The united opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1881-1970, 1921-05-27

1t is stated that financiers in the
north are Withholding money from
the building trades with the avoweC
purpose of bringing down wages. But
they for theri part, claim that they
are merely exercising ordinary meas.
ures of protection. Here is one
statement of their case:
They insist that seven or eight
years ago a mechanic got SIS for nine
hours work and accomplished an
amount of work represented by 100;
today he is receiving $40 for eight
hours work, and only accomplishes
work represented by 60. Production
wages have risen about 100 per cent,
clerical and professional salaries about
25 per cent, and the profits of the
dealer, the manufac turer and the en-
ployer generally have decreased about
40 per cent as applied to 1920 against
1913.
These figures are given out by a
financial authority as authentic, and,
being so, it is only fair that labor
should bear it's share of decrease in
earnings. For two or more years the
purchasing power of the dollar was
reduced to from 40 to 60 cents, con-
sequently the wages of workers had
to be increased in order to allow them
to meet the changed condition. But
now, the dollar is rapidly returning
to its pre-war value, the cost of food
stuffs and clothing has been greatly
reduced and is still coming down, and
the time has arrived for a readjust-
ment of labor.
More building is essential to the
welfare of the country. Business
houses of every description are need
ed, and dwellings for the people have
become so scarce as to create such an
unsanitary state of affairs in some of
the cities as to constitute a menace
to their health. The moneyed men
realize all these things, but this is
what they contend:
eff our financiers released this
money for mortgage loans the follow
ing would happen: Building would
start up, the salaries of clerks and
professional men would start to
tie profits of the employer
would increase, then the purchase
price of things generally would start
upward, and labor, thinking it was
not receiving its full share, though
giving the reason that it must meet
the higher cost of living, would de-
mand higher wages, and the whole
thing would repeat itself"
Little can be said in the face of |
such an argument. Experience teaches |
that we have passed through just |
such a period, and if the circum-
stances of time, place and condition
are repeated, the same result is
bound to follow. Salaried and pro-
fessional people bore the brunt of the
depreciation of the purchasing power
Of the dollar during the past few
years. Those who worked for daily |
Or weekly wage in shop, factory or
mill, or those who belonged to what |
are known as the industrial pursuits |
Of labor, had their pay increased to
with the value of the dollar
as a purchasing medium. 1t is now
time for the laboring man to recog-
nize the changed conditions and for
him to modify his claims accordingly.
We want the world markets
out we do not seem to know the
game very well or else we are
to play it. We have
played only one end, the selling
end and we have let the buying
end take care of itself. A c Ash
burner says before the National
Trade Foreign convention: I'VE
must buy if we would sell. For
,ign financial conditions are
against us, foreign exchange is
lnfavorable, foreign credit is
,adly shaken. The American dol
ar is worth too much in the
oreign trade marks. We must
more than ever abroad
we hope to maintain our favor
bile trade balance, paradoxical as
t may seem. We must help our
oreign customers to pay for
What they desire to buy from u.s."
We are in a hard position for if
We want the world to buy of us,
We must take hold and help the
World get rich enough to buy our {
Kings.
The Rutland Herald asks if we
re forwarding a Greater Yer !
lont (emigration) movement" t
ecause we issued Florida real !
state supplement. Oh, no, How :
rd, that movement begun long '
efore we began going. There is !
to hinder our Vermont !
lrmers going down for the win
er and raising a potato crop and e
zen coming home summers and c
0 the regular farming stunt. c
ut then we aren't advising any !,
lch thing for If means WORKING :,