Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1922-10-30
Living Standards Improve.


That standards o. living are
gradually improving in this coun-
try Is undoubtedly true, and this Ia
as it should he. There is no mem.
her OF the Labor Board who doe.
not profoundly desire improved liv-
ing conditions for common labor,
bu, II Is our belief that this move
mcnt must be continued along lines
indicated By human experience. and
that il cannot b. consummatcd In
the twinhling Of AN eye by artificial
eX?cdients."
Asserting experts. testityirE for
the maintenance way organ.za-
ton. admitted that Immediate cs-
tab!ishment OF tho living wage"
would throw monkey wrench into
industrial machinery" and that the
board therefore make only a start
in that direction at present the
opinion said:
Such Il proposition is entirely
Illogical. If the living wage ia
the just. and reasonable wage au-
ihoriZed by tn" statute it is tn"
duty of the Labor Board 20 estab-
iish 1t now. II it is not the just
aud reasonable wage commanded BY
law. then |; IS not tho duty OF the
board to adopt II now or hereafter
unless the law be changed"
Adoption Of family OF five with
one wnEe- Garner as n basis for com
p!iinE living wage was also attacked
IN the opinion. which asserted that
the last census showed there were
"a persons in the average famil%,
bu, IA dependent Children, instead
Of the three that experts before IN.
board took as basis, and that
there we're l.3G workers instead OF
al L.
Commenting upon governmer.
ownership II III" living -wag" nrin-
ciplc were established, the opinion
said:
Public Would Ba,k.
OF course. !Or those who dear.
government ownership. thIs would
he quick way Of getting u. tor /,
is a sure thing TINT the public would
not stand for the imposition or high
or rates to pay such deficit"
1t asserted that in the last analysis
the public would pay for the in
creased wages and that most OF it
would come from workers in other
industries. Commenting on an ar
| iicle hv William Randolph Hearst
including Mr.. Wharton's dissentIn.
opinion, In which the statement was
made that the unjustinablc lowering
OF tie shopman's wages caused the
opinion declared suck s;atemcn,
was not important except that In 81
lar as II was adopted and indorscd
ay member OF tn. board
IN the judgment OF the majority
Of the board" The opinion continued
ana We believe of great majority
OF the people. the shipments strike
WAS hiund.r with0u; any real JUS
tihcation, and that is said with
ElnUllsyt f,plippc
VINO have suffered most from its cf-
ieci. IL has wrought harm to all and
good TO no one. II has burdoneI the
railways with an unjust expense has
inflicted loss upon the public. esDe-
ciaiiy the food producers. and has
resulted in AN approximately Sl71.-
'S9'"2l loss 20 the strikers For all
inns the men on strike have won
nothing. They have gained no CON
ccsS!on as TO any matter upon which
they struck. For months the strike
mas oeen merely struggle upon part
ot the men To regain their positions"
Point TO Increase.
contrasting the situation OF the
maintenance of-May organization
which withheld it's strike and an
fcaied to the board, the opinion as
ss.1S me employees received about
Sli'.oo5,S66 In wages since July /
which would have been lost had they
gone on strike, and in addition
nave received an increase OF wages
OF about $2o.0oO.000 a year.
ferhaps there is no better time
ana place" the opinion adds. ito en-
phasiZc tho belief OF a majority of
the Labor Board TINT railway strikes
are utterly useless and wastcful. and
that tho employees will always gain
letter results at tho hands of any
'riounal fairly constituted and rep
resentative of the people than they
VIII by making war on the carriers
and the public"
In addition TO the decision and the
dissenting and supporting opinions.
'odhy's document contained stale
neht by w. l.. McMenincn. Labor
member Of the board. as 10 his r.a
son for voting for the 2-ccnt raise
Tor the trackmcu. lie said he ia
v"rcd larger increase. bu; voted
Tor the 2-ccnt raise, as the Labor
hoard had been In a long deadlock
ana each day they were losing about
sIooH' ana when lie feared no in
crease may bc obtained If the =
cent raise advocated by the public
group was not accepted