Indiana daily times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1914-1922, 1921-09-01
Highways and By-Ways
of Lii OF New York
pyrlsht, 1921, by Public Ledger Co
By RAYMOND CARROLL

properly belongs to the labor unions
he replied in his office in Forty Second
street. "If only the leaders of the unions,
instead Of putting their efforts to always
fighting for higher wages and shorter
hours, would concentrate on guarantee
of skill to employers, and have their
members equipped for more than one
class Of work, much unemployment would
disappear; in fact, 1t would never exist.
/ do not mean to make the worker into
a jack-of all trades, but at least into
a jack OF two trades Then carpenter,
who now works seven months in year
and Is idle the other five months, would
have, We might suggest, the trade OF
cabinet making to fall back on when
tia dull period arrives. In other lines Of
endeavor similar ratios could be worked
out and kindred employments estab-
lished.
IDLE PERIODS
BOOST WAGES.
Our greatest evil in this country has
been lack of coordination In seasonal
industries Artisans demand exorbItantIy
high wages Tor the reason they are idle
10 per cent OF the year. The con-
structive minds Of each industry, capital
as well as labor, should plan and en-
courage the establishment of work
giving plants In the different communi-
ties that could utilize all idle labor
ton In any line of endeavor can become
during these off seasons Over specializa-
a handicap. Every worker should have
in reserve a talent to carry him through
slack periods when his chosen trade sur
fers from dullness."
Mr.. Jenkins says labor's first task to-
ward the elimination of unemployment
should be to regrade itself lie holds
that in every trade there ought to be at
least three classes, namely, the ap-
prentice, the Junior and the expert, the
unions issuing cards accordingly. In
each union a school should be conducted
training the apprentices to be juniors ana
the juniors to be experts. lie favored
substitution Of the principle OF carrying
the weak brother By something done in
the way of creating the stronger
brother" Mail order education then
would have it's place in helping stimulate
the trades.
1T is a great wonder that labor does
not set a standard of efficiency as an
entrance requirement for workers to Join
a union" he said. why should the
many suffer Tor the few? All workers
and the entire public pay for the over
pay OF the few. The worker should
realize he has 1t in his power to main-
tain good wages, to prevent unemploy-
ment and to improve working and living
conditions without strikes. But l fear
he will keep on as before, and that 1,
the pity of it when the country enters
period of industrial depression"
NOT OUT OF WORK,
But KIND OF WORK"
1t happened the next caller was a big,
fne-looking young American, clearly I'M
fitted for office work. he showed Mr..
jenkins his diploma telling that he ha1
finished correspondence course for the
work Of certified public accountant. "You
started wrong" said Mr.. Jenkins, but
fortunately there is time enough for you
to change. Never mind what your fam
lily may say. You have the eye and build
for mechanics. Head that way"
How many Of New York Citys jobless
500 900 head in the wrong direction when
looking for work.
1 talked with 4 number OF them In the
Salvation Army headquarters and nearly