YoungstownskeÌ SlovenskeÌ noviny = Youngstown Slovak news. (Youngstown, Ohio) 1910-1940, 1922-06-30

ng wage but the saving wage, for, if
Bhe American workman enjoys any
thing as much as spending it is saving.
70 reward him a saving wage is no
more than just credit to the trait
which has made him the greatest pro-
ducer, the greatest buyer, in the
greatest market known to the, world.
Let there be no doubt as to the |
workmans ability and pro-
pensity to save. For two years we
have been weathering an economic |
storm. Those of us who observe and
think must have been astonished that |
there has been SO little distress among
our workers during all this slack busi- |
ness and scanty employment. This
is not matter of observation only.
The records in the U. S. Bureau Of
Labor Statistics show that the Amer
lean workman has given an astound-
ing account of himself in the payment
Of his bills through all the severity of
this slack period. During the war
che same worker was set down as a
nadcap buyer of silk shirts and fur
coats. His behavior since the war
proves beyond doubt that while he
may have spent a little more, freely
than was his wont, he was saving.
We heard little Of distress during this
slack period because the workmen has
been able to finance himself out of
what he has saved.
This is one more reason why feel!
sure, that the saving wage must
now for good and all take the place
of the old meaningless living wage.
AS definition the saving wage is,
| am aware, a very indefinite term.
There are Americans of every degree
who would never save a., penny al
though their yearly incomes might
amount to the thousands. There are
other Americans who on very mod
crate recompense even on pittance,
would contrive to save some little res
idue. Just what constitutes the av-
erage saving wage for all we need not
stop to figure. The spendthrift among
us is after all the exception. We hear
more about him because he is spectac.
ular. The saver goes about his busi.
ness without creating news But
am convinced that he constitutes very
largely the majority of our people
And that average saver, and society
awakened to his new and legitimate
demands, will somehow reach bal
ance between them as to what in tn,
long run constitutes a general saving
wage
This is no new thing. For SOM
time the most forward looking Of ou
employers have been paying the saw
. ing wage as a matter Of course, per
haps without knowing it. My conten
employers have been doing must he
tion is that what these enlightene
come general. Sooner or later all th
y rest will have to catch up to them.
believe public opinion will compel il
Without our knowing it, great socia
changes have been working themselve
out among us, and prominent in thi
evolution is the workers demand fo
his share in the larger benefits Of thi
new day. He is no longer mer
worker at bench, an automaton. Hi
intelligence has been expanded by ne,
and rapid experiences. His taste
; have been heightened along with th
increase in his intelligence. He to
has risen to the enjoyment of books
of pictures. music, the theater,
/ chance at the higher education, t
cite but a few Of his new demands
, in other words the newly enlightene
workingman has risen to a new plac
, as a human being and as membe
i of our rich community. Conscious 0
: having taken that place, he is now en-
$ titled to insist upon enjoying all tn
| advantages of it. Nor should we oh
: ject to this, for it means the perma
nent enrichment of US all, in that tn
advancement of human society is al
5 ways. to be measured by the advance
5 ment of the worker himself.
: The social consequences Of the sa !
r ing wage may be left to another time
: For the present it is important to con
slider its effect on our business life.
i know that if we bring millions of wor
: kers under the uplifting effect Of thi
Ilarge enjoyment in life there is n
. measuring the new spirit and energ
r and even genius that we may be ur
t shackling and bringing as stimulan
| and contribution to our national prog
j. ress. As quickening to our bushes
t prosperity the saving wage will mea
: even more.
Ell When l first broached the idea i
e writings and speeches it was halle
/ in the press with great variety {
: opinion. In the main it was approve,
but it seemed rather largely Utopia1
n The press commentators overlooke
L -