South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1922-07-31

While statesmen and politicians are looking al
INDUSTRIAL chaos through the ola fashioned lenses
fitted for the babyhood OF industry. Ford comes
through with POLICY that will ind maSy support
ers because Of It's apparent basis in horse sense.
Ford believes that before wages Re paid they
must be earned and that when they ere earned
they should be paid
The most conservative capitalist would find
fault with this logic and the reddest Of radicals
could hardly disagree with Ford when he writes in
the current issue Of McClure's Magazine:
"If men instead Of saying the employer ought
to do thus and So" would say "the business ought
TO be stimulated and managed that It do
thrs-and-so," they would get somewhere: Because
only the business can pay wages. Certainly the
employer cannot. unless the business warrants. But
If that business does warrant higher wages and the
employer refuses what is 20 be done? As rule
a business means the livelihood OF too many men
10 be tempered with. Il is criminal 20 assassinate
a business 20 which large numbers OF men have
given their lsbors ana to which they have learned
10 look their field OF usefulness and their source
OF livelihood. Killing the business by a strike or
a lockout does not help The employer gain
nothing by looking the employees and asking
himself. How little get them to take?" Nor
the employee by glazing back and asking: How
much force him give?" Eventually both
will have to turn to the business and ask: How
this industry be made safe and profitable. so
that it will be able to provide a and comforta
bic living for all of US -"
What might happen il the owners of coal mines
and the miners would upon this the fun
damental starting point of their negotiations in
quarreling about what constitutes a living
wage and how much profit ownership must have?
The postmaster general in address Chicago
Saturday declared that the high price of coal is
to the fact that there twice many miners
employed in mines as are necessary, due the
fact that they given only half time employment.
He is very closely associated with the coal mines
OF his native state OF Colorado being a product OF
that branch OF Standard oil which has had some
very bloody battles in It's Industry, killings
and sIaughters compared to which even the Herrin
tragedy in Illinois does not eclipse in size ruth
lesness.
If his statement be true, why not apply the Ford
plan OF discovering what can be done produce
coal the entire year and employ only enough men
to supply the demsnd7
why not begin at the very basis Of the trouble
and admit that the coal industry as a whole is
wasteful inefficient cruel and heartless and that al
no time have the men who control it the men
who represent the workers approached the problem
from the standpoint OF making It pay7
1t can only Pay when It public
efficient manner and possibly assurance of con-
tnuous labor to all men engaged in mining might
reduce the cost OF coal and thus lift the burden
now paid by other workers.
Ford may be a fool about such IN, gs. or course
ne has the biggest private income in the nation
His employees whom he calls partners Get the high
wage. The things ne runs. be 1t auto factory
or railroad seem to prosper. Why not take hint
from the theory which he works?