The labor journal. [volume] (Everett, Wash.) 1909-1976, 1921-09-09
SOME LABOR DAY
CELEBRATIONS
Secretary of Labor Davis De-
mands Saving Wage"

Detroit, Mich, Sept. 5.-Dedica
ton of Labor Day, 1921, to the re-
lief of nations unemployed was pro-
posed by Secretary of Labor Davis
today in an address to the work
ers of Detroit.
an the past, Labor Day has
been a holiday in honor of the man
who tolls" declared Secretary Da-
Wis. This year it is day that
millions of our people would rather
celebrate, not by taking a holiday,
but by going back to work at a
job"
The dedication of the day to the
relief of the unemployed, estimated
by the labor secretary to number
NEARLY six Million" should carry
with it, he said, a concerted effort
on the part of all Americans, be
they employees or employers. AS
measures of partial relief the sec
rotary proposed the undertaking of
public works, the distribution of
work in mills $50 that all may have
jobs for at least part of the
week." and the shaking off of fear
and the taking on of faith and
courage.
"Above all we need to shake off
fear and take on faith and cour-
age" Mr.. Davis asserted "For the
lack of that courage we are ne
glecting any number of large I'M
dertakings that would give a mighty
shove to the great stalled engine
of American production"
The secretary in his address di-
rected message to the employers
of the nation, declaring:
Don't set your wages by the
hungry crowd at the gate to your
mill. That is only temporary
wage. During the war the pendu-
lum swung over to the side of the
employees. Now it has swung back
to your side. Play fair now and you
will do more to stabilize your bust
ness and bring good feeling than
anything else you can do. Keep
in mind the fact that those men
who are swarming around your
gates looking for work are the
same human beings as yourself.
They have the same aspirations for
their families that you have for
yours. Regulate matters now for
the future and play the part of far
sighted wisdom"
To labor. the secretary held out
the assurance that Sin spite of the
occasional hard boiled employer, no
true American business man enter
tains a serious thought of crushing
the workmen's organization"
"Let the open shop mean what it
says-open to all" he added. ANY
employer knows that crushing the
unions can not be done. In the
first place, he knows that it would
not be safe in any case. We want
no Russia in this country, no hordes
of disorganized, leaderless men, re-
duced to such a state of starvation
that charity must go to their aid
Opposition to the principle of the
living wage also was expressed by
Mr.. Davis.
81 am against the living wage"
he said, at is not enough. We need
to hear something of the saving
wage. 1t is not enough for a
man merely to exist, to meet the
cost of living, whatever it is, to
pay the rent and buy food and
clothing for his family. A man
like the American workman, needs
he earns, and he demands some
thing more than that. He wants to
save and he should be able to dc
it,"
American Legion
Indianapolis, Ind, Sept. 5.-Prim.
arily day set aside for the men
and women who labor, Labor Day
and what lie means finds response
also in the hearts of members OF
the American Legion, J. G. Scrug-
ham, national vice president of the
American Legion, declared in a
statement today.
Mr.. Scrugham said in part:
Labor day has come to be rec
ognized as one of the great ami
versaries of the American people
It's growth in Importance has been
gauge IF the growth of recogni-
ton of the dignity of labor in the
country and in the world, a ire
mendous growth in recent years.
primarily set aside for the men
and women who labor, its meaning
finds response also in the hearts of
members of the American Legion.
Members of the Legion are devoted
by the declaration of principle to
the protection and advancement of
the welfare of the country. This
welfare, embracing the supremacy
of law and preservation of popular
government, may be best attained in
the just recognition by all Americans
of the essential rights and privi-
leges of labor"