davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1921-07-16
BIG PROFITS IN STEEL
SHOWN BY TRADE PAPER

Our great steel industries have en-
joyed a prolonged era Of the most
phenomenal prosperity ever known
says the editor of Industrial Manage
nent, an engineering magazine in an
article urging lower steel prices.
He shows that for IA years prior
to the war the steel trust kept prices
high enough to yield clear profits OF
no less than 70 per cent of the total
labor cost of their entire product, in
Guiding all official salaries. The five
years of war followed, and manufac.
turers are richer than ever before in
the history Of this industry.
The editor complies the steel
trusts phenomenal profits from in.
come tax and other reports, and calls
attention to the "prodigiously profit
able war prices which have been
maintained for the past five years.
and to the 'amazing increase in total
| assets, cash surplus, expenditures for
ordinary repairs, new construction,
ETC."
"A year ago the steel workers were
striking for higher pay and the right
to organize, and Judge Gary met the
issue effectively with 10 per cent
advance in wages But now it hap
pens that the corporations own Gus
toners, and the entire steel-consuming
public are out on strickland we may
be sure they will stay out until the
steel producers definitely abandon war
prices, and actually put into effect a
scale of prices that will induce
orders"
The editor recalls the refusal of
Director General Of Railroads Hines
in May, 1919, to pay SAT ton for
steel rails because the war was over
and the $28 pre-war rate yielded
very handsome profits"
The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1921-07-16
NOT CHILD LABOR.

The national child labor committee
has long been fighting to abolish
child labor and to provide play for
children, but it has nothing against
y modicum Of work for them. In fact,
it advocates this as entirely desirable
and wholesome. The three principal
substitutes for child labor are school,
ing, play and suitable work.
This committee holds that children
have work needs as we'll as play needs,
and these should be served by the
home as we'll as the school. Children
ought to do certain amount of work
outside of school for the sake of their
own development. But it makes a
vast difference whether this work is
regarded from the standpoint Of in
dustry or from that of the child s
good. This committee further points
out that if one values the work Of
children from the industrial point Of
view alone, then child labor is the
result. The work done by children
should be largely for their own be1-
eft.
The belief that children should
never be called Oh to do any work
outside Of school is responsible fo:
not a little vagrancy and Juvenile de-
linquency. Invaluable discipline and
education come to the boy who works
on the farm or in the shop with his
father. An intimate companionshiD
springs up between them as they share
in common tasks according to their
strength. The same is true Of the
daughter in the home. She loses part
of her heritage if she never compan-
ions with and helps her mother ID
home work.
There is too much child labor. but
not enough children s work. this COM
n1ittee maintains. This is particularly
true Of the urban home, where there
are few chores or odd jobs to do
around the house. A little time given
each day or week by the child to the
garden, or to taking out ashes, wiping
dishes, moving the lawn, or sweeping
the porch and sidewalks, forms an i'm
portant element in education. To be
of most value such work should be
regular, so that it may challenge the
sense Of responsibility. To develop
the child through a reasonable amount
Of work outside of school is almost
as important as to provide him OPP.
portunity to play, or to abolish child
labor.
The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1921-07-16

