Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1920-08-19
ANOTHER PHASE OF THE H.C.L.

In 1909 a manufacturer, whose
name and address are obtainable if
built a brick factory
paid bricklayers 55 cents
per hour and they laid 100 bricks
per day. During the past ten years
he has built additions to this factory,
each year paying bricklayers more
and each year getting less
until the Spring of 1920,
when he built his last addition, pay
ing bricklayers S1.25 per hour and
for which SAL brick per day were
laid The increase in wages of about
125 per cent since 1909 has been
commensurate with the increase in
the cost of living and few intelligent
people would object to pay
ing bricklayers $1.25 per hour. But
all of us, when we realize it, dis
the fact that the pro-
duction of bricklayers has fallen off
more than 90 per cent. AS far as
the bricklaying is concerned, it is
about Az times as great as it was
in 1909, while the men themselves
are receiving an increase in wage
IL times as much as they did ten
years ago.
During the past few years, possib-
ly during the past few months, tex
tile weavers of the New England
states have received increases in
wage from 169 to 1875 per cent. 1t
was only two or three years ago
when each weaver would operate six
looms, but as wages increased pro-
duction decreased, until now each
weaver operates but three looms
During the same period that wages
have doubled and trebled production
has decreased 80 per cent. The in
crease in wages has been about com
mensurate with the increase in the
high cost of living and but little OBJ
lection is expressed thereto, but all
of US now begin to realize why
clothing is so expensive.
From 1915 to 1919 the business of
the Pennsylvania Railroad Company
increased less than Is per cent, but
required an increase of 81 per cent in
the number of men employed to han
die this Is per cent increase in bust
ness and the payroll increased 1923
per cent.
This is one of the reasons why the
railroads at the present time are ask
ing for increases in freight rates and
passenger fares.
The decrease in production on the
part of the railroad men is being
paid for by the travelling and ship
ping public.
Up to a few years ago, in fact up
to few months ago, a job press
feeder in printing office would
average 1900 to 1000 copies per hour.
During recent months, with wages
increasing rapidly, production has
shown a steady decrease, until today
wages have reached the highest
point in the history of the printing
business and production is at the
lowest, very few press feeders aver
aging more than 1000 copies per
hour.
Before the era of war wages the
Pennsylvania Railroad System paid
its track men $1.75 per day. Now
these track men receive about $3.50
per day. In recent address de-
livered by Mr.. Elisha Lee, Vice Presi.
dent in charge of the eastern region
he stated that the production OF
these men, while drawing the great
est wage in the history Of the Penn.
sylvania Railroad, had decreased &C
per cent.
Hundreds Of similar illustration:
are obtainable to show the extent Il
which decrease in production on the
part of labor along with the increas,
in wages is contributing to the high
cost Of living. In fact; the prof
| teerinnn Of labor IL l,ndnnhfe dlu 10.