The Washington times., 1924-09-01
COOLIDGE
TALKS To
LABOR
CONTINUED from First Page.)

> NOOAASAA40OSA ALVIN y AA0b i GA6O1
earned 1884 compared to the
American potter's $26.7O."
He then cited British tables
showing that the British brick
layers wages have a purchasing
power far in excess of any other
European laborer, and added: "And
yet, this same British authority
shows that the New York brick
layer earns a wage whose effec-
tive buying power is two and
three-fourths times that of the
London bricklayer."
Would Restrict Immigration.
zone is restrictive immigration.
This has been adopted by this 'ad.
ministration chiefly for the purpose
of maintaining American standards.
Il undoubtedly has very great
economic effect.
1--WE want the people who live in
America, no matter what their
origin, to be able to continue in the
enjoyment Of their present I'm.
precedented advantages.
This opportunity would certainly
be destroyed by the tremendous in
flux Of foreign peoples il immigra-
ton were not restricted Unem-
ployment would become a menace
and there would follow an almost
certain reduction of wages with all
the attendant distress and despair
which is now suffered in so many
parts Of Europe. Our first duty is
to our own people. The second i'm
portant factor is that Of q tariff
for protection. have already given
you some examples Of the wages
paid in Europe.
''Such a scale means that goods
can be produced much cheaper
there than they can here. If our
policy of production is to be aban.
doned, the goods which arc now
made by the wage earners Of Amer
lea will be made by the wage
.earners Of Europe. Our own people
will be out Of employment. Our
entire business system will be
thrown into confusion with the
want and misery which always &c.
company the hard times OF at.
tempted economic REIMBURSEMENT.
Under free trade the only way we
could meet European competition
would be by approaching the Eu-
ropean standard OF wages.
~ want to see the American
standard Of living maintained. We
shall not be misled by any appeal
for cheap goods, if we remember
that this was completely answered
by President Mckinley when he
stated that cheap goods make cheap
men. BY restrictive immigration, by
adequate protection, I want to pre-
! vent America from producing cheap
men.
Economy in Government.
ITO these must be added economy
Of expenditure by the local and ma.
tionai governments. There are
about $4,000, 900 heads Of families in
. the United States. 1t takes 5000,.
900 Of these working at SIS a day
to pay the present cost Of govern.
ments. This gives US some idea
of what public expense takes cut Of
the productive power Of the nation.
No matter what anyone may say
about making the rich and the cor.
porations pay the taxes, in the end
Z they come out of the people who
4 toll.
1T is your fellow.workers who
are ordered to work for the Govern.
T1ent, every time an appropriation
bill is passed. The people pay the
expense OF government, often many
B times over, in the increased cost
OF living. / want taxes to be less,
that the people may have more"
Policy In DeflatIon.
Dealing with the postwar defla.
ton and its possible effect upon
labor, the President said:
"Soon after the close of the war,
the policy Of defIation was adopted,
which no doubt some thought
might be used to secure o reduc.
ton in wages and the dissolution Of
labor organization.
This Administration refused to
\ lend itself to any such program,
and at once adopted q policy, which
1t has steadily pursued, Of help.
fulness to business, industry and
labor. 1t is my belief that
this policy represents one Of the
most important and helpful services
on the part Of the United States
Government which was ever per.
formed for the benefit Of the wage.
earners OF this nation. When al.
most everything else went crashing
down, a change OF front took place
IN time to save them from almost
certain destruction"
President Coolidge declared that