themselves and that 'Eeverything will
come out all right is a common de-
fusion. It is the result Of false op'
timism, or more often the result of
civic laziness. The false optimist puts
the responsibility for betterment on
things, instead Of on himself. He shifts
the onus, in his mind, and thinks,
"good, easy man." that it IS thereby
shifted in fact. IF he does not shift
it to things, he shifts it to mys-
ferrous "they.' When government Of
city or the nation is bad and laws
are defective, he asks, "Why do they
do this9' or "Why don't they do
that?' It never occurs to him that the
"we'' has something to do with it..
This vague "they' is made the scape-
goat of all the sins of the real and
personal 'Fwe.'
In word, the obstacles to COOL
government are one; but that one SO
operates that it appears as many. The
one obstacle is public Indifference to
any government, good or bad. This
Indifference branches out into special
faults and many civic failings. In
difference to government is the root
Of all the civic sins. When man or
woman is so interested in "politics,
they are sowing the seeds which will
grow up and choke out religion, de-
prave society, and hinder business.
"l'm not interested in politics. is a
remark uttered sometimes with an air
of pride and mental superiority! It
is really confession of a lack of civic
morality. Instead Of being a boast
it is indeed a onfession of guilt. The
average city, town and hamlet in this
country has many civic paralytics, po-
litical incompetents. The door of civic
progress and improvement is closed to
them; they have lost the key; they
ars barnacle on the body polite.
It may be said then, and rightly 50:
that the one great obstacle to civic
| reform and progress is Indifference
The guilt Of civic unrighteousness and
corruption is not on the voter, but on
the non-voter. The voter who casts
his ballot wrongly has at least the vir-
tue of using his franchise. That is a
merit in itself. The indifferent man
has not the first condition of civic
morality. Good government, whethe:
city or national, comes not of itself
nor of the votes of the "worst Gle.
ment''; it comes only as the chest -
are interested and active in bringing
about better conditions.
Good government is the expressed
will of good citizens. Apart from that
expressed will there can be no such
thing as good government.
The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1921-07-16

it is said 100000 men were out Of
work. During the war the wage-rate
was high in that city, the standard
having been set by one employer who
was in a position to defy competition
and to be law unto himself in max
ing wage schedules. Detroit now is
paying the penalty Of his economic
policy. It has more than it's share Of
unemployed. 1t is the duty Of en-
ployers of labor, especially Of those
whose profits were large during the
war, to strain point to furnish work
for their deserving men. And they
are doing it in many cases, some Of
them, at a steady loss. In the end
they will not be losers by their hui
manity.
There are no evidences that any
other city is suffering a depression
more serious than that which is be-
ing experienced throughout the coun-
try, or at least in the manufacturing
section east of the Mississippi On
the contrary, the wide diversification
of industry has given some commun-
tiles some advantages over places
where activity is more nearly concen-
trated in a few lines. Already an
nouncements Of resumption are begin
ming to match the records Of suspen.
sions in the daily industrial record:
A seasonable cessation of much out
door labor has been aggravated by a
climax in the process Of industrial re-
| adjustment over the year end, but
| making allowance for this combination
! Of causes, the situation comes very far
from being crisis, and still farther
from conditions which at periods in
| the past have been termed industrial
"panics,'' although many of these
have been little more than exaggerated
| depresisons.
The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1921-07-16
GOVERNMENT BOARDS
FAILURE IN ENGLAND

Disillusion is the fate Of those who
believe trade union activity can hs
supp1anted by government boards that
will enforce fair working conditions
and a living wage.
The awakening is thus referred to
by the labor editor of Reynolds News
paper, a leading London liberal pub
LEGATION in this. city:
apprehension is being felt in labor
! circles at the apparent lack Of official
| interest in the question Of trade
boards. Originally instituted to force
the sweating employer to toe the lirsc
and pay at least g. living nlnimuN
| wage, their arrival was hailed VII
general satisfaction. The number
boards have steadily increased, man
having been sanctioned during the lats
IL months. Unfortunately there haIs
been a married hostility on the part
| of many employers who have adopted
every conceivable method Of fruStrat-
| ing the beneficial results of the trade
board movement. Now, however, it
| would seem that this hostility, fatal
to the badly paid worker In a weak
trade union, has spread to the min
istry Of labor. Questions are being
asked as to the delay in calling to-
gether the boards already officially in
operation, and also to the apparent
Discrimination to extent the movement
to other spheres where boards are
badly needed. 1t is: sincerely hoped
that the trade board movement is not
doomed, as In that direction lies the
short cut to the old days of sweated
labor and evil working conditions. An
official intimation Of the governments
attitude on this question is eagerly
awaited
The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1921-07-16
THE PIRATES LEAGUE.

