Show lABOR DEClARED I HIGH IN EUROPE NEW YORK Aug 27 European European cheap labor Is a a. bugaboo created for propaganda da cIa In favor of ot a higher tariff here the Norwegian American chamber of commerce commerce com corn merce says It goes s-oes on to assert rt that labor costs In Norway e have risen per cent since 1914 and that hours havo have decreased 1 14 3 3 per cent 4 Cheap European labor says saB an nn announcement from tho the chamber of commerce com corn merco merce has been emphasized as ns a reason Wh why a c tariff ought to be enacted on- on I acted and passed at once In using this I argument arg to bring pressure upon cOno congress congress con cOn- o gress the Interests In question havo have t tat tat- tI t- t ed fd evor every European country as though It Il had hall nothing but pauper labor and therefore therefore there there- I fore are stood read ready to drIve o American manufacturers manufacturers man man- and producers out of ot business by underselling them In their own o domestic domes domes- tic market In our opinion such fears have havo no basis In fact On the contrary most European European Eu- Eu countries s have havo ver very verj high labor I costs In fact some omo of them have ha labor costs that are equal If It not greater than those of tho the manufacturers and producers In the tho United S States ea As A a matter of fact tact wages In Norway were ere high even en before the tho war Durin During the war of ot course all wages w es Increased enormously to keep paco pace with the increase in the cost of ot livIng livIng living liv liv- ing According to official statistics the tho Increase In the tho cost of living In Norway from July 1914 to August Aus 1918 was 16 per cent Sweden 17 per cent Denmark 32 82 per pur c cent nt England per cent Italy Oi per cent and tho United States per pOl cent It lit will bo be seen that the cost of or living In Norway Vay or Increased moro more than that of I an any other country countr mentioned except Ital Italy This Increase Aery ery ver naturally led to aI A corresponding Increase In wages In fact tact I according f to statistics compiled by the tho Norwegian Employers Employers' association wