Manawatu Herald SATURDAY, SEPTEMB. 24, 1921. HIGH WAGES OR HAPPINESS.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLIII, Issue 2334, 24 September 1921, Page 2

Manawatu Herald SATURDAY, SEPTEMB. 24, 1921. HIGH WAGES OR HAPPINESS.

THOUGH written on February sth, 1914, the following observations by that eminent American, Dr. Charles W. Eliot, on trades unionism, are pertinent to presept conditions. Agreeing that trades unions have raised wages and shortened hours, and that, the factory system has been greatly improved in the course of the last 100 years through the war waged by the trades unions ngainst employers and managers, and that it needed, and slit! needs, improvement. Dr. Eliot said: —“My objections to the trades unions are altogether educational and moral. They seem to me to have had a bad effect; on the character and happiness of their members, because of certain methods which they have used and are still using. The first of these objectionable methods is the habitual use of violence against persons and property to gain their ends. The second is the limited output. The third is the uniform wage, alike for all journeymen, without regard to age or skill. The fourth is

tlie disregard to age or skill. The fourth is I he disregard of contracts —their own eonlraels, and contracts which employers or managers have entered into will) owners or consumers, hut have not yet fulfilled. The first and last of these practices are grave violations of' I he universal moral sense. The second and third roh the working man of strong motives for .self-government, and make it probable I hat he will do no hearty, zealous, faithful work. Under these conditions it is impossible to be happy in the lifework, for there is no ha|fpy, contented work except that done with goodwill, generous zeal, and loyalty. I cannot agree that the trades unions have brought happiness to any working •men. Higher wages, shortened hours, better clothes, and more meat do not necessarily contribute to genuine happiness any more than the luxuries of the rich do. Happiness and content are states of mind. Is it not perfectly plain that in our country trades unionists are not really happy as a matter of fact? To my thinking they never will be so long as they get no satisfaction in their daily work. It is the grudging spirit in which they work which prevents them from getting any content out of their work for a livelihood. All well-read, thinking people believe that the progress of civilisation depends on universal, steady, productive labour; the unions seem to believe the less one works the better. ■ Although profit-sharing is not

applicable in all industries, I see in sound methods of profit-sharing one mode of escape from the deplorable effects of trades union teachings; for just profit-sharing will put to employer' and employed alike precisely the same motive for faithful, generous co-operative industry, and for successful prodijetivencss. No profit-sharing method will work which does not turn out to be in the long run profitable alike to employer and employed, to owner and wageearner, to capital and labour.”