Trade unionism is facing the most
serious attack ever encountered in it's
history in the United States. While
the building and the printing indus
tries are primarily attacked, all wage
earners are Indirectly involved.
Why employers chose this time, just
as this country was on the high road
to readjustment of wartime industry,
to thus throw the whole country into
chaos, cannot be fathomcd by a
thinking people.
Stupid avarice Of dominant indus
tries is at the root and bottom Of i;
all. That fact is recognized. Read
justment Of the commercial world and
cessation Of building during and I'M
mcdiately after the war are deliber-
ately used as reasons in every indus
try for all-around forced reductions
in wages; not only that, but existing
contracts and agreements with labor
unions are daily being ruthlessly abro-
gated in order to create the atmo-
sphere that labor stands in the way
Of readjustment.
During the war we grew accustomed
to hearing statesmen and heads Of
great manufacturing corporations say
that the bad old times existing before
the war must. never return again.
Those who innocently thought or be-
lieved that these people really meant
what they said in those wind tanning
peroratlons have now had rule
awakening. There can be no mistak-
ing the turbulence and arrogance Of
"big business''-and it's politicians.
Labor must be locked out and
;; icked,' by order Of the Banks as
ISOLATION, Employers associations and
Chambers of Commerce. "Trade
unions must be taught a lesson'' (anl
wartime profits must be maintained,
even if the wage Garner has to be
driven to worse than pre-war condi-
tlons to maintain them), is the slogan
OF big business. The words within
the parenthesis are ours.
The situation is serious one and
requires all the intelligence and re.
sources of the organized labor move
ment. Of this country. Behind the
adopted policy of the American Fed.
Grafton Of Labor must be ranged the
solidarity and enthusiasm of the rank
and file Of all labor. With steadfast.
ness and loyalty in labor's ranks the
present "open shop' attacks can be
| repelled and the nefarious combina-
ton OF organized capital defeated. The
war and wartime robbery profits are
thing Of the past, and now the
shock-attack by the holders Of wealth
and special privilege must be repulsed
and turned to the peoples ADVANTAGE.
Today it is a struggle to resist the
threatened debasement Of the condi.
tions Of labor. What Of the morrow 3
The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1921-07-16

Of labor has heralded the settlement
Of the British coal miners strike as
a "crushing defeat' for the workers.
It is anything but that.
The miners, it is true, did not at
tain their obvious detectives, but they
did gain an important concession in
the ultimate agreement. They compelled
recognition by the mine owners and the
government Of the fundamental prin-
ciple that wages arc and by right
should be the first charge upon the
coal industry.
It is stipulated that after standard
basic wages have been paid and other
charges met the owners will be free
to take per cent Of the amount that
has gone to wages. Above that SO per
| cent of every dollir earned will be
! labor's share.
This agreement is complete affirma-
! tion Of Abraham Lincoln's axiom that
labor is prior to and therefore superior
! to capital.
The business leaders who insisted on
teaching labor it's place provoked this
controversy by their sudden insistence
that government control be ended pre-
maturely. The nation was not ready
for this step, and the subservience OF
the government to the dictation Of the
profiteers will cost the public $50,000,-
900 which is appropriated to make pos
sible the change from state control to
private industry.
Had the extremists among the
owners been permitted to have their
way nothing short Of the humiliation
of the workers. organizations would
have been acceptable as a condition
precedent to a settlement. The govern.
ment, however, beset on all sides with
cxasperating political and economic diff
fjculties, dared not go as far as that.
Always it was confronted with the pos
sibility of concerted action by the
Triple Alliance, which, while voting
against general strike, on what the
leaders regarded inadequate grounds,
nevertheless would not permit the min
ers to be badly used.
The owners may gain some comfort
from the thought that for time they
have avoided the pooling Of profits
Of the entire countr::-, proposal which
was repugnant to them. By c needing
the primacy Of wages in a distribu-
ton Of the profits of industry they
have simply deferred the time when
naturalization Of the coal mines must
be considered. That remains a live
issue, and the final test Of strength
on it is to come.
The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1921-07-16
SOME ANIMALS THRIVE ON
WHAT IS POISON TO MAN

