Jasper County Democrat, Volume 22, Number 20, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 7 June 1919 — LABOR UNIONS ARE UNAPPRECIATIVE. [ARTICLE]

LABOR UNIONS ARE UNAPPRECIATIVE.

The radicals who control most of the labor unions of the country are never satisfied, and the more the unions are given the more they want, in most cases. While it is conceded that “the laborer is worthy of his hire,’’ the employer who has his money and brains invested in a certain line of business which he has been years in building up should have some little consideration. The demand for shorter hours and more pay has become chronic with the leaders of these organizations, and -where the matter will finally end is problematical. Concerning the labor trouble at the Overland automobile factory in Toledo, the Lafayette Journal says, in setting out the situation and the unreasonable demands made by the strikers: Mayor Schreiber of Toledo, 0., has called upon Governor Cox to dispatch, troops to Toledo at once as the strike situation there has passed beyond thp control of local authorities, in spite of the fact that a great number of deputy sheriffs had been sworn in. The conditions existing there ajre not encouraging to those who entertain hope that capital and labor everywhere will be able to reacn a mutual understanding that will promote the interests of both. A lew months ago the Willys-Over-land company announced that a iprofit-sharing plan had been evolved by which the employes of the concern would benefit to the extent of 50 % in the net earnings of the

company. It appeared to be, and was in fact, a very generous atti-l tude for the company to assume. But the employes evidently construed it as an evidence of weakness and made demands for a 44hour week with 4 8 hours pay. To this the company demurred and a 1 strike Involving nearly 15,000 persons resulted several weeks ago. Later the company was able to resume operations in some departments with labor recruited outside the ranks of the strikers. The situation has been growing more menacing of late and yester-! day the culmination of tension was 1 reached when strikers attacked some of the employes and beat them with clubs and hurled whatever missies were obtainable. Soldier guards from the automobile plant fired into the crowd and killed two persons. Following the killing the mayor called for state 1 troops. The industrial situation as al whole is one of many complexities.; As wages increase there becomes evident a disinclination to woYk. | Employes demand shorter hours in order that they may have more leisure in which to spend -their, money. Opportunity for spending begets the need for more money, and increased ■wages are demanded. Shorter hours, beyond a pfetty well established minimum, . mean decreased production to a point where' it becomes necessairy to increase the price of the product, thus adding l to the cost of living all along thej line and making the need for more money more acute. It appeal's to' be a never-ending effort of the dog to swallow his own tail. If he will keep at it long enougn he will choke himself to death. There never was a time when ’ such sincere effort was being made to mete justice to labor, never was I so much thought being given to the problem of trying to better the conditions of those who toil. But this much is certain, industry can-! not bear the burden of a work day! that is too short. Men, as a class, i cannot produce in five or six hours' the equivalent of a living for them-1 selves and their families. If the people of every nation were upon' a (plane of equality in all things, I perhaps such a scheme might be' worked out, but it is not feasible! in this day, nor will it ever be. Humanity progresses through the medium of wholesome work, not through play. The hours of won kJ must not be too long, neither must' they be too short, if progress and j happiness are to follow. But it | is already apparent that there must be radical revision of ideas concerning some things if we are to avoid an industrial crisis in America.