The Bolivar County Democrat. (Rosedale, Miss.) 1887-1969, 1920-05-01
FROM THE TOP
TO THE. BOTTOM

Our cartoon onlpage l this week
illustrates a situation which exists
entirely too generally. I've got
tired Of hearing the fellows at the
top roast the men at the bottom
when the work Of the former in
conducting their own business has
Stacked off quite as much as the
effort put forth by the man at the
bottom. The situation shown is a
foundation for a good deal Of the
| high cost Of living.
Fifty years ago it might have
been said that we had only an
agricultural country. There was
| plenty of wild land still to be had
and developed by the homesteader,
and the United States became
known to the world as country
Of farmers. With the settling Of
the country the demand for man.
ufactured articles kept growing
and factories of one kind or an
Iother were established to take care
| Of the home needs. These factories
usually were established by men
| learned in the trade represented
| by the industry which they after
wards followed. Frequently they
|worked with their own men and in
most cases were their own super
intendents and foremen and man
ayers. They worked the same
hours, if not longer, than any man
they employed. Many of their en-
ployes were foreigners and accus-
toned to long hours and hard
work in the countries from which
they had come, mostly manufac-
) turing countries and not agricul-
tural.
These small factories grew into
large factories. Then partners
were taken in and they became
, corporations. Later they found
they were manufacturing more
goods than were being consumed
at home and they began to hum
; export trade. Our trade with for
eign countries grew and grew un
til the exports exceeded the i'm
ports, then the United States be
gan to become truly rich. The
real profit which any country
makes is the difference betweer
: it's exports and imports.
When the late war came on we
were in splendid shape to let uI
: on our manufacturing for home
trade and concentrate upon sup
5 plying the needs of the world. The
manufacturer grew so rich that he
, had to seek investments in other
lines for his money. Today we
find him standing around a mar
ket ticker watching the fluctua-
tions in the prices of stocks and
bonds, instead of having his mind
centered on his business.
With the president of the cor
poration or owner Of the business
off the job, the manager or super
intendent lets up He plays poker
until the small hours of the morn
ing and attends more jazz parties.
He gets around later in the morn
ing and his head is not so clear.
The foreman, not seeing the SUI
perintendent or manager around,
does not crowd the employees
under him and they take it easy.
So>the cost of producing anything
has gone up and up out Of all pro-
portion to the increase in wages.
This is the basis for unrest and
the constant demand for more
wages. Thirty-three and third
per cent of the cost of living is
due to the fact that, from top to
bottom, 33 1-3 per cent less effl-
cient work is being done. This
condition will continue until the
owners get back on the job, the
managers and superintendent and
foremen serve full time every day
and set an example which will be
followed by the fellow at the bot
tom.
| The clergy would have very
little influence if they told their
! flocks they must not drink, or
smoke, or lie, or steal, but must
live God-fearing lives and then
went out and did these things
themselves. So it is in business
and all industries. The follow at
| the top must set an example or he
need not expect to get results, and
the cost of living will keep going
up.
To reform begin at the top
, Chicago Blade.