In favoring bill that would pro-
hibit vivi-section in the District OF
Columbia, DR.. w. R. Hadwen Of Eng
land told a senate committee that it
. is impossible for tho operators on AMI
mails to tell whether the animals are
in pain or not.
He said that the nervous system OF
animals is as highly developed as that
of man, and that dogs hearing il
far more acute than mans and that
the sight and sense Of smell Of ami"
mails is also more acute. From this,
he argued, physicians have no right to
say that the sense Of pain in animals
is less acute than in human beings.
Discussing the unwisdon Of trying
it on animals and then arguing to
man, DR.. Hadwen said that le3ep
Juice, which is found to be very help
full in Stacking the thirst Of man, -
rank poison If given to a cat ana that
one grain of morphia will kill most
any man, but it is possible to give Ssy
grains to a dog without killing him.
He said it would be most unfoftu-Ss
nate to argue from 4 dog to = man
regarding the properties Of morphias
A rabbit, he said, can eat belladonna
"till further orders" without injury,
but belladonna is poison to man.
The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1921-07-16
"AMER|CAN Plan" IS
OLD AS WAGE SYSTEM

There is nothing new in the indi-
vidual bargaining between employer
and employee system that Is being
pushed under the misnomer :Ameri-
can plan'," says President Perkins Of
the Cigar Makers International union.
Individual bargaining was the
! method used for centuries, and until
the dawn Of the day when labor be-
| gan to organize into trade unions tho
workers felt it's full force and knew
its fatal result. It was in full sway
when skilled mechanics worked 10, -
and often IA hours a day for whatever
the employer saw fit to hand his 'tndi-
vidually hired man. 1t was in tho
height of it's glory 60 when the work.
er's home held neither comfort nor
convenience of any kind and when s.
per cent of the workers children were
deprived of an opportunity to obtain
even a grammar school education.
These miserable conditions, and many
others as bad or worse, generally pre-
vailed until labor, through the power
Of organization, put them forever out
of it's life.
"These conditions which for so long
a, time made Of the worker no more
than chattel are behind us. Let it
be known now and forever that we
have tried individual bargaining and
know the dregs the cup contains. We
no not propose to drink again of its
poisoned contents, be it labelled the
American plan or anything else.'
The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1921-07-16
U. S. AT PEACE; NOW WHAT?

The president has signed a resolu-
ton passed by congress which puts an
end to the technical state of war that
has existed for 80 months between this
country and the central powers.
The resolution simply ends the war
status, but the next move is the i'm
portant one. It is suggested that a
treaty Of peace, or even trade treaty
can be easily negotiated, but immedi-
ately looms up the commission Of the
allies, which is collecting the German
war debt. This commission virtually
holds mortgage on Germany, and it is
quite probable that any further ncgo-
tiations between Germany and the
United States must consider the allies,
relations with Germany.
While this country is no party to
tie Versailles treaty, the allies will
undoubtedly insist that America is NOR
ally bound to recognize the obliga.
tions between them and the central
powers, and, therefore, no treaty or
commercial understanding should be
negotiated that would impair these
obligations.
The allies seemingly hold strong
hand, which is weakened, however, by
their huge indebtedness to the United
States, and their dependence on this
country for much raw material. .
The situation il 50 complicated that
81 Is taxing the country's tbest
m;nda j,
The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1921-07-16
RELIEVING THE UNEMPLOYED

AS the growing army Of the unem-
ployed are the victims Of economic
conditions for which they are not to
blame, relief is the duty of the com.
munity and local governments. The
condition will pass, but while it is
acute no man should 60 hungry, 10
family be- neglected. Work is being
found by many municipalities to- the
limit Of their resources. A typical
case Of municipal aid is the appropria>
ton Of $500, 900 By the city council Of
Detroit, Mich, where. some weeks ago,
The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1921-07-16
CENSUS REFUTES LIBEL.


