The Kansas City sun. (Kansas City, Mo.) 1908-1924, 1920-01-03
MAKING UP THE LABOR
BY D. N. Crosthwait, Jr., with c. A.
Durham Company, Marshall
town, Ia.

Lt has been said that "The solution
of the conflict between capital and
labor awaits the recognition of the
.tw of equal reaction by both stock
dOlders and employees This law is,
That every act of ours reacts to our
advantage or disadvantage according
to whether it helps or harms all par
mes affected
The present war has brought
about a shortage of labor in this
country. And while it is necessary
chat all of the available men of mill
cary age and ability be used by the
government to the required number,
yet the industries must be kept in
operation. In fact, in many cases
production must be above normal. In
The face of such circumstances, it is
not surprising that the employer has
eeen at his wits end to supply the
4Abor necessary to produce the re-
CURED quantity of commodities.
AS a means Of supplying the nee
cssary labor, we have seen many
cases of women s~upplanting men at
various occupations. However, the
lure of clerical work, a broadening
Geld now opening up to women, will
limit the supply for certain other
classes Of work. In other cases, too,
old men are doing the work of boys.
IN spaeking of the performance of
these men it was said: These men
were all from modern industry's dis
card. They had been unable to keep
pace, but when they were set at the
boys work, they showed many de-
sirable qualities that the boys had
lacked. The imr feels that these old
men are we'll worth the larger COM
~pensation which it had to pay to get
them" This is attacking the prob
lem of old age insurance from a diff
ferent angle, and will work out to
the mutual advantage of both parties.
Despite the above mentioned expedi-
ents, for certain classes of unskilled
and semi-skilled labor, employers are
confronted with labor shortage.
Social Needs and Business Needs.
In solving his labor problems the
employer, who considers from all an
giles, is only exercising the foresight
that is essential to future success in
the conduct Of his business. The old
men are a big social problem, and the
elimination of the old-age problem is
highly desirable from a civic stand
point, And, after all, the solution of
most civic problems devolve on the
industries Of a community. Hence,
the advisability of an employer real
jzing the relationship of civic ques-
tons to business. There are other
civic problems respecting employ
ment, that employers can now take
steps to eliminate while at the same
time supplying themselves with
steady, reliable employees. When in
doing this civic usefulness and bust
ness promotions are accomplished q
lnppy medium is reached.
Our Negro Labor Reserve.
The employer who can supply him.
,elf with faithful, loyal, cheerful ant
healthy employees to do his unskillec
and semi-skilled labor should consid,
or himself fortunate indeed. A field
from which to recruit laborers of thi,
class, ard one that many employers
are coming to appreciate more anC
mor each day, is the Negro popula.
ton of the community. Many EN-.
ployers have recently succeeded il
reducing their labor turnover consid
erably, by the introduction of Negr,
labor. The introduction of this labo
a be effected easily, by the simpl
e~xpedient of keeping the old EN-
pioyees' confidence and at the sam
time gratifying their desire for gain
This can be done by transferring tn
present operatives to operations pay
.ng a larger rate. As this would mea
that they-the old employees-woul
be transferred to operations requii
ing more skill, it would result in
saving for the manufacturer, b,
cause it would not be necessary
train employees who would be alt,
gether ignorant of the work, idea
aud spirit Of the organization.
The old employees would not !