Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1924-10-09
Machines Emancipate
Machines Enslave,
Which?

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A striking contrast in views re-
specting the use Of modern methods
in Industry is afforded by two articles
recently published in the Forum.
One by Ernst Jonson declares
s.Modern industry is not free. 1t is
not just, it Is not generous.
1t condemns millions to Indifferent
mechanical employment, without
hope Of change. even without assur-
ed livelihood. The worker looks for
some enduring reward of his en-
deavors. and is disappointed: not sue
cess. not responsibility. not even
economic security. crowns his tnef-
fectual efforts to do well.
Periods Of extensive unemployment
recur with great regularity. Every
few years the prosperity Of the work
ing classes is checked by an indus.
trial depression. During these per-
iods of depression millions OF families
suffer poverty. And this fear of I'M
employment is one Of the chief caus-
es OF discomfort among the workers.
No attempt las been made to stabi-
Gze employment; unemployment is
duly accepted as an unavoidable fea-
ture of industry.
Furthermore, the laboring classes
are dependent upon the working Of
the industrial system for their liveli-
hood. Their interests center in the
output and distribution OF consum-
able goods. On the other hand, the
incentive of the owners is in maxi
mum profits, regardless of social
costs. Thus there has come to be q
fundamental division of interest be-
tween the owners and the workers.
And the captain of industry: is he
satisfied? Industry is his: but what
hold has he on 1t? He is encircled
with discomfort. distrusted, neither
loved. nor honored. and hardly ever
applauded. Fear beclouds his sue
cess. What good is it?
Some of us. to be sure. have more
riches than ever man had before:
but we have less good of them than
ever. To whom is the wealth of
these days really wealth? Whom
does it bless; make happier, wiser.
healthier. or in any way more Of
man:
The age points with pride to me-
chanical industry, and yet there Is
in its aspect something disconcerting.
1t stands before us grown quite be-
yond control and ready to devour us
body and soul. How to get II under
discipline is the task that lies before
us.
Machines Emaneipate
Those who are unused to a manu-
featuring plant often assume that to
work day in and day out at loom.
or drill press, or n steam hammer
must be most revolving in its monot-
ony, says William Basset, in The
Forum. i have frequently heard call
ers speak of n factory they were
visiting as hell. but see in n boiler
shop not hell of noise and hot
metal, in which toll the slaves of ma
chimes. but rather, the means of free
ing thousands of women from the
real slavery of carrying coal up
countless flights of steps to tens of
thousands of stoves. l see not only
the more comfortable lives that these
boilers will bring; | see in the noisy
but light and easy TO handle riveting
hammer 4 machine which saves a
dozen men the ck-breaking work
OF swinging heavy sledges. ] see one
man do more work with 1t in eight
hours than the dozen would have
done in n twelve hour day. know
that while the dozen would have fall
-. 80 pSu "Alhiu IlOuls dlteE the
whistle blew, worn out with their
efforts. the slave" of the riveter is
fit and ready for n half dozen hours
of play. And this slave Of a machine
has more money to spend and more
comforts on which to spend 1t than
had the freeman of the hand ham,
laerS.
l want to emphasize the fact that
In my wide experience with workers
In many industries I have never
Known labor troubles to arise from
the workers objections to the monot-
ony Of repetitive work. Nor have 1
ever heard worker refer to himself
as the slave Of a machine" Ma
chine production has reduced the cost
Of common things to point where
thousands can buy them who could
not If they were made by hand. New
conveniences are available that could
never be made by hand. The ma
chine has been the biggest factor in
increasing the real wages OF all men
a hundred fold. And machines have
gisen well-paid employment to peo-
pie of low grade mentality who would
in other days have lived the lives of
hrufeS