The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1920-01-28
gBRITISH WORKERS
GETTING FABULOUS"
WAGES FOR Toll
BY MARY HENKE

BY MARY HENkE
LONDON, Jan. 1o-Wages paid to
the English workingman are so, much
higher than they used to be that he
has been a long time overcoming his
distrust of conditions that permit
them to be so high.
Gradually he is finding pleasure
in handling what is to him a large
sum of money, even though he has to
spend 1t all. But 1t still seems to
him almost incredible, and often he
gives you the impression himself he
would wake UP and find 1t all dream.
Younger craftsmen who have iden.
titled themselves with labor move
ments, gone on strikes, and have set
their labor price at higher figure,
still declare the British workingman
does not get what he should.
The American union man, who has
been commanding higher figures for
some time. will probably agree with
him. To the older man. however
who served his apprenticeship %
years ago or more, the wages he can
earn now represent fabulous sum.
Twenty years ago in England farm
idDolCA oil uh oNCi o6S VI YS'cN
or So a week, exclusive of meals. On
a farm OF 1000 acres, there might be
one day man." who did all the hoe
ing, ditching and hedging on the es.
tate for that sum. Most farm laborers
were employed from 6 to o'clock and
then went home, to work their own
small gardens from which they usual.
ly were able to earn a few shillings
to put by for their old age
Now farm laborers earn over twice
\ as much as they did 20 years ago, but
View American hands" would find any
attraction in a wage at that figure
AS in the states, there has been an
exodus of young men from the farm
in late years and even before the wal
the labor shortage was becoming no
ticeable.
Earned IS a Week.
An English craftsman, 20 years ago
frequently worked for SIS a week and
maintained a family on that amount
After 20 years of service he might be
earning $3.50 more. Now the man Of
his trade may command as much as
= SIS a week. Little wonder that he
can't believe it.
Twenty-Five cents an hour was big
pay for a head carpenter some years
ago, but with the present demand fol
building a carpenter now may almos
set his own price. Railroad men
while their wages are low enough be
side that of Americans of their trade
are getting twice as much as they uset
TO do. An engineer gets from $25 /;
week upwards, and lesser station EN-
ployes under the new scale Of wages
will average about SIS week.
JicI, fch l,o
plutocrats during the war Some o
them earned as much as $1,000 a yea
while the war was on and fish wa
greatly in demand for food. Even nov
they can earn as high as $25 a weel
II the weather is favorable. In forme
days when food was cheap in England
S. q week was accounted wealth by
fisherman.
Many miners averag e about $25 /;
week, and in Wales, where wage
seem to have taken the bigges
leaps, even more.
Once in a Trade, Always.
Boys of the working class have beel
put to their trade early in life, an
! few Of them ever get beyond thei
trade or change it when they ar
matured At ii boys fate as to hi
future occupation is usually sealed
and he is set to work. Complaints RI
Gently declare that young men ar
not learning to be craftsmen as thei
fathers did. and that they are nc
spending sufficient time as appreI
tees. Girls as we'll as boys, usual
have to serve a term OF Apprenticeship
without pay, before they are accepte
in trade.
Glass distinctions, which have bee
slightly broken, but not lost, in tn
war, will not permit an English worl
ingman to be anything but a worl
lngman. He may make more none
han his immediate superior in ST.
ion, but socially he Is always bcneat
him. AS a rule he does not aspire I
be anything better socially than h
is. An American workingman take
it for granted that he is as good 6
anybody else. The Englishman take
it for granted that he was born {
be what he is.
There is something amusing to til
American in the English insistence Q
class, something irritating as we'll. fl
the attitude goes against everythir
fundamental in American training.
Each strata of society damns tn;
first beneath it as people of tn;
class. An English workingman crit
cizes the king, his appearance and il
pOrtance, with absolute freedom, bl
at the same time he would not thir
of aspiring to social equality with
-'toff" who wears a silk hat and owl
n motor car To the American, it
:. bewidering paradox, and one whiC
a he probably never will be able
- understand