Grand Forks herald. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1916-1955, 1922-01-02
MONDAY EVENING, JANUARY 2, 1892,
MINIMUM WAGE REDUCTIONS.

4Workmen's Compensation Bureau with reference
! TO minimum wages for women discloses the fact
Il that it. is the purpose of the board in addition, to
4 establishing a minimum wage. to fix a scale OF
4 Wages5t to be applied progressively.
It's generally accepted that there ought to be
4aPpropriate legislation prescribing a minimum
aSxage for women workers sufficient to enable them
ito meet the ordinary expenses to which they are
Eliable; in other words, to maintain a decent stand
Ahfd Of living. That is an essential part Of the So
4eial service which government may render to the
Tcommunity, but when a governmental body goes
lbeyond this and attempts to establish a scale of
dMages under which compensation is advanced from
thine to time according to an established rate, a new
1clernent enters into the situation, and one which
acomplieates and confuses rather than %simplifes.
In the plans proposed under the recommends
itiors of the board, in all the occupations covered by
1.-THE recommendations, provision is made for two
sclasses of service; one that of experienced workers,
and the other that of apprentices. Periods of APP
4 premiership are divided according to the character
Jof the occupation into several fractions, In some
leases three periods of three months are prescribed.
At the end.ef each period of apprenticeship the en-
4ployc's compensation is advanced to a higher mini
in1un1. and at the end of the period when the appren-
Itice becomes an experienced worker she is to re-
1ceive not less than the minimum fixed for experienG-
Fed workers.
Il In this we see the introduction of a new ele-
1n1ent, entirely separate from that OF the maihte-
snance of a suitable standard of living. The young
woman who enters a laundry for instance, and
~ ~ SANSnS"O - AAoA vi
rs at no greater expense at the end of any one Of
these periods than she was at the beginning. Con-
,sequently, from the standpoint Of need, there is no
occasion. for fixing a higher compensation. The
fact that the government does fix a higher rate
.Places the making Of an advance in wages condition
ial upon the lapse of time rather than upon the a-
3auisition of skill and proficiency. This is entirely
wrong. 1t is wrong also to proceed upon the as
sumption that all workers make the same progress
land are entitled at the end of a stated period to the
1sarne advance in pay. This is known to be con
ltrary to the fact. There are employees in every oc-
I@cupation who make rapid progress right from the
beginning and who within a few weeks and some
times within a few days may demonstrate ability
TO earn much more than the ordinary wages in such
Occupation at the expiration of that time. There
Fare others again whose progress is ifnperceptible
hnd who may work for months or years without ac-
1qu'rng any greater earning capacity than that with
(Which they entered the occupation. That may be
due to the tact that the wrong occupation has been
| chosen or 1t may be due in individual cases to in
Iherent lack Of capacity, but whatever the reason is,
There IS no logic in applying a cast iron rule where
IDy an minimum wages must be advanced sutomat-
fcany at the end of a certain specified period.
This comment is intended in no sense as an a,
tack upon the minimum wage legislation, as such.
\ Esuc1 legislation is necessary, especially in the case
T1 women, because by reason of numerous peculiari-
iues surrounding their employment in the industries
women have been more often and more easily sub
tected to exploitation and oppression than have men
ksho are comparatively ~foot-loose and at liberty to
IQeave one occupation for another WHEN the mood
ffeizes them. The minimum wage for the protection
Tof the legitimate interest of women workers is not
fionly right but necessary, but when the minimum,
pas been established the government should eface
ftseit from the situation and permit subsequent
wages to be adjusted in accordance with the natural
Developments in the case.