South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1922-07-19
4 LIVING WAGE.

out OF the present strife and chaos in industry
may come ar effort to definitely determine as a
matter OF law. what constitutes living wage"
such Is the announcement Of Senator Cummlns,
author OF the railway bill under which the first test
produced strike that threatens to spread and
caupe only trouble.
Working men will be interested In this proposal
That puts the pay envelope politics directly and
definitely for II . precedent be established by the
passage Of a law. bill can amended from
time time to At the political necessities Of the
hour
It is taken for granted OF course. that Congress
viii attempt such futile endeavor to fix a
definite the least to be paid
worker.
That would get place at ALL for matter how
high or how low the figure IL set. three months
would enable those who wished evade it devise
a scheme for either lowering raising the value OF
the dollar to suit their purposes.
In the early beginnings of industry in this
try dollar = day was wage TO be considered with
respect. That dollar would pay the rent buy the
food and clothes provide few simple amusements
Of day and leave little left a the end OF
the year.
Today the value Of the dollar Is such as to
Is beneath the notice OF any office boy who consents
to take job.
What ought to be the standard if the law is to fix
standards by which the value of labor is to be
measured?
comfortable home must be taken for granted.
SUFFICIENT food for family of average size is
automatic. Clothing for comfort would be written
INTO the standard. OF Beyond that there
would begin to creep in differences of opinion to
what living wage really is
There are such things as insurance. doctors
bills amusement. the education of children to be
considered.
There is also the basic fact that the OF
in rts NJ he att nd
any EFFORT TO standards of life brings protest
Witness the lengths TO which certain citizens,
accustomed from birth 10 TIE of wines, in
:heir efforts to circumvent the volstead act.
what viii be the standard made by Congressman
who are hunting votes 20 hold their Jobs?
i. may be beside The suggest that this
newest suggestion Is the logical outcome of the
theory OF government espoused by the party in
power.
That party has stood for a widening and broaden
ng or federal powers the exclusion OF state and
local governments
In a dozen years under this policy or bureaus and
government direction the number OF inspectors
employed by the government has increased from 200
TO $4,000. This is Indicative OF the new powers
taken over by the government more significant and
important than the fact that this vast army OF
FEDERAL agents adds enormously 10 the bills.
Carried to its Logical conclusion the policy Of gov
Ornamental control must be socialism action,
whether 1t be by that not.
The precedent for establishing fair returns to
labor Is found IN the law which limits the fair
returns OF profits on public utilities-for will
dare 10 suggest that labor aspect, is not the
greatest OF all utilities.
II took great crisis to produce the suggestion,
but the present situation IN the industrial world is
moro fraught possibilities than
former clash between labor and capital
a legal standard OF living and OF earning is
FAR removed from the theory or ndivdualsm and
OF competition is paternalisn carried 10 its
logical end. II may be necessary. but before it is
attempted workers aud employers should at least
hesitate long enough 70 ask where it leads TO.