Evening star., 1932-09-04

The wife of the workingman was
happy to possess one good black silk
dress for Sunday and special occasions
Silk stockings and silk clothing for
everyday wear were undreamed of lux
uries. A carpet sweeper was the utmost
in labor saving devices In the home.
Those days are gone forever-and
happily gone, for labor generally.
Labor Expects Larger Share.
Labor expects a much larger share
now of the fruits of its own industry.
Through steadfast adherence to the ac-
cepted principle of a protective tariff.
standards of living for the mass OF
people were raised in this country far
above the standards that prevailed and
still prevail in other countries. We shall
never permanently lower our standards;
we shall raise them instead That Is
the hopeful outlook of. American labor.
1t need hardly be said that this also Is
the purpose of the labor organizations
which have been so largely responsible
for the advancement of labor in this
country.
Recently we have begun to glimpse
the signs of an industrial upturn. The
United States Employment Service re-
ports late In August showed, for In
stance. improved conditions In the I'M
portant boot and shoe industry, with
considerable number of factories in
creasing operation to full-time basis
and recalling many workers who had
been out of jobs.
At the same time decided upward
trend became noticeable in the textile
industry. Thousands Of men and
women recently have been re-employed
in the mills manufacturing woolen and
worsted goods, rayon and silk prod
ucts and hosiery. Expansion IN road
construction has increased employment
in stone quarries and cement mills;
There are indications that the upward
trend is something more than a sea-
sonal gain.
The present position OF labor is still
far from satisfactory. But neither, on
the other hand, is the position Of cap
ital satisfactory. Both the owners OF
industrial establishments and those
who work or worked in them have
suffered losses. And though there is
now every indication that the major
disturbances are over, the world has
not vet reached state of settled sta
bility. The work of rebuilding has
only fairly begun. During the last
three years the economic convulsion
The United States has come through
with no change in the form of its
Government and with its currency un-
debased and still firmly attached to
the gold standard. That means that
we are standing in this country on a
firm ground on which can be built
I'D an economic structure affording
comfort and security to the bulk of our
population.
There are far too many of our peo-
pie unemployed, but by unexampled
skill and wisdom in steering the ship
of state through the worst storm in
earners have been kept on the pay
rolls Of private enterprises in the
United States And the data gathered
by an impartial, non-political, nom
governmental organization show that,
although many wage reductions have
occurred since 1929, the average of
wages in Is principal manufacturing
industries in April, 1882, was more
than 100 per cent above the wage level
Of 1918.
Hourly Rates Maintained.
This Is not due to mere accident" :"
It is the result of the effort of the
President to maintain wage standards
and working conditions until better
economic adjustments develop. Almost
Immediately after the stock market
collapse the President secured agree
ments from the heads of the most
important industries to maintain the
then existing wages as long as pos
sible. The result was that in May,
1881, year and half afterward, a
survey made by the Department of
Labor of the principal trades in 81
important industrial cities showed that
hourly wage rates were still being
maintained. Meantime the cost of liv-
ing had gone down about IL per cent.
The administration has every right
to speak proudly Of what 1t has done
to prevent q national catastrophe 70
the mass Of workers. It has acted