Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1920-11-18
Waiting to Get on cemmea Ground

Waiting 70 Get on cemmen Ground
I'VE have rejoiced that Labor has
been enabled to secure much higher
rate of wage, but we little expected
that they would turn and demand
cheaper food from us wisneut INST
ascertaining the cost OF pFeduction
and discovering that We were not
asking too large margin OF pront
It would seem from the above. In his
address, that President Lowell Of the
National Grange hasn't kept. In
formed, hasn't read the newspapers
Possibly, too, he hasn't noticed that
about a million wage workers are out
of employment and most OF them re-
fuse to work unless they may get
what they want for wages In other
words they are doing what Mr.. Low
ell proposes that the farmer should
do unless he may get what he wants,
this of course outside the merits Of
their respective demands. And it
should be noted that the farmer has
not yet "shirked" whereas in many
instances the wage workers have
done So Should the farmer decide
that he will raise only what he may
need to support his family he may
have to sit up nights to see that none
Of the million wage workers out OF
Jobs. and having. as he has found. no
conscience in the matter, call and
take it away from him. Very likely
he would regard that az bothering
with idle fancies. Such it would be
If applied to some of those now out.
OF employment, who rather go hungry
than bestir themselves, but If gen.
eral lack of employment should come
it would be no idle fancy.
And to think of the world waiting
for work, waiting for the products Of
industry while industry is slowing
down through lack of orders! Be
fore espousing any scheme for an
Immediate millennium shouldn't we,
for the present, attend strictly to sat
isfying legitimate wants at a legiti-
mate remuneration? 1t would seem
SO.
The first thing that suggests itself
as of primary importance is arrival
at some definite understanding of
values. Purchasers are holding off
because they believe prices will be
lower. should be lower. They cannot
know when prices are right, they
have learned from experience that it
will not do to trust the word Of the
seller The seller is holding of be-
cause he hopes to make the pur-
chaser come to his terms, to at least
pay him what the goods cost, but it
takes capital to hold stocks and keep
manufactures idle and capital is not
always easy to get.
Who or what may act as referee to
break the deadlock? There evidently
is common ground and if there were
confidence existing between the par
ties it might be occupied, it must be;
and when that shall be done look out
tor lively times. The Grange is con-
tributing to that end and the calling
in Of Hoover for consultation indi :
Gates that some of the leaders Of the
; Federation Of Labor are coming to
! their senses. He is said to have CIV
en- them information. We believe he
is capable, and, if we are to Judge q
man by his record. Herbert Hoover
advice is good. He has experience.
has demonstrated rare excellence Of
judgment and trustworthiness. If a
committee of such as he could have
the arranging of a program for meet
/ ing on that common ground it would
! be cause for general congra tulations
!