The Birmingham age-herald., 1921-03-14

trial conditions7 is a question that may well be asked by those who have not followed the current events closely, but who know that there is widespread de- pression in general business, industries are shut down and men are idle.
 One year ago nine million men were
 employed in industry in the United States, and, according to a study O. present conditions. made by a repre- sentative of the Chicago Tribune, there are approximately six million so em- ployed which is three million less than year ago, or reduction of 33 Is per cent.
 The state which shows the greatest depression in it's industry is Michigan
 where the employment is off S2 per cent and naturally the industry that shows the greatest depression is that of the manufacture of automobiles which is 69 per cent below the pro- | auction of year ago. Next to this in dustry the greatest depression is in building, which shows 52 per cent less employment than last year. In some | less degree the depression prevails in the textile industry, in the manufac- ture of shoes. lumber and various other commodities. and also in that of rail- way transportation.
 It is not my purpose in this artic,. to enter into a discussion of all the causes and the different angles of i'm dustrial depression, but to consider onlv the factor of wages which is A nress- Ing and vital one, as affecting every industry and our national and local welfare.
 REASONABLE WAGE
 What is a just and reasonable waSe7 This is question that is constantly re- curing in all lines of industry and one that has been brought prominently to pubic attention in a national way. as It relates particularly to our railroads.
 When the railroads were released from the control of the United States railroad administration, on March l. ls2o, 1t was under ia law enacted by the Congress and approved by the Presi. cent of the United States Among many other provisions this law under LOOK to provide tribunal to which should be referred disputes between railway companies and their employees regarding questions of wages and working conditions. The act provided among other things, that in deciding what is just and reasonable wage. the board designated as the railroad labor board, whose headquarters were fixed in the city of Chicago, should. so Tar as applicable, take into considera- ton. among other relevent circum- stances
 l. The scale of wages paid for simi- lar kinds of work in other industries.
 7. The relation between wages and the cost of living.
 % The hazards of the employment.
 4 The training and skill required
 D. The degree of responsibility.
 $. The character and regularitv of the employment
 (. inequalities in increases of wages or treatment, the result of previous wage orders or adjustments.
 ABILITY TO PAY
 In the wage questions that have arisen and have gone before the rail road labor board. the main issue has cenlered around not the seven relevant circumstances named that should ba considered. but the other relevant circumstances named that should- be considered" not specifically mentioned, ana the point around which most of the controversy has revolved as "other rele- want circumstances" is the ability to pay many cases having arisen in which It was shown beyond the question of a doubt, and in fact not controverted that roads are unable to earn ths money with which to pay the wages that were declared by the railroad laDor board, in a decision handed down Tn July, 1920, to be just and reason able based upon the conditions existine at that time and for some months prior thereto.
 The purpose of the employment of one person by another is gain or profit. ana When the labor of another ceases to be | profitable the employer will cease to em- | pioy him. This fixes the extreme limit to which an employer can so in paving | wages On the other hand, a living wage is the extreme limit of the lowest wage that an employe can accept, be- cause II he cannot receive a living wage ne can no more continue to exist than the employer can continue his employ ment at an unprofitable wage. 1t is between these two extremes-the limit of an employer to pay, and the limit of | an employe to exist-that all the wage controversies in all industries have been fought out.
 EMPLOER AND EMPLOYE
 Ihis battle between the employer and tne empioye over the wage question within these two extreme limits may be illustrated by a football game upon the srioiroh' and Tn these contests the line in one direction and sometimes in the other-and the instances are rare in which either side is pushed oack to the extreme limit of his defense. The conditions under which this game is piayed are governed by the Fundamental ma lrrevocable economic law of supply ana demand; and however much the is- sues involved in any particular contro- Versy may be befogged and beclouded oy such question as collective bargain ng, open or closed shop, special privil- 'ses, etc, both parties in the contest are subject to the law of supply and de- nand. which eventually fixes their posi- ion and the common ground upon which hey meet All of the friction that has esulted from contests between employer md employe over wages has been due to he effort of one or the other of the par les, according to the circumstances and onditions existing. to ignore, override or verthrow this controlling factor-supply md demand.
 In the controversies now existing be- ween employer. and employees in practi- ally every industry the issue is not whether employees shall have a living wage, but whether they shall continue o receive, uLder peace conditions, the highest wages that have ever been nown, at least in some of these indus ries, in the history of the world. rhe ailroad industry is one of these. he branches" John xv:5.)
 WAGE EARNINGS By way of illustrations: A locomotive ngineer on the Atlanta. Birmingham and Atlantic railway, running between Att