The labor world., 1922-06-10
81 International Labor News Service

SIIAAo primarily DeCduSe tHey 40 uOL
like to be bossed and they dislike
to be bossed "because experience
has shown that no man is wise
enough to have autocratic power
over another man." So said Edward
A. Filene. director Of the Interna-
tlonal. Chamber of Commerce and
Boston department store owner, ad-
dressing the Economic club of New
ork.
Men strike" said Mr.. Filene, "be-
cause they are injured by real mis-
takes or because they believe Them
selves to be injured by the terms
OF their employment. n such
strikes they are often unsuccessful
and the grievances remain. For
these reasons they sometimes dwell
upon the Objectionable features Of
their employment until they become
tense and bitter. There grows up in
consequence a distrust or hate of
the whole present system. Irrespon-
sible leaders who voice and trade
on this discomfort easily get a fol-
lowing. There is also a reaction to-
wards socialism or communism
which are presented as panaceas for
the ills that are complained Of.
II am forced to the conclusion
ent socialism and communism are
not practical remedies.
II am just as firmly convinced
that the present wage system is not
infallible or final. but is only step
on the road from serfdom and sla-
very to improved forms of just and
effective cooperation that the ex-
perience and wisdom Of men will
evolve from generation TO genera
tion."
Extracts from Mr. Filenes address
follow:
Four Fundamental Principles.
My study of industrial relations has
convinced me of four things:
I. That in a political democracy
such as ours the autocratic control
of industry by employers is a fruit
full breeder of strikes and is in the
long run impra ctical;
2. That we often pay counterfeit
wages when we intend to pay real
wages, thus causing discomfort, con-
flict and strikes;
3. That the present so-called cap
italistic system has accumulated and
is still using, outgrown ideas and
customs that are needlessly often
sive to our employees, and that it
needs to be brought up to date;
4. That the basic remedy for the
evils Of industrialism and hence for
/ strikes lies in making business a pro-
\ fession--that is, In realizing, in act
As well as in thought, that a busi-
ness has no right to make a profit
except as it serves the community.
Autocracy Is Bad.
1T all comes to this, that autocra-
tic control whethes by employer or
employe, is bad-the one almost as
Objectionable as the other; and that
men are striking today as a protest
against autocratic control by capital,
and as the most effective way Of ex =
pressing their demand for an ade-
quate voice in the conditions under
which they work. They are vitality
interested.
They will continue to strike until
provision is made for giving them
adequate representation in boards OF
directors or in those shop commit
tees, by whatever name they may be
called, in which employers and en-
ployes work hand in hand to ad-
vance both the business and the le-
Ultimate interests Of the human be-
ings who put their lives into it and
get their livelihood from it. This is
largely recognized by employers now
and the growth Of these joint CON-
mittees has for some years been
marked.
Counterfeit Wages.
: Counterfeit wages is a term that ]
have invented-whether good or bad
you must judge-to characterize this
inadequate wage that comes about
I from some of the many causes that
! reduce the purchasing power of
! money. Counterfeit wages are any
! wages however large they may be in
! dollars, that will not buy the sneces-
I sites of life and enough luxuries
to make working for necessities a
T desirable thing and also to enable
! the recipient to make modest but
:. adequate provision for sickness and
old age.
Counterfeit money has no value
Counterfeit wages have too little
value when measured against the
purposes which wages must serve
1t is not a question of how much a
man receives but of what he can
buy for what he gets. Wages may
double, but if prices are more than
double then wages are counterfeit
to the extent that prices have out
run the Increased wages.
Return for Real Wages.
The return for paying genuine
wages rather han coutnerfei more
than makes up to the employer and
to society for the extra money ex-
penditure. The genuine wage tends
to provide happy, healthy, content
ed and loyal employees.
If their wages are adequate to
provide the necessities of life for
their families and allow also for re-
creation and provision for illness
and old age, they are increasingly
freed from worry and are thereby
made more efficient employees. If
their wages enable them to, buy
freely the value of the American