The citizen-Republican. (Scotland, Bon Homme County, S.D.) 1???-19??, 1920-05-20
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Fate Of the white Collar Man
From the Chicago News,

&EW &&A = UM IO O0ca8o NEWS &%
an : aecen.a article tssa British review. the New World. c. f. G. Mas
describing the collapse" Of the middle class in England, say of the
members q that class: One Of the strongest elements ii their haracnr
wa a Iml vanity in display. They liked tor make an ppearan OF
hloren to q little too expensive school They would pay for rem of q
700 expensive ouse They spent a LITTLE toe much on little destinations and
treasures The appearance of poverty or ever OF strict saving was regarded
amos as q crime. And now that the poverty is real they are still partly
roIe oiignlned SO to do. They ire far mereb badly hit han h workingrnan
Y IN immense increase O. prices"
The American in his adherence Of class distinctions is prone to call q
person corresponding in SON degree to the British middle lass citizen a
Inc BrNon because of the unprecedented rise n prices, for he found
more opportunities to better himself Yet he grievousy feels the pinch. To
some extent Mr. Masterman's description of the present state Of mind of the
Mladle class Brtons applies to many Americans: They have been very pa
tent ~ their patience is. well nigh exhausted. Whenever an opportunity
is given to them Of expressing an opinion, they votea against h government.
hey spend their leisure in cursng the wrkngmen and cursingt the profit
ser. 70 they, i their British brothers, re experiencing serious dlscom-
1orts IN tn midst OF a society whose other members show great prosperity.
me Skilled workingman, indeed, in many instances, has suddenly paSea
yer their heads and taken the second place in tn economics scale of income"
Mr.. Masterman draws a picture of what nay presently come about in
england: The incoming trainsf from the suburbs to the center nay carry
from pleasant uburba homes we'll dressed and prosperous crowds Of dock
Mborers, carriers. engineers plumbers and window cleaners. returning from
thelrse sever or eight hours of occupation to spend heir leisure in feeding IN
chickens mo trimming their suburban gardens. In the old Stun M crowded
areas the professional men and clerk will compete for crowded accomoda-
ton n block dwellings or tumble down cottages" But will they? Mr.. Mas
terman thinks that those with pluck will emigrate to new lands across the
marry and both husband and wife will work o real the family and that
women will find whole professions handed owe to them in which, before
the war, they occupied only subsidiary positions" Then there is another NJ
teresting possibility. In the older order the ambition Of tn child of he
child Of the clerk in the future be to become a dustnan or scavenger?"
The laborer whe-herh h wears a white collar or a flannel shirt is of
living to the worker, provided the work Je WORTH doing. In thu present e
adjustment of labor values there is likely to be a general elimination of
pffing jobs. Then the white collar man" viii get a living wage Or he will
quit shed his collar and play a mans part tin ONE profitable field. Meantime
in order that settled standards O existence. may be established pros
perhy cease to reward only individuals or lasses that tread others down.