The Washington herald., 1920-11-07
News by Gable
LABOR REFORM
World Watches Giant Social
Experiment In Progress
IN Factories.

Paris, Nov. 6-Italy In in the
midst of a gigantic social expert
ment-
A new Relationship between cap
itaI and labor IL being established
and all nations OF the world should
watch the development carefully iu
order to adapt Il 20 their needs and
mentality.
The events leading uR TO the
italian crisis are well. known In
Milan. Turin and other large mans-
featuring centers the workers took
possession Of the factories. Instead
Of trying 20 put an end to the
movement by repression. N. Giolittf
Instituted a commission composed
OF wage earners and employers 20
draft a bill whose object IL TO
change Industrial organization 30
that the workingmen will be kept
informed of the economic and hnan-
cial conditions which determine the
exploitation OF the enterprise"
Denand Information
The Italian workers had laid spe-
cial stress on this point. They
claimed that by being deliberately
held In ignorance of the conditions
of management the workers werr
unable to demand reforms or i'm
'provements in harmony with the
real state of affairs. The rela-
ltions between labor and capital
they said. must be changed SO as 10
enable syndicates and factory coun-
ellis TO understand the workings OF
the various concerns. This will
make IL possible for workers to CO.
operate eficienuy in the selection
and discharge Of personnel, the en-
lforcement Of necessary regulations
and discipline"
The Italian workers have struck
the nail on the head. clearly and
logically.
The present salary system. where
the worker has no responsibility.
and where his interest in the con-
cern stops with every pay day. Is
not only wastefuL but since the
war. when the best man power was
carried away. absurd. snti-econoun.
&c and fatty in opposition TO the in
terest OF the community.
Everywhere in the world labor a.
quantity has diminished and labor
as value has increased. This inn
plies that there must be no loss or
waste of labor. The wage Garner In
worth more TO his employer and TO
society than the physical work he
performs. His intelligence when
awakened can give hints for better
management and elimination Of
waste. while il his feeling Of dig
nifty is sufficiently stirred he will
make il a point 10 see that his WORK
is well done-that is TO say. proft-
able to the community.
The inferiority where the worker
I is kept in ignorance Of the inner
machinery OF the enterprise for
which he works is the source OF
! much Misunderstanding between la
Dor and capital.
When a strike breaks out for
what the public feels are unjustina-
ingmen don't know what they want
They're never satisfied"
FauIt Placed.
II would be fair to reply in most
cases: 1t isn't their fault. How can
they know? They are kept in utter
Ignorance as to the economics and
: finances of the concern. and their
employers have no desire TO en-
Tighten them. How can they real
ize they are asking too much2"
Russia has learned, through COM
munism, that lit is absolutely nee
essary for each man 10 fulhll his
duty scrupulously at all times and
/ places"
Trotzky's recent speech proves
this.
| From a practical point of view.
the idea OF allowing labor to know
what is going on, keeping IL in
formed of difficulties and giving q
share in profits. is a sound and
just proposition.
Italy is the western laboratory
for this social experiment. We can
mot watch IL too closely, nor be
grateful enough to NJ Giolitti for
having allowed Il 10 develop freely