The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1921-06-25
SCALING PAY TO
COST OF LIVING
IS HELD UNJUST
Executive Council Denounces
System Whereby Tradesmen
Are Thrust Into "C|asses."

DENVER, June 23.-Uultimately
living standards must be related to
social usefulness, says the A. F. of
L. executive council, in discussing
wages and the Cost of Living" in
its annual report.
The executive council recommended
that it be empowered to conduct an
investigation Of this question and that
a report be made to the next conven-
ton.
1.-THE practice Of fixing wages solely
on a basis Of the cost Of living" says
the council, sis a violation of the
whole philosophy in progress and CIV
ilization. Furthermore. it is a viola
ton of sound economic theory and
is utterly without logic or scientific
support Of any kind.
Humans "Classified."
what we find as result Of prac-
tice, so far as it has gone. is that
there is a constant tendency under
it to classify human beings and to
standardize classes. each class hav-
Ing a right to a given quantity of
various commodities. It is not diff
ficult to understand that the ultimate
development of such a policy must
be ridiculous and fantastic; in fact,
it already has become so in many
cases.
I'VE are not prepared at this time
to lay down in definite form a policy
which we believe proper as basis
of wage measure ment, but we are
firmly convinced Of the necessity of
research and cflr611 in ho&
principle may be found which will
be scientifically sound, and to which,
therefore, our industrial life will nat
urally adjust itself.
Beyond Bare Essentials.
american industrial development
has reached point where it must
give to the workers a consideration
that goes beyond the bare essentials
of sustaining life. Hunger of the
workers for those things which sat-
isfy the diversified needs Of human
beings has, in the United States in
the main, been satisfied, in so far as
the elementals Of physical existence
are concerned. There is beyond that
point, however, a. hunger which can
only be described as one which de-
mands opportunity for a broadening
sphere Of mental and spiritual life.
ITO measure the life possibilities
of a highly civilized people in. terms
of yearly allowance, or so many
pounds and yards Of commodities, is
conception which the American
labor movement cannot tolerate, and
which it must remove from the realm
of practice. We realize fully that to
ubstitute the present unscientific, un-
sound, unjust practice with one which
shall meet all tests, requires deep
study and much consultation. There
must be laid down a principle that
will endure. We must face the facts
as they are. and carefully develop a
scientific procedure, in so far as that
is humanely possible.
Two Means of Escape.
ultimately, we feel, there must be
found some method Of relating stand
ards Of living to social usefulness, or
production service, though under
present Industrial management this
has not yet been found possible on
any just basis.
There are but two avenues lead
ing to permanent higher standards OF
living for our people as whole.
One Of these is the elimination OF
waste, either in the form of misman-
agement or of undue exploitation and
profiteering. The other is increased
productivity. Both must be Travelled
simultaneously"