sus covering the value of all manu-
features produced by the factories of
the United States in the calendar year
1919 overwhelmingly give the lie to
those who insistently charged during
that period that the American worker
was "laying down. on the job.
Not only did he make a new world 3
record in the value Of his products,
but he received the smallest percent
age Of reward for his effort.
While the value of manufactures was
increased 1873 Pc: cent over the record
for 1914, the worker got slightly in
excess Of 100 per cent more for his
toll. The remainder went to the en-
ployer and to those who supplied the
materials.
Census figures have been analysed
by the statistician Of the National City
bank Of New York, and the conclu-
sions may be accepted as not accord
ing any special favcritism to workers.
The compilation reveals that Amer
lean manufactures in 1919 comprised
40 per cent of the world 8 total and
partially explains the over production
that forced millions of workers out Of
employment. Instead of not produce
ing, the workers yielded so abundantly
that they even now are suffering be-
cause there remains a surplus.
The value of all manufactures in
1919 was $500; ooo; 900, against $24,-
25o,ooo,ooo in 1914, $20,5o0,oO0,oOo in
1909, $14,750,000,ooO in 1904 and
$1l 500, 100000 in 1899. The value Of
the 1919 output is more than two and
half times as much as that of 1914,
over three times that of 1909, four
| times that of 1904 and more than five
times that Of 1899, only 20 years
earlier.
The sum paid for wages was less
than $1o,ooo,ooo,oo0, compared with
$4,000, 100000 paid in 1914, an increase
of about 100 per cent. The workers
received about Il per cent Of the val.
ues they created. The cost of materials
increased from $4,000, 100000 to $780,
0oo,000,000, or 200 per cent. The
value added by manufacture amounted
to $22,00o,o00,o0o, against $l0,ooo,'
100000, or an increase of 120 per cent
In other words, while productive
labor in industry was giving the world
the high-water mark in output, it was
receiving the smaller percentage Of the
value it created. It produced 15S per
cent more than in the comparable year
Of 1914 and got 66.6 per cent less than
did those who supplied materials and
20 per cent less than was claimed by
manufacturers.
These figures substantiate the unof.
ficial census taken recently by the
Journal of Commerce, spokesman fol
the financial interests.
It proved conclus.vely that when
the workers were being charged with
stacking" they were smashing rec
ords and turning into the channels OF
trade a stream Of products SO enor'
nous that all markets became glutted
and re1lain so to this day.
The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1921-07-16
PASSING ON OBSTACLES.

In the road to good government
there are many obstacles, but do not
pass them along. Good government
does not spting into being Of itsel1,
but is an achievement, : result q civic
virtues. The idea that things right
The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1921-07-16
MINERS GAIN IMPORTANT
CONCESSION

mat section Of the American press
which = invariably takes IN oblique slant
Ct all questions affectina tia .velf.re
The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1921-07-16

Certainly we're proud. The United
States has contributed more to TWEEN
tieth centuryism than all Of the rest
of the world combined It doesn't
have to be proved. The world %.
nits it.
The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1921-07-16

Man grumbles most where he is
treated best-at home.
Indiana daily times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1914-1922, 1921-02-18

Smart, new styles
with high, low or med
ium heels and wide,
medium or narrow
toes; in black or
brown kid.
Indiana daily times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1914-1922, 1921-02-18
Mems Shoes

Black and brown dress
or work shoes, in
English or wide toes,
Built for service,
style and comfort.
Better buy two pairs.
New-York tribune., 1921-02-21
League Council
To Fix Policy on
Publicity To-day
Cermany's Participation in
Transit Council Also Will
Be Decided; Borden for
Armament Board Head

PARIS, Feb. 20 (By The Associated
Press THE Council of the League Of
Nations meets tomorrow in the salon
of the Petit Luxembourg Palace, the
residence of Leon Bourgeois, president
of the Senate and also president of the
council.
Publicity OF the proceedings of the
council will be one Of the first ques-
tions discussed in accordance with the
resolution passed by the Assembly Of
the League Of Nations at Geneva. The
working sessions of the council will be
private, as has been the case in the
past
The desires of Lord Robert Cecil and
other advocates of the fullest publicity
probably will be satisfied by the issue
of reports to the newspapers on sub
jects discussed and decisions reached
Immediately after each session. Public
meetings will be held when the sub
jects under discussion do not require
private exchanges of views.
Whether the Germans will be invited
to send delegate to the transit con-
ference to be held in BARGE Iona, Spain
next month will be the second question
on the program. The reappointment of
the four members of the administrative
commission for the Saare Valley may
be reached tomorrow, as we'll as the
appointment of a committee to study
the amendments to the covenant OF the
League of Nations. Sir Robert Borden
former Premier of Canada, has been
principally considered for the chair
manship of this last committee.