Fulton County tribune. (Wauseon, Ohio) 1883-1925, 1920-05-07
LEONARD WOODS
STAND ON LABOR
Its Problems and Those of Capt.
taI Interdependent--Working-
man Not a Commodity.

Leonard Wood thoroughly compre
hends the interdependence of capital
and labor. When they are at odds
with each other disaster results; when
they are united prosperity is the out
come. There is no man in America
better fitted to express views of prac-
tical value on this subject than Wood,
because as an administrator in various
parts of this country and in Cuba and !
the Philippines he has been confronted !;
by every phase of the labor problems. |
The tact and broad sympathies he has
displayed when recently called upon to |
handle misunderstanding between cap |
ital and labor in the acutest forms in
the steel districts at Gary and in the
coal regions of West Virginia qualify
him to act as leader in the growing
movement looking toward permanent
adjustment of all disagreements be-
tween the capitalist and the working
man. Wood says:
"We must do all we can to encour-
age good business, whether it be big
business or small business. If it is
good business and beneficial to the
public it is worthy of encouragement;
if it is bad business we must control it
and regulate it. Good business means
prosperous labor, and this means in
creased production, and nothing must
be allowed to interfere with ample
production. 1t Is the real remedy for
| the high cost of living. Limitation on
production is an invitation to disaster
disaster which strikes first the poor
but eventually affects all. We cannot
consider business and labor separately.
i They are interlocking and interde-
| pendent. We must spread the war
burden over much longer period of
/ years than at present contemplated.
The present excess income tax is para
! lying initiative. 1t is strangle hold
upon the throat of business which
must be relaxed if American business
is to have that initiative which will be
, necessary to give US our share in the
| worlds trade. We must do everything
we can to help on good business, for on
it depends national prosperity.
=, Labor and capital in this country
must work together in order to meet
the problems which are going to follow
, this worlds war. We do not wish an
autocracy of either capital or labor,
but a real democracy in both, charac-
terized by spirit of cooperation and
, helpfulness. We must inject more of
the human element into our relations
t with those about US, whether they be
). our associates or our subordinates-
t more gathering about the table and
e discussing matters fully and frankly.
Labor Not Commodity.
1--WE must recognize that the work
n ingman is neither a machine nor a
commodity, but that he is a collabora-
tor with capital. Individual capacity
/ and ambition must receive encourage
e ment and recognition. The employer
y must recognize the dignity and status
, of the worker and give him every con
sfderation due. The closest possible
contact and the fullest understanding
:, should be maintained between employ
:. err and employee. Arrangements fol
n the adjustment of grievances must bt
c provided which will work smoothly
and promptly. We must do all we car
q to improve the workers. living condi
d tions, to make his surroundings decen
and attractive to himself and family
f His hours of work must be such as t,
give him an opportunity for reasonabl,
recreation with his family during tn,
=. hours of(daylight He should receive
, wage that not only permits him to keel
IF body and soul together, but enable
him to lay by something for the future
le If these conditions are to be obtaine,
h and maintained labor must recOgniz
le that high wages can only be main
v. tanned under conditions of high pro
duction and high efficiency. Capita
must be paid in accordance with tn
IN risk of the enterprise. Those who di
Il rect and plan must be paid adequately
th labor must be adequately paid, an
p after this, If anything remains, come
the question of an equitable distribl
Is ton. Many of the more progressive
- intelligent and farseeing men are a
~. ready beginning to give labor partic
II patton in this surplus-a share varyin
with it's amount.
1.-THE main thing is for labor an
ne capital to pull together in the preseI
an great crisis, remembering that on
ma through cooperation and frank an
A full understanding and mutual conce
.f sions can the wheels of industry
kept going"