Grand Forks herald. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1916-1955, 1920-03-20
If l We're An Employer
An Interview with Samuel Gompers Except for Ono Year. President
Of tho American Federation Of Labor Since 1852.

taoy arc lIipOLe0L, Inc employer, un.
less he Is q very remarkable man.
may be gripped by the fetish Of abso-
lutte. arbitrary power. He thinks.
that he is the whole show.
What Happens When Workers
Organize.
"The worker, on the other hand,
when he organizes for the first time,
power. He begins to think that he
and not the employer is in control
that is, he gets into exactly the same
attitude of mind as is shown by tho
absolute employer. This Is a we'll
recognized stage Of union developz
ment ana 1t is good for the men. to
get this feeling and for tho employer
to fear them just as the employees
used to fear him, for out Of the mu-
tual fear arises in the course OF time.
and inevitably. the sensing by both
Alone-and that the only way for
either to get on Is through co-opera-
ton. That cooperation develops tho
very Finest possible relation in which
both sides r not only fair but In
dependent and manly.
Therefore, as an employer, II my
men were not organized, l should in
sist upon their organization and I
should put the matter Of basic wages
and hours out Of the way through .
collective agreement and should go
are all associates in the same enter
prise but approaching from some
what different standpoints." !
2. What relation would you
ohicially have with the union
that Is. would you consult with
them on business affairs that
touch labor. and would you place
with them for their " conf
DENTAL inspection a full record
q your financial transactions?
In other words, would you have
anything in the nature OF an adj
T Visory committee composed Of
the union officers and the COM
pany officers?
II should, without doubt, consult
frequently with the union heads and
I should put before them my financial
transactions, not. however. with the
notion that whatever I have done is
the best under the circumstances. but
with the view Of obtaining their CO.
to see il the n best way
cannot be achieved. For instance, !
should not ask the unions to lower
their minimum standards, of wages
and living 50 that / might obtain
contracts at q price lower hanm my
competitors. It is truly unfortunate
h q 50 often an employer will enter
into a contract. into a price-cuttins
excursion. in the hope Of making the
price gu Of his workers by lowering
their wages instead Of by increased
operating efficiency.
I'm order to obtain increased op-
Grating efficiency I should call in the
union heads just as I should call in
an industrial engineer, but even more
frequently and on q more intimate
basis. This would prevent dissatis-
faction among my men by making
wages always the last reduction in
stead Of the first. ] should know a.
an employer that high wages do, not
mean increased cost Of production
but. on the contrary. are the greatest
possible incentive toward the inven-
ton of better machinery and tools in
order that the workers power may
be extended to an almost indefinite
degree. I should knoV that cheap
men do not lei q cheap output
Wherever the human element Il
cheap you will find the methods and
means OF production in the mos
backward condition. 1 should pay