Evening star., 1928-09-30

SITUATION After War.
The economic readjustment following
the war resulted in serious unemnlov
ment. There were probably 5000. 900
men out of work in Am -~:ca in 1921
nl2nv OF them former soldiers who had
fought overseas and found their oosi-
tions pre-empted when thev returned
Hoover organized the national unem-
Dloyment conference. which resulted in
redistribution of employment. part-time
work Tor thousands of men who had
mad nothing to do and business stimu-
lation and regeneration through public
works programs and other means,
Later the problem of seasonal emolov-
ment was studied and improvement &C.
complished. The better homes cam
nalgn stimulated building throughout
the year and brought relief to the
building trades. Conferences with steel
manufacturers resulted In abolishment
OF the 12-hour day. seven DAYS a week
and consequently brought about en-
ployment for more men, under better
conditions.
10 proposed "anti-strike" provisions of
the railway labor act and Lever food
! control act. Mr.. Hoover was oDuosad
! because he is Fundamentally opposed To
involuntary servitude.
Which Is Best Qualified?
More might be said of Mr.. Hoover's
| iaoor record, but merely. enough has
oeen stated to indicate why he. like
Gov. Smith. is acceptable to leaders of
labor generally. The labor vote" in
1873. therefore. will not be influenced
by an unfriendly attitude on the part
OF labor toward either candidate. The
problem the workers of the country face
IN casting their ballots in November is
70 determine which of the candidates
is beSt qualified to deal with the condi-
lions and problems that will gravelv
ana menacngly affect and confront
LABOR during the next four years Those
ConuiS'ohs ana those problems can be
only briefly outlined here.
In the first place, it should he under.
stood that the prohibition Issue will M.
sway the bulk of the so-called Ishor
vote. There are some wage-esrne~s
Who will vote the Democratic rjcket he.
cause they are opposed to prohibition
put there are as many or more whoss
vote VIII hc influenced in Che other
olrsct.on on this issue. David r
SSooeftson, president of the Brother
nooo OF Locomotive Firemen and En-
glnemen and chairman of the Railway
LABOR Executives Association. has wei
expressed the sentiment of most labor
leaders with the simple statement that
tne support of organized labor cannot
be purchased with en- offer of Holh,r
The support of the workers viii re
won or lost on much more importan
considerations and issues.
Appreciate Position.
The fact is that the workers Of Amer
Ca understand and appreciate that they
are In much better economic position
than the people of any other nation
ana that to maintain that favored po-
sltlon it is necessary to adhere to the
fundamental principles which hays
brought rs to it.
Both in actual wages and buyinp
power OF their money American
worSe-s are in vastly b.tter position
ahan l95or of the Old World. In Ger
many, for instance. rolling mill heaters
are paid from S1.S1 to S457 day, IN
Great Britain $4.36, while IN the Unitei
states the average wage for this class
OF labor is $3.50. Common labor in the
rolling mills of Germany receives only
S1.40 to S2,07 day. in Great Britain
S1.6l to $l.6f. and in the United States
1928 The result of similar compat:-
sons for all other industries and trades
would show as great or greater advar-
tages for the American worker. Fig
'res and statistics are dry reading, bu.
they give very accurate picture oi
the progress of American labor toward
greater prosperity in showing that.
while living costs between 1918 AMI
1927 increased 734 per cent. wage rates
in the same time increased 122 per
cent. Trade union rates advanced still
more, l59 per cent.
Shares in Prosperity.
Very clearly, therefore, the American
worker is sharing in prosperity. 1t i
equally clear that his wages and buy
ing power have been brought to !,
higher level than those of the workers
of other nations. principally by three
| factors: protective tariff, which keeps
out of the American market the prod
ucts of the severely exploited labor of
Europe: better education. coupled with
greater intelligence and skill, and bet
ter business organization, including
the development and use of labor
saving machinery.
To keep these advtanges and to over
come certain disadvantages from the
same and other factors is the problem
of the American worker.
! 1t cannot be denied. for instance.
that labor-saying machinery has
| brought Unemployment for those dis
| placed at the same time that it has
| brought higher wages for those who
remain to operate the machines
Many thousands of men and women
nave been displaced by new tools AMI
inventions. The problem of the next
| few years is to so adjust industry an6
| stimulate new business activity as to
make place for all available labor.
Farm relief" also would bring labor
relief-escape from unemployment BY
| many thousands in our cities. A saving
| in distribution costs for the farmer AMI
| better system of marketing surpluses
| for foreign markets would bring mil
lions of dollars to the farms that would
ultimately be spent for the things that
our factories produce. Certainly. also.
! more prosperity on the farms wouli
draw surplus labor from the cities to
the agricultural sections. This is one
! of the great economic. not political.
| problems that labor in the cities Is as
much interested Uneven though not
as directly-as the men and women
on the farms of the Nation. Yet labor
recognizes that unemployment in Amer .
ica he's not become the serious prob
! lem that 1t is in England and other
nations of the Old World. The next
four years will bring either construc-
tive solution to this problem ir Amer
lea or a neglect of it, or temporary,
superficial remedies that may mean
! ultimate disaster
Need Of Markets Abroad.
The home market for it's product is
not by any means the only one in whicn
labor is interested The workers OF
America have been increasing Their
output at tremendous rate. Between
1914 and 1925 the output per man-hou:
in the iron and steel industry increased
nearly so per cent; petroleum refining
83 per cent: paper and pulp manu-
featuring, "a per cent; cement manu-
featuring, 81 per cent: automobiles, l12
per cent: rubber tires, 2l1 per cent, and
-four milling So per cent.
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