Evening star., 1926-10-12
MEN AND MONEY
By NJ. S. RukeyseT
fCopyright. 1926.)
Copyright. 1920

Since the early biblical days when
Adam and Eve were dispoSSessed from
the Garden of Eden efforts have been
made to glorify work.
Poets have long sung the praises OF
men of Drawn who do the heavy TON
Of the work Now, Eugene B. Clark'
n vigorous business man OF the Mluule
West. comes along to suggest lfldI
common labor be abolished. He
suggests technical means by Whlch
human beings be relieved of the sweat
and groan of carrying hods and mt
ing great weights through the subStl-
tuition of new iron slaves-machinery
ut is an age of machinery said
Mr.. Clark. president of the Clark
Eouipment Co. of Buchanan, Mlch.,
in explaining his novel viewpoint.
"Practically every worker has had
his productive capacity increased by
the use of machine tools. We nave
become uncannily skillful in deVlslng
and using such aids. Some deplore
this. but theories will not stop the
trend of the times.
The steel and equipment industry is
accustomed to pricking up It's ears
when Mr.. Clark talks. He first got
his start in a large way by lnVentlnS
a successful process to utilize waste
cinders and ashes of steel plants.
Originates With Business Men.
The inyentivenesS and business
genius of the American business man
aeer are causing sociological changes
i'm the lot of the workingman more
rapidly than the social reformer can
visualize them. The strange aspect
about our prosperity is that the I'M
netus for change originates with bust
ness men, instead of being imposed
upon them from without.
Mr.. Clark points out that up to the
present industry has installed labor
saving machinery principally to econ
omiZe on skilled labor, which Is the
most expensive. On account OF re-
stricted immigration and rising stand
ards az to what is fitting work for an
American, Mr.. Clark points out, the
time has come for quickening the
substitution of machine effort for that
of ,1nskilled laborerS. Overseas the
trades unions still fight the "compe
tition" of the machine. but American
workingmen have found that ma
chinerv co-operates with human be-
inrs and heightenS their earning
power.
The employer knows that change
has taken place in the mental atti-
tude of the worker. No longer IS
man. except he be of a low order of
intelligence. satisfied to do what has
long been called common labor Such
work is too slow and unsatisfying
An Intelligent worker wants to see his
lob go fast To be sure, there are
still some unintelligent ones whose
ideas do not soar above time serving,
hut these are not in demand by en-
Movers. The profitable employe de-
mandS an opportunity to make good
showing. He it is the employer wants
and for whom he bids with offers of
good, wages. But to use such work
ers advantageously they must be pro-
vided with laborsaving tools.
Much Work to BE Done.
Already all industries are largely
filled with skilled workers." continued
Mr.. Clark, 'who as matter OF course
are supplied with highly developed
tools. However, in all Industries there
vet remains work that can be done,
only by those who classify under the
unfortunate misnomer common
labor This work falls to the lot of
the unskilled worker, who Is the last
TO be supplied with modern tools. me
percentage of work falling into this
class is constantly being reduced. yet
1t still bulks large.
"Manv-if not Observation-Disclosures
ing plants deal with bulky materials.
such materials must be moved re-
peatedly from place to place within
the factory in process of manufacture.
Machinery can be and is wisely used
for such moving. but there still re-
mains much transportation whlch
must be done by human labor.
In the modern scheme of clVlllZa-
ton arduous manual toll is not ac-
ceptable to man. The employer in
these days must provide his men with
labor-saVing tools.
THE worker demands it, not only
because it lightens his task. but be-
cause it increases his Self-respect. Any
workman prefers driving a truck TO
pushing a wheelbarrow. If. incident
ally. the workman's productive ca
pacity is increased, the employer
benefits. for the work can be done
more cheaply even though higher
wages are paid.
Our present laws, restricting the
number of immigrants, reduce the
supply of workmen which American
manufacturers in the past have de-
pended upon for their unskilled labor.
Industry continues to expand, but i'm