Grand Forks herald. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1916-1955, 1922-11-24
waahina4on n q No,r o. me

Washington, D. c., Nov. 21.-A ma
jority of the United States railroad
labor board has attacked the theory
of the living wage as a hit of NELL
ifluous ~phraseology, well calculated to
deceive the %unthinking. and declared
that its application would wreck the
railroads and if carried into industry
generally would lead to communistic
ruin.
Frank p. Walsh, former j%oint-chair-
man of the national war labor board,
has said that an ambitious politician
who made advocacy of the living wage
his chief issue would be swept into the
White House on a veritable tidal wave
of popular approval.
A leading labor publication declares
that ~"when capital admits it must
continue it's existence upon public
utilities BY refusing to pay what is
considered a living wage, then capital
may just as we'll understand that it's
life in its present form will o o be
over" 49,,
One great New York newspaper says
the living wage Is a very real thing
to millions of people. while another
says hat so long as the living wage
was only. an abstraction nobody quar-
|reled with it, for the reason that it
"a SSNAloAlAAAoAAJ LA IA
%nocuous. 'but when people tried to
|apply it concretely, its illusory charac-
ter became, manifest and its self-con-
tradictions began to work mischief; a
living wage Is beyond practical deflni-
ton, either economically or sociologi-
cally.''
From the foregoing it is apparent
that there are wide differences of
opinion over the question: Not only
Is there a debate as to whether it is
right Or even possible that all indus
tries should pay all workers a living
wage, but it is almost impossible to
find any two, people who will agree
as to what constitutes a living wage.
A lively controversy is in prospect that
may last for many months and it is Of
course inevitable that congress will
have the problem on It's hands when
it comes to consider additional rail-
road legislation. !&L
Meanwhile there is one phase Of the
subject to which little attention has
as yet been paid save by scientists
and other experts. Much Is heard as
to the cost of living and figures are
produced that r rs variable aas the
communities from which they are
quoted. In fact, the National Indus
trial Conference board has been led
| CYt llS /. o-.SA ~
sion that there is no such thing as
the minimum cost OF living for the
country as q whole.
A Quantity Budget is Possible.
) However, economists agree that
, while there probably always Will be
differences Of opinion and fact as to
what It should cost or actually does
cost an individual. or a family TO live,
it should be possible to ascertain APP
pruximately how much food, how
.(much clothing and what housing ia
ctiities will be required to maintain
the average family. BY this they
mean that q quantity budget is posi-
lble although a cost budget may be de-
batab!e. In other, words in order to
live and keep In good health every
Individual requires a certain amoun
Of food, Certain articles .of clothins
andia home that meets at q certain
minimum standards.
Government experts In the! depart
nnent OF labor have worked out this
quantity budget for a family consists
ling Of. a man, his wife and three chill
tdren-aSbOy of II years. a girl OF 5,
and another boy Of 81 Ina general
way the budget includes the following
saA snfficiency 81 nourishing food for
1tfa maintenance bf health, particular
liz the, children's5h health:
Housing in low-rent neighborhoode
land within the smallest lumber yof
\ rooms possible consistent with DE-
csncy, but withssufacient light, heat
land toilet facilities;
The upkeep OF household y EQUIP
limant. such as kitchen utensilq. bed
,iinr. and linen. necessary for health,
.1..asth, ~ nrouisinS, TOR the purchase