The evening herald. [volume] (Albuquerque, New Mexico) 1914-1922, 1919-10-16
Winning the War
Afterwards
tFrom tho Christian scicrhc Monitor)

(tfnm the thri~tinn StteiitN hotitofsl
II there is anything In the Reports
reaching the United States to the ef-
feet that German wage Farmers have
shown a will Encss to subject them
selves 10 the ten-huur day us "a means
of aiding their country to rehahilitnte
itsr!f economically, there H. good reh-
son Tor organized labor In America 20
take curuizuuce Of the matter. Pro-
duction on the basis OF ten hours =
work Ia. 20 day viii be measured
against production on the basis OF
eight hours ur work in a day, ana
unless the work done on the eight
hour basis proves tu Zoe OF a different
quality or Intensity from the other,
production on b ton-huur plan ~
going tu beat out the eight-hour sort
That Is 90 say. IN u economic con-
test hat may now be- impending, Ger
man workers appear 10 be preparing
to put more into the struggle than
American workers are willing to com
cede. As n, OF course, Germany be-
ing now at a disadvantage In the In
dustriaI race, she must make special
enort TO catch no.
Presumably there IL no intention
anywhere that Germany shall not be
allowed to build up It's industries.
Thut~lts industrial life shall be re-
viewed has been accepted as a matter
OF course. And IL its workers choose
10 work harder than the -gorkcrs %
the countries lately arraycd ugainst
Germany In the war. presumably no.
body will deny them that right. II Is
tho possible effect OF their action that
becomes OF Interest. On first con-
s|ideration. the plan would appear TO
promise FOR Germany sucn "A speeding
up Of production as viii provide for
her domestic needs without delay
ind supply he at on early date with
those quantities u goods that viii en-
able her 20 resume trade extensively.
How much this viii actually moun
to Is for the moment beside the point.
What Is To be remarked II that "
labor In Germany can be unified be-
hind The Did idea, willing to submit
To- working hours more hurdcnsome
than those accepted In other u
tries u the world. labor o. putting In
gaging once again in the old rivalry
looking TO German trade supremacy.
At times like the present not oven
the possible ronotcness OF such a
contingency should prevent IL from
being duly weighed. To say the least,
the German ruInors make Il worth
WhllC to dwell upon thc contrast
which they omcr with the course ge1-
erallyi followed by American wage
earning group since the armisuce.
| without question this course "a been
\ heading steadily toward diminished,
rather than increased, production.
Varied purposes AVE been discern
ible. not all Of them bad. Clearly Ia
Dor has had 10 In view to prevent any
reduction OF wages, n possible, to Sc
cure wage hcttormcnt Equally clear
has hecn It's newer purpose to OBTAIN
u share In the direction Of Industry,
and, almost ns a corulliry. the inten-
ton TO continue organization, backed
by the strike power, as a means OF
compelling a reduction In profits. To
u certain extent, general sentiment
has shown a disposition to admit
these purposes M dchatahlet II not
altogether reasonable. They may be
said TO represent the advanced
thought OF the American element in
organized labor. Complicated with
these, hoWcVcr. has been the purpose
Of the international element In Amer
lean industrial bodies. seeking "a
build 10y destroying, ana therefore
hoping 10 take advantage Of N up'
purtuntty 90 create or join IN dis'
ruptivo activities, 90 D. end that cap
ital may lee injured or destroyed an,
even that the very government may
he ovsrthroWn. Thus. demands, re.
inforced hy strikes ur threats 60 strike
have no ssoner been recognized, thar
now demands have been presented
reinforced by new threats. An'
whatever the ultimate purpose whcth'
cr bona hde lnluliurauon Of wHrklni
conditions or the breakdown oi m
clpitalistic ana governmental system
the demand that has been Kept mos
continuously In sight has been IN
demand Tor "a shorter working daN
Niuc-aour schedules have succecde.
, those of ten hours. MY To- hc supcr
srded Ia urn los the cighl-huur plan
And before even his arrangement
has become general. labor has frank
{ Is stated its intention TO continue IN
demand for shorter hours indefinitely
, 4 similar story may be told 70
d Great Britain. one who doubts ma
, prepare to be vcrttahly startled Dog ia
anonymous article which the Fort
. nightly Review for September set
forth the situation there. ~ be- "a sipr
. Of |staEnaut or oycn declining uutpu
per worker o. opposition hy IN
workers 10 Innovations iu iudusirtl
production. ut % greatly diWInlshe
production since the urmiEtlrr, vi.
war wprcs maintained or Increased
d On short, nf nn average reduction
output per worker equivalent o. scvo
hours per week, or a reduction Ia III