Salt Lake Tribune | 1918-12-11 | Page 6 | Reasonable View

REASONABLE VIEW. Elbert H. Gary, head of the Unitod States Steel corporation, is in favor of a sliyht reduction in tho price of steel and against any effort to reduce tho wage scales at present. The Jfrice of steel is abnormally high, and, of course, the producers cannot hope to get as much for their output in time of peace as they havo received during the war, yet the drop must be gradual or great harm will result, not only to tho steel trade but to business generally. Mr. Gary realizes that conditions must be readjusted in an orderly way, and that tho business equilibrium must be maintained main-tained at all hazards, so ho counsels tho American Iron and Steel Institute to be prepared to sustain some slight losses while the work of readjustment is in progress. His reason for koeping wages up to the present high level is that the cost of living shows no signs of going down, and that, the existing wage scales are therefore justified. Mr. Gary is optimistic concerning the future and does not believe that tho-workers of the country are desirous of controlling the methods of production or distribution, and would "treat them as associates and valuable assistants in our work." Many other captains of industry are of the same opinion as the head of the giant steel corporation concerning compensation com-pensation of workingmon and the betterment bet-terment of conditions. If the labor leaders lead-ers are as reasonable as the employers, there is no reason why co-operation should not exist and an end be put to the disastrous strike program which entails heavy losses upon . the country and makes tramps out of honest working-men.