The Topeka state journal., 1921-12-31

Rowntree directs all of his injunctions
to the employer and none to the en-
ploye. Perhaps this emphasis upon
the responsibility Of the employer is
not SO far astray when we consider
his strategic and tactical position of
leadership and opportunities for con-
structive work. Mr.. Rowntree's price
Of peace contains five items: A fair
wage, reasonable working hours, pro-
! lection against unemployment, the
status of the worker. and profit-shar-
ing.
Wages are not reasonable, he says,
sufficient to clothe, feed, shelter and
educate himself, wife and three chill
dren. In England they are much fur
ther from the attainment of this ideal
than in the United States. but even
with US there are many wage scales
which are too low. Until industry is
able to pay such a wage to those who
participate IN It, it fails to satisfy its
social purpose.
The hours Of employment, thinks
Mr.. Rowntree, should as a rule be
forty-eight hours a week, and any
thing above or below that limit should
justify itself according to the particu-
lar circumstances. Much of the in
dustrial service is so monotonous and
mechanical that the individual tends
to become stunted and repressed in
his moral and spiritual stature unless
he be permitted leisure to develop
himself in the more colorful and
imaginative interests. If the people of
this republic, so many of whom work
with specialized machinery in our gil
gantic factories, are to be so educated
and developed as to become true sons
of democracy, We must see that they
are not confined for too long hours
in the factory and that their leisure is
properly organized and directed.
Protection against privation due to
involuntary unemployment must be
| devised. Unemployment is one of the
great fears in the mind of the work.
| ing man. Since it is indisputable that
there must be a margin of excess la
Dor in order that industry may func-
ton fully when business expands, it is
Is to profit by this surplus margin of
labor, it should support this surplus
when unemployed. To do this by a
| bureaucratic system of state subven-
tions is not satisfactory. Like many
other things of this kind, it can be
better handled by private industry in
the individual factories. Employers
failed in their duty when, during a Pc
riod of great prosperity, they did not
guide their employees into some plan
supported Jointly by employers. and
| employees, to make provision against
the exigencies of the unemployment
which was sure to follow. If private
initiative is lacking in the employer,
state Intervention to protect against
unemploy(A lent will assuredly follow.
The status of the worker is of equal,
if not greater. Importance, as it af-
fects his psychology. The old concept
of master and servant must be aban-
doned. Mastership must yield to
leadership. We must cultivate in the
factory worker the, greatest possible
maximum of cooperation, self re-
lance, self government and enthusi-
asm and the lowest practical mini
mum of discipline and overhead su-
! pervision. The democracy and free
dom prevailing outside of the factory
must not stand out in too great con-
trast with dictation within the factory
To this end machinery must be adopt
ed for common counsel and mutual
understanding relative to conditions
under which the worker is employed
Let him not feel that he is never con-
suited concerning the orders which
confront him on the bulletin board
and which control his conduct for al
least half of his waking hours.
Concerning profit-sharing, Mr.
Rowntree was less positive, altho him
self well convinced concerning its use
fulness. He contemplates the install
lation of some such plan in his owr
factory. but has not yet decided as tC
the best plan. He entreats the EN-
; ployers not to abandon the idea be
cause in many cases it may hav,
failed. He realizes that many plani
which are right may temporarily fail
because it is difficult to build tn,
structure of industrial peace upon tn,
foundations OF industrial war.
10. these are the items" said Mr.
Rowntree, (which go to make up thu
price of industrial peace" The pro
gram is not revolutionary or idealistic
1t is a conservative program advanced
by q conservative Englishman VIII,
; believes in the existing economic sys
tenn. TT is not only the minimum
price of Industrial peace" comment
Law and Labor" magazine. ''but tn
minimum price for the continuanc
Of our present system of capitalism
E and private management"
r Whatever is left of Presiden
\ Harding's peace plans when tn
e Washington conference adjourns