Grand Forks herald. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1916-1955, 1922-12-29
IMMIGRATION AND LABOR

There is a tendency on the part of large manu-
%facturers to- demand the letting down of the immi-
labor which, it is represented, is not now available
in sufficient quantity and at sufficiently reasonable
wages, to perform the necessary work Of the coun-
try. Some of the advocates of what they term a
more liberal policy take the high ground that manu-
al labor of the sort commonly called unskilled, is
not for Americans, who do not take kindly to it,
and who are capable of something better. There
fore, we should import our common labor and per-
NIT Americans to take the better positions to which
they are entitled, and to fill which they are properly
fitted.
That is merely one of a lot of stock arguments,
and the conclusion to which they are intended to
lead is that because common labor, is difficult to
obtain and still more difficult to handle, we should.
import our supply from Europe.
We have imported common labor from Europe
by the ship load, and have dumped it wherever it
happened. Much of it has gone into the coal fields,
and much into the iron and other metal mining dis
tricts. And it is precisely in those districts, and
among those people, that some of our most trouble
some labor problems have arisen.
A repetition of the process would merely lead to
a repetition of the results. The trouble in the coal
fields is not that there are too few men, but that
open, and too many miners. Mine owners wish to
continue in operation mines which under ordinary
circumstances would be Improbable, but which,
under the impetus of war conditions, yielded hand
some profits. They wish these profits to be %continu-
ed. There are, twice as many men engaged in min
ing as are needed to produce all the coal that the
country can consume. That means that the men.
must be idle half the time. The thing has been, so
handled that by working half the time miners, are
able to make the equivalent of a full years wages
in other work Of similar class. Quite naturally men
who have been able to make full-time wages by
working half the time do not wish to work full time
tor the same money.
The country, therefore, has been subjected to
pressure from the mine owners for the continued op-
Grafton of mines that ought to be closed, and from
the miners for the maintenance. of a wage scale
which will permit men to live halfythe time in idle
ness.
The importation of men from abroad into that
field after the necessary bloody encounters were
over, might result temporarily in a reduction Of
fminers' wages. But whatever relief might come to
the publicttrora that source would be, Of brief dura-
ton. The old conditions would be re-established,
and the conditions would be more acute because of
the greater number Of men involved.
While the conditions in the several industries
vary, and the coal mining conditions are not dupli-
|cated elsewhere, one element remains constant, that
of the activity Of the organizer, and his, ability, to
deal effectively with ignorant populations ii, the
mass.
To attempt to cure present undesirable labor
lconditions. by importing more masses Of labor isl luxe
trying TO soberoff by drinking more whiskey.
The SATURDAY, Eyeningg, Post this week has !
cartoon showing ABOUT steen different kinds Of AMI