Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1921-10-07
OLD FASHIONED BUT SENSIBLE

senator knute NelSOH, i!dNIAs oeFil
born in 1843, may be considered of
the old school, unacquainted with
modern ideas, failing to recognize the
relations which should exist between
capital and labor and unappreciat1ve
Of efforts to make use of public money
to provide employment for the un-
employed. Nevertheless he is of
those men who have made this coun-
try what it is. and we think it COM
pares very favorably with the rest of
the world.
Born in Norway Coming to this
country when but six years old,
fighting for the Union and spilling
some of his blood at Port Hudson,
obliged to depend on las own exer-
tons for a livelihood and notwith-
standing all such handicaps securing
an education a profession, and re-
election to the senatorship by a ma
tority of nearly 10000, Knute Nelson
is the type of man we would like to
have more Of. Surely his experience
ought to be of some value, even
though conditions be changing as
rapidly as some suppose. Moreover,
the circumstances all indicate that he
tried to speak the truth the other day
when, in a discussion Of the housing
situation, he said:
Mr.. President, the, Senator from
New Jersey has referred to the lack
Of housing facilities and to the ces-
sation in great measure OF building
operations. We all know that that
situation prevails throughout the
country; but what is retarding build
ing operations today? Nothing in the
world to 80 great an extent as the
labor situations Union labor insists
on war time wages, with the result
that the only people who build IN
these times of high cost of labor are
those who are actually driven as
matter of necessity to do so. II the
men engaged in tn. building trades
the carpenters, the bricklayers. the
masons. and the pasterers-would
come down to reasonable and fair
wages we would see the greatest
building boom that has ever been ex-
perienced in this country and there
would not be an idle mechanic in the
building trades today. The fact is.
however, that bricklayers, n1asons,
PAINTERS, and other artisans are ask
ing from 81 to $3.50 an hour, and then
in many instances refuse to do the
maximum work they ought to do.
That condition more than anything
else is retarding building operations
in this country. Ny opinion is. Mr..
President, that nothing so retards in
dustrial revival in this country today
as the attitude of organized labor in
refusing to come down to reasonable
wages and a reasonable basis of en-
ployment. All over the United States
we are suffering because OF that sit
uation."
II have for a long time thought
over this industrial situation. Mr.
President, and to me it seems that
there is nothing in this country that
today so retards the industrial revi-
val as the attitude of union labor
throughout the country in all the
tradeS and employments. transpor-
tatien and building trades and in all
directions
THE farmer has had to submit to
lower figures. The farmer has been
obliged to sell his products at a sac
rifce, compared with war prices, of
more than 100 per cent. Farm labor
has gone down In my country,
year ago last summer. men were
charging from IS to 81 a day to work
in the harvest fields and thrashing
Farm labor has gone down to IS or
"a a day, which is a fair wage; but
how is it in reference to the opera
tives Of our railroads? How is it in
reference to the mechanics engaged
in our building trades? They have
rot come down; and when Judge
lands the other day made a reason
able reduction for the building trades
in Chicago thought it was very
moderate and very reasonable--yet,
Mr.. President, they protested and
threatened to strike. Under such con-
ditions, # they find themselves in a
state Of idleness they are themselves
to blame.
There would not be many idle men
IN this country today if union labor
would come down to a reasonable
and moderate figure in conformity
with what is occurring in other lines
of business and in other directions
Until we reach a lower level of prices
in connection with union labor, and
until we get more effective service, it
is useless to look for a return Of
prosperity and a complete revival of
the industries of this country
Il am aware of the fact that I may
be stepping on the toes Of some of
these gentlemen who are the leaders
Of labor organizations: but. Mr.. Pres
ident am getting to be an old man.
do not expect to be with you very
long; and for that reason, il for
no other. / feel at liberty on
this occasion to express my honest
convictions. trust that the con-