Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1921-05-17

OPPORTUNITY

~ ooUSCTlUeI, having HdO MS dILeu-
ton called to a very important mat
ter. passes 1t along to the Journal
He has an inquiry, and comments
on it and evidently thinks others
should do the same and that the
journal may assist to that end. A
boy thinks of learning trade and he
would like to know how to go about
it. Here is his inquiry, signed H. $.
b.:
Il shall get through at the High
School next June and have been talk
ing over with some of my friends
what we had better do and we think
i: would be a good plan for US to
learn a trade, like plumbing or steam
fitting. or carpentering or brick
mason, or electric work, or some of
the building trades. We know they
get good pay, so to IS cents an hour
with short day and we think we
would earn more money and not have
TO work as hard as If we got a chance
ir store or one of the publishing
houses Or the pulp mill, and besides
we think we would like that kind of
work better than to be indoors all
the time. Will you please tell us
how we go to work to learn one of
those trades, how long it takes to
learn and what the pay is while
learning.
Respectfully,
n. s. b."
The subscriber evidently gives this
matter some serious consideration,
and in so doing he is moved to ask
these very important questions on his
own account. questions that every
serious minded person, who wishes
t. preserve our hardwon advantages,
will wish to have answered, in the
right way:
Here are some questions we
should very much like TO fully an
swer but We cannot now do SO. 1t
seems TO us if there were more boys
like H. 3. e., Augusta would be a
good deal better off. New England
used to be famous for its skilled
artizafls. it's mechanics who used TO
take the greatest pride in doing good
and thorough work. 1t still has a
great many of them and Augusta is
proud to number many of them
among its best citizens. But what of
the years to come? We are credibly
informed that the dictates of the
labor unions--and Augusta is thor
oushly unionized so far as the build
ing trades are concerned not only
regulate but restrict the number of
who 1carY1 n, q
That the number of apprentices
contractor can employ depends SOLE
ly upon the n'mber of master work
men in his employ and is always
much less: that the number Of those
learning a trade is always restricted
so that there won't he any possible
chance of having more master work.
men than there are jobs for: that in
some trades an age limit is placed on
apprentices: that no one can begin
as an apprentice without the per-
mission of that particular union. 1t
ought to be possible for any young
man to learn any trade provided al
wavs that he is of good character.
willing to work. and competent. If
there are any artificial restrictions.
the public ought to know them. and
we should be glad to have the Off
Gals of each of the building trade
unions give the public the facts
through the columns Of the Kennebec
Journal"
BY all means let us have the truth.
We should insist on having it. II the
youth are not permitted to At them
selves for the work which they wish
to do. the situation is grave: II they
are not permitted because of restric-
TONS imposed by organized bodies Of
those who fear competition, the need
Of remedy becomes imperative.
Centuries ago when the. Greeks
were building their splendid civiliza-
ton a common saying with them
was: Watch your opportunity"
When the founders of our own coun-
try were laying the foundations they
sought for equality of opportunity.
They knew of oppression being sus-
tanned by limiting opportunity. re-
stricting the privileges of opportunity
to certain classes. They strove to as
sure the people of the United States
conditions such that a good man may
not be kept down. Their efforts
were not perfect, being human, but
the results were the best the race
ever had secured, marvellous. indeed.
To this sharing of opportunity
very much of American progress is
due. Good men have not been kept
down, boys have been encouraged in
their desire to emulate them. The
doors of opportunity in all the walks
of life have been thrown open. Those
having the capacity and the ambition
have been enabled. assisted and pro-
tected. The bootblack has made of
himself a successful builder: a rail-
splitter has become a President and
throughout the length and breadth of
the land we have exulted in the
vision of America as a land of OPP
portunity.
Are we throwing all this away?
Are we permitting others to do it;
sacrificing the birth.r right without