The Butler County press. [volume] (Hamilton, Ohio) 1900-1946, 1925-05-29
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COOLIDGE AND LABOR
ON ECONOMY


COOLIDGE AND LABOR
ON ECONOMY
The germ of doubt is beginning to
lodge in the minds of those business
men who have been taking on blind
faith everything President Coolidge
has been saying. They are wondering
if all of "Cal's" words are inspired
wisdom.
OF course, as long as the president
talked economy in government, busi-
ness was all for the president. 1t
foresaw possible reduction of taxa
tion and whooped for joy at the pres
ident's economy talk. But when his
ch-lauded policy Of economy began
to have retarding effect on general
buying, business began to show signs
of uneasiness.
Now, it is reported, the presidents
economy talk is being misinterpreted,
with the result that in some sections
the people are buying only absolute
necessities. Retail business men, ac-
cording to the New York Times, do
not hesitate to say there has been a
decrease in buying and that buyers
strike, similar to that which existed
| after the war, is making its appear
ance.
| In all this there is food for thought.
If buyers strike did not threaten
unemployment and suffering, it would
be difficult to repress smile at the
consequences of accepting without
question the Presidents advice on
economy.
Here the presidents business sup
porters have been swallowing every
thing he said, without even giving it
/ the mental "once-over" and they are
being stung! 1t would be comical if
it did not at the same time smack
so strongly of the tragic.
i One of the morals that can be
drawn from the present situation is
that it doesn't always pay to accept
on faith the words of others, not even
if they do come from President Cool
idge Every statement coming from
a public man should be analyzed to
determine the proportion of wisdom
if any, that it contains.
Labor's idea of economy is the
opposite of that attributed to Presi-
dent Coolidge, who is almost repre-
sented as opening his pocketbook SO
seldom for personal purchases that
moths find it a favorite resting place
The workers do not believe they
are spending too much for their suits
hats and household furnishings. They
do not have the money to spend ex-
travagantly. They believe that bet
ter wages, especially in the most un-
derpaid industries, will increase the
demand for consumers goods. Better
wages, they believe, will lead to more
instead of less employment, and thus
increase the ability of the consuming
public to buy
| Labor believes in reasonable econ
omy. But labor's aim is to earn more,
to spend more and save more. II
new economies are needed, the work
ers do not want them through petty
sacrifices by consumers but through
economies in the management Of in
| dustry.
Organized labor will take no part
in propaganda for parsimony, which
is really what much of the economy"
propaganda should be called. Men,
bers of organized labor will increase
their savings only as they increase
their earnings, and not at the ex-
pense of their personal comfort and
at the cost of the prosperity Of the
country. They do not propose to be
fooled by economy" propaganda in
high quarters, as they know that
nothing could be more inopportune or
disastrous to American business and
employment than a campaign Of per-
simony at this time.
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THE PHILOSOPHY OF A FOOL
There is nothing more disconcerting
to real trade unionist than to hear
one of these "card men" proclaim his
intention to drop the union because
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