The Washington times., 1922-11-13
Money and Trade
Standardized" Labor.
What II Means.
How Impossible It Is.
Dangers.
By GEORGE w. HINMAN.

national labor office Of the League
OF Nations in Geneva is sending out
little statement to the effect that
German seamen's wages have been
doubled since last April.
In some way. apparently. this
statement Is supposed to reflect
credit on that office and it's ef.
fort to "standarize" the labor Of the
world. As a matter Of fact. II shows
clearly why the wages and conditions
OF the world can never be standard
led why. IL 1t had it's way. the In.
ternational labor office would, In the
words OF Senator Reed, wreck the
world" and why both American
workers and American capitalists
have got to keep clear of information
al leagues and Standardization"
fanatics II they wish to live In bust.
ness and prosper.
In these days of agitation for
the internationalization Of every.
thing. from Government finances to
wages. this point is worth some
notice from all Americans who live
by their headwork and handwork.
Therefore, the silly announcement
from Geneva receives attention.
Why silly? For this reason:
The wages Of the German workers
In question have not increased even
though the workers are getting
twice as many marks In November
as they got last April. The man
who received 5000 marks a month
last spring was getting far more
than a man who is getting 10000 or
10000 marks now. Why? Because
the mark today Is worth only q
fifth or a tenth of what II wae
worth then. 80 instead OF getting
richer. the German worker has
been getting steadily poorer.
What does all this mean to Amer
leans? 1t means that the effort to
"standarize" the United States with
Europe. by any league Of nations
contract, would be as preposterous
in the matter Of labor, as in the
matter of government. politics OF
finance-would be as preposteroui
now as IT would be disastrous In
the future.
How can American wages OF
working conditions, how can Amer
lean enterprise, be standardized
with the wages. conditions and busi
ness in the European countries
Or. "standardized' for a minute
how can they be kept standard
ized?" In no other way than by
Americas going through the same
convulsions and changes In bust
ness as these unfortunate foreign
lands.
But can sane men propose that
all nations Of all sorts in the
league should try to "standardize'
themselves in matters of labor and
employment? They can and they
do. The idea already has taker
form. The effort is making to pu,
into effect q standard working day
of eight hours. from Ireland tc
Irak. from England to Egypt. from
England to Egypt. from Portuga
to Persia.
Now, that a shorter working day
is desirable in a country like the
United States or England, may bt
granted. With highly developed
industries, q wealth Of machinery
experienced managers and skilled
workingmen, these countries are &C
situated that they have been able
to shorten the working hours with
out severe consequences. But this
does not mean that Brazil or Peru
or Bulgaria or Jugo-Slavta OF
twenty or thirty other undeveloped
countries are able to do the same
An eight hour or seven hour day
might destroy the growing industry
Of any one Of them, put them out
Of business. and kill both the EN-
ployment and the production tina,
are necessary to the very life Of
the people.
Yet the international labor branch
of the League Of Nations has de
manded this general "standardiza
ton" of the working hours. and such
disordered little nations as Greece
Rumania and Bulgaria have been
jammed into granting the demand.
OF course, common sense will wir
in the readjustment Of the world,
business. 1t Is winning today ir
the United States, and to a certain
extent in England and France. II
has to, IL the worlds business Is no,
to be wrecked by academic lunacies
like those Of the league and its labor
office.