The Caldwell tribune. [volume] (Caldwell, Idaho Territory [Idaho]) 1883-1928, 1923-11-13
CURRENT BUSINESS CONDITIONS
BY GEORGE ROBERTS
Monthly Issued by National City Bank
of New York
By GEORGE z. ROBERTS

men preferred to be paid by wha
they did, and in support of an appea
for rehearing on the case, they have
recently taken a vote by the shop
men. The result was 1900 votes for
the piece-work plan andt 10000 for
the time basis, with about 5000 not
voting. The final decision OF the
Labor Board has not been given. but
the effect OF the vote is not reassur-
! ing. The basis OF all just compensa-
ton is service: evidently somebody
must create value against every wage.
that is paid. and wherever it is prac-
ticable to relate the compensation OF
each worker directly to the service
performed the plan surely is the cor
rect one. The explanation of the
decision of the shopmen must be
found in the class that is sosaboubcsh
found in the class feeling that is so
assiduously cultivated.
Announcement has been made in
the last few days that the garment
trades of the country. including about
10000 workers. are about to demand
hve-day or forty hour week OF
course this means with no reduction
of weekly pay. They already have the
"A hour week, and it is probable that
most of the people who wear the gar
ments made by these workers, and who
ultimately pay their wages. have lower
pay than the garment workers are
now receiving. These demands and
the support that is given them by the
public are prompted no doubt by a
belief that the employers do the pay
ng and that nobody else is affected.
The Cotton Goods Situation
In the cotton goods industry after
much agitation the wage-earners last
spring obtained wage advance which
restored one-half of the reduction of
22H per cent which had been made
from the highest wages of all time,
those of 1920. This advance was forced
in face of the fact that such staples
in the cost of living as -four, meats
and foodstuffs generally had fallen
much below the level which had been
the basis upon which the wages of
1920 were fixed. 1t is true that the
lost of living to cotton-mill operatives
has been increased by the high wages
't garment workers, shoe makers.
'oal miners, railroad employers, the
trades, etc, etc, but not
outstanding this, so great has been
he decline in farm products that wage
ates in the cotton mills are now high
II in relation to the cost of living than
n 1920 The cost of living, according
o the calculation of the Department
It Labor of the State of Massachusetts |
me OF the leading states in cotton
Gods manufacture, is now about 60 |
er cent above the level of 1913, while
ther authoritative calculations make
ne mill wages about $50 per cent
igher.
But that is not all of the story.
'wing mainly to the ravages of the
oil wecvil but in part to these high
pcrating costs in the mills, the prices
cotton goods have been forced so /
gh that the demand for cloth has fall
n on, and many of the mills are now
inning on part time. The largest
roducer OF cotton goods in this coun-
y, the Amoskeag Company of Man
lester New Hampshire, has shut
'wn its cotton goods department, and
hers arc doing likewise, because they
nnot sell the goods at present prices
ID dare not manufacture for stock
ne operatives are now losing by idle
SIS more than the increase of wages
tanned last spring. and their loss of
Irchasing power affects the demand
other goods and threatens the en-
oyment OF other workers. This is
e cumulative process by which de-
ession spreads. Meanwhile people
going without clothing that they {
'uld like to buy.
The farmers, who constitute the c
sest single group of consumers. r
We to stand all the higher living 6
SITS, that the cotton mill workers 6
npiain OF and the higher cost of !,
ton goods besides.
)ther examples might be given. but B
sc VIII do to illustrate some of the z
favorable factors in the business +
lation of chief influence with those
o look for declining business. Un-
ibtedly they are of such Importance
they must be taken into account.
Favorable Factors +
he favorable view of the situation
siders that, subject to the influence