duty of the business man
to address himsel to seeing to it that
the largest possible opportunity for
employment and work is given to the
greatest number of men, and am
myself a firm believer in the fact that
the successful employment of labor
Goes now and will in the future more
ard more rest upon the recognition:
"First-Of the right of the men 70
deal with their employers collectively;
and,
"Second-Upon the privilege of the
men through some kind of profit shar
ing, to obtain a direct share in the
profits realized uDon the articles they
themselves are making.
W nat the laboring man wants. as I
see it, is above all else recognition,
appreciatlon and fellowship. He wants
to be treated as man of flesh and
blood.
THE kind of collective bargaining in