Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1921-09-05
LABOR SECRETARY
URGES FAIR PLAY
Relief of Unemployed the Vital
Problem, Davis Tells
Workers
LIVING WAGE INADEQUATE
BY the Associated Press

Detroit, Sept. 5.-Dedication of La
Dor Day, 1921, to the relief Of the ma
tion's unemployed was proposed by Sec
retary of Labor Davis today in an
address to the workers Of Detroit.
''In the past Labor Day has been a
holiday in honor Of the man who tolls"
declared Secretary Davis. '"This year
it is a day that millions of our people
would rather celebrate, not by taking
n holiday, but by going back to work at
job. Labor Day this year dawned on
a situation that calls to every loyal
American for the best thought. the
mightiest effort and the strongest faith
he can summon. This year Labor Day
must be dedicated first Of all to meeting
this imperative human need of the idle."
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 employ
ers. AS measures Of partial relief the
Secretary proposed the undertaking of
public works. the distribution of work
In mills 80 that all may have Jobs for
at least part Of the week"
Above all else, we need to shake off
fear and take on faith and courage"
MIR. Davis asserted. "For the lack Of
that courage we are neglecting any
number of large undertakings that
would give mighty shove to the great
stalled engine of American production"
Message to Employers
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
IL only temporary wage. During the
war the pendulum swung over to the
side of the employees. Now 1t has swung
back to your side. Play fair now and
you Will do more to stabilize your busi.
ness and bring good feeling than any
tnlng else you can do. Keep in mind
the fact that those men who are swarm
ing around your gates looking for work
are the same human beings as your
self. 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 in spite of the occa-
sional hard boiled" employer, no true
American business man entertains n
serious thought of crushing the work
men S organizations"
Let the open shop mean what II
says-open to ALL" he added. ANY
employer knows that crushing the unions
cannot be done in the first place; he
knows that it would not be safe in any
case. We want no Russia in this coun-
try; no hordes of disorganized, leader
less men, reduced to such a state of
starvation that charity must 90 to their
aid"
Needs More Than Living Wage
Opposition to the principle of the
living wage also was expressed by Mr..
Davis.
II am against the living wage" he
said. 1T is not enough. We need to
near something Of the saving wage. 1t
Is not enough for a man merely to ex-
ist, to meet the cost of living, whatever
1t Is, to pay the rent and buy food and
clothing for his family. \ man like the
American workman needs. hc earns and
ne demands something more than that,
lie wants to save and he should and