White Pine news. [volume] (East Ely, Nev.) 1920-1923, 1922-09-10

p~ensation. Of the working man, the
conditions under which he is required
to labor and his enjoyment OF the
comforts of life today are far superior
to those which confronted the WORK
ing man of the past. There still re-
mains, however, much room Tor I'M
provement. The working man should
receive more than a bare living wage.
His compensation should be such as
10 enable him to support himself and
his family in reasonable comfort,
educate his children and save some
thing for his old age. To furnish snch
a wage to the working man and still
keep The industries of the country
growing and prosperous is the o
vital question before Us today.
The problem is not simple. II may
be said that in many industries the
stockholders or investors take too
large n share of the profits: that they
should be content with less and so
leave more for the employees, but such
a division of the profits does not seem
to furnish a practical solution. Some
industries arc more prosperous than
others, and many prove to be losing
ventures. Under the theory suggest
ed the employees in a more prosper
Gus industry would receive more than
those in the less prosperous. The
result would be that the workmeu
would all flock To the prosperous COR
Germ, and those who could not re-
ceive employment there WOULD be
Justly disconnected. In other words.
the theory would not work. Some
general wage level for each class of
work seems to be required. and the
wages must he paid whether the in
dustry gains or loses. In reaching
this level we shall probably not be
able to wholly reject the law of sup
ply and demand, but what all OF us
should do Is to strive to bring about
a condition of the different industries
which will put the working man ON
the standard of living already men
toned. The solution of the problem
is difficult and doubtless will require
much time and experimentation and
the Thoughtful cooperation of both
capital and labor.
I'm their struggle for improve.
ment the working men have formed
themselves into EXAMINATIONS Oh
unions in order that they might pre-
sent a united front in their dealings
with employers. Those unions have
accomplished very much good and
there can be no question that they
have come to stay. In connection
with recent labor troubles it has often
been stated that there is a combina-
ton among certain large employers
of labor having for its object the
crushing of unions and the destruc-
ton Of unionism. l should be very
sorry to feel that this was true. but
whether true or not, | have no doubt
that any such attempt will meet with
failure. There is no man or set OF
men today strong enough to crush
labor or unionism. An idea cannot
lie destroyed, and even II the exist
ing unions should be destroyed others
would Immediately be organized.
Unions and union leaders have
often made mistakes in the
past, and In all probability will make
in the future. This Is true
of any combination OF men. No mat
ter how perfect our theories may be
they must be worked out through the
agency of human beings, and human
ity always has its weaknesses. but IL
the theory is right the way OF prog
ress is by correcting the errors OF ad.
mi~nistration. and not by abandoning
the theory"