The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1922-11-01

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cred this as well as other factors
set forth in the law: e.s.
Attacking thesbudget. method of
determining what should be a liv-
ing wage the supporting opinion
says:
THAT it would be wise and prac-
teal to undertake to establish an
arbitrary standard of fiving for
several millions of persons is not
apparent. That the desires and re-
quirements Of all men are equal
and alike is not correct, and that
any committee Of experts could set
up an average living standard up
on which a wage scale could be
actically based has not been
demonstrated anywhere.
THAT standards of living are
gradually improving in this coun-'
try is undoubtedly true and .this
is as it should be. There is no
member of the labor board who
does not profoundly desire i'm
proving living conditions for com.
mon labor. but it is our belief that
this movement must be continued
along lines indicated by human ex-
perience and that it can not be
consummated in the twinkling of
an eye by artificial expedients.
Asserting experts testifying for
the maintenance of way organize
ton, admitted that Immediate es--
tabllshment of '.tiie living wage
would throw a monkey wrench
into Industrial machinery" and
that the board therefore make only
a start in that direction at pres
ent:: the opinion said:
e'Such proposition lis entirely
illogical. If the living wage is the.
just and reasonable wage author
lied by the statute it is the duty
of the labor board to establish it
now. If it is not, the just and
reasonable wage commanded by
law, then it, is not the duty of
the board to adopt it now. or here
after unless the law be changed.
Adoption OF a family, of five with
one wage Garner as "a basis for
compiling a living wage also was
attacked in the opinion, which as:
serted that the last census showed
there were 4s4 persons in the aver.
age family. but Ia dependent chill
dren, instead of the three that ex-
perts before the board took as a
basis that there were 1.36 workers
instead ,ofs:ons m the; family.
Commenting upon government
Ownership if the living wage prin.
clpal were estab blished the opin.
ion said: IS,
"of course, for those who desire
government ownership this would
be q quick way of getting it, for
|it is sure thing that the pubic
would not stand for the imposition
Of higher rates to pay such de-
ficit. It asserted that in the last
analysis the public would pay for
the increased wages and that
most of It would come from work
ers in other industries.
Commenting on an article by
William Randolph Hearst Included
in: Mr.: Wharton's dissenting opin-
ion in which the statement was
made htat htes unjustiaable lower
ing of the shopnen's wages caused
the shopmen's strike, the support
ing opinion declared such a state
ment. was not important except
! that In SO far as it was adopted
and ,fndorsed by a member Of the
board. 8
I'm the 5udgmem of. the major
Iity of the board, = the opinion con-
tinued, land we believe, of a great
majority of the people; the Shop
mems, strike was a blunder With
out. any; real justification and that
lit is said with the kindliest feelings
for the employees who have suf-
fered most from its effects. II has
wrought harm to. all and good to
none. It has burdeneds the rail-
ways with an unjust expense, has
Inflicted: great losses Upon the pub
| lie; especially the food producers
land has resulted In an approxi-
nlateiy s177,535,524 loss to the
; strikers. For ail this, THE men
on strike have won nothing. They
have gained no concessions as to
any matter upon which they struck:
For months the strike has been
merely a struggle upon part OF the
men to regain their positions
= .Constrasting the situation of the
maintenance of way organization,
which withheld its strike and ap-
pealed to the board, the opinion
asserts the employees received about
STAT, ,656,8s6 in wages since July
I. which would have been lost had
they gone on a strike. and in addi-
ton have received an increase OF
wages OF about s2e,eeO.o06 year
Perhaps there is no better time
and place. 50 the opinion adds .te
emphasize the belief OF a majority
of the labor board that railway
strikes are utterly useless and
wastefui. and that the employees
will always gain better results at
the hands Of any tribunal fairly
49, - - /. 1. a