Evening star., 1928-04-10
BACKGROUND OF EVENTS
BY PAUL Y. COLLINS.


men while there is increased prosper
ity and production In practically all
lines of industry continues TO puzzle
the casual observers Of public welfare.
No matter whether the statistics OF
the Department Of Labor are credited
or disputed, in their details, the ex-
pertS of the department have interest,"
ing explanations Of cotempOrary I'M
employment. And they declare that
this has no bearing upon the political
situation.
The logical explanation is that labor
saving machinery really does save labor
while increasing output Manual labor
is becoming almost entirely out of serv-
ice in modern factories. Skill. together
with mechanical contrivanceS result
ing from invention. is doing the work
Of the laborer Wasted effort, say
efficiency engineers. is the most ex-
travagant OF mismanagement, and EN-
ployers find that they cannot afford
to fail to keep pace with modern in
ventiors, in labor-saving.
There are residences and business
buildings Still standing in Washington.
and likewise in all of the centllry-old
cities, wherein the floor boards and
practically every plank and beam of
construction were chopped out by hand.
with an adze. The work employed
laborerS for many days at wages OF
about 81 day, but the result was conf
paratively rough and comparatively
costly. That is no argument, con-
tend economists, in justification of the
retention of the old methods. in order
not to deprive the wage Garner o. his
employment. Other employmentS must
be sought out with as keen brains as
those which invented the circular and
band saw and the planning mill. BY
such means civilization advances from
barbarism.
Seneca exclaimed. centuries ago, "Oh.
how contemplate 3 thing is man un-
less he can raise himself above what is
human!" But the great Roman did not
demand the 6-hour day with Is hours
OF production as a means OF such
elevation. Rather did he ask energy
and ambition that the lowly might rise
above the man with the hoe and the
looSened Jaw" More modern orators
sometimes depend rather on fabrication
Of the "looSened jaw
The man with the hoe" and the
man with the whcelharrow are as use
less TO society as the railSplitter. in an
age of woyen-wire fencing, The power
dredging machine replaces millions of
men with hoes and Shovels.
Time was when iron and steel cast
ingS were loaded onto cars, at the
smelling works and foundry. by labo-
riouS. back-breaking muscular strength.
Tons OF weight were thus handled 20
make mans day wages at 81 or
$125 day. Along came an Edison
with an electric crane: the current of
electricity magnetized plate of steel
suspended from a cahled arm, and IN
Stantly the load clung to the mag
netixed hand Of metal, the crane lifted
and swung around over the leading car,
some one pressed u release button and
tons of cargo fell upon the deck of the
car
Whose crime" was 1t when those
muscular human carriers thus lost their
iohss
A factory which employed nearly 600
men. before the war. now increases its
output 10 per cent with only 100 hands
The 500 who were laid off were unedu~
Gated. unframed day lahorerS capable
Of using only their hands and not their
thinking equipment And today 1t Is
skilled brains, and not muscular
strength. which civilization requires.
Compare the output Of two men dig
gmg up an old asphalt street by the
old method, with the work Of one man
with a modern electric or "alr~pick.
In the case first mentioned one man,
armed with long handled pliers, holds
In place a steel crowbar, upon the top
of which the striker hits with Slcdge-
hammer With two or three terrific
blows. the hammer drives the steel bar
once into the Solid asphalt, In the
more modern case. one man holds his
"alr~pick" In place, and the machine
strikes hlows 80 rapid that they cannot
he counted Ii it a "erime" that enc
alr~piek takes the place Of 40 men IN
street work.
Men who formerly accepted manual
employment as a atatter Of course new
ara educated out of that menlal caste,
aud either qualify for higher grades al
work or else become chronic hohoeS. re-
f(ising any work and eonSpifing 90 make
disturbances OF the peace, THIS Is 81
reported hy managers Of employment
agencies,
The shutting Of our immigration gates
In The last tive years has reduced the
inflow OF common laAareTS" hy az least
a million year, The result II that
there Is an actual reduction In supply Ut
such OF that class az are really willing
Of Prof. Jones' Investigation OF the
negro IN his leisure time activities, and
oG Alain I,uekes survey OF tho negro In
tina AmHrigan drama oR tina f4ltIlra