Arizona republican., 1919-02-01
Wages and Efficiency

Our statement by Charles Piez director general ot inc Emergency Fleet corporation that though the wages ship workers had been increased 70 per cent efficiency had fallen to 70 cent IS not by any the setting out of newly discovered fact It is testimony of all who have freely described the operations at the government yards or private yards engaged in government work, that the sol dierng" was sinful beyond description and was so during the pressing days of the war We recall letter from resident of Phoenix who had been re- called to plant in Philadelphia with which he was formerly connected. He wrote: "The restless and independent; it is next to impossible to get d good days work out of a man. They simply will not work on government contract work. When all is finished and a truthful historian gets the job he will give mighty small credit to labor as it is represented here, for having licked the Huns Fully 7 per cent of the men employed here do not do half the work they paid to do Loafing is the order of the day If the boss reprmands them they tell him to go chase himself. Ninety per cent do not commence work within 15 minutes after the whistle blows and 50 per cent do not work the first half hour. The is at the end of the day. It is dsheartening Patriotism? It lives in the west not here.'
 There were perhaps than for the nefficiency in the ship yards. Men at that time difficult to and notwithstanding the unpre- cedented wages paid it impossible to secure enough really skilled workmen. Others believed them be under the special protection of a benefi- cent government committed by political exsences to favoritism of labor and they could therefore do they pleased and they pleased to do little work possible do that little in as slovenly manner possible.
 It had been proclaimed that the loyalty and pa triotism of labor helping win the and they not of the ranks of labor?
 This brings us another matter, the mainten- ance of high wages; not of course war wages paid the ship yards, in actual work, but wages which had risen in sympathy with wages. The question whether these wages are be maintained reduced has been discussed. The sentiment of most far-seeing is opposed to reduction. That they perceive would produce serious industrial trouble costly alike to employer and employe. At the same time it is plain that the United States cannot pete with the world in industry and commerce unless the labor cost item to that of it's competitors else by display of greater efficiency otherwise lower the cost of production, for the try whose cost Of production is lowest will mand the worlds markets. And against a nation which produces at a lower cost than can. save even our own markets only by a protective tariff.
 Therefore labor has been called upon to save the situation by cooperation with employers to bring down the cost of production without lowering already established wage scales for it is evident that our success in world competition rest almost solely the cost of production. We may add that another factor in our success competitor is willingness of producers to content themselves with the smallest possible profits, with reasonable dvi- dends to stockholders genuine investments.
 There wild idea in quarters when began talking about league of nations that we meant league of nations to bring the millen- nium and that in that happy circumstance wages and conditions of labor would be standar throughout the world, and that wages conditions in this country should be the standard. But that insane mo- tion has been abandoned and far commerce and industry are concerned the nations will find them selves in fiercer competition than ever-Europe to regain what it had lost during the and America to hold what it had gained
 If the spirit, though of the Seattle and San Fran cisco workmen should generally prevail throughout the country destined to drift behind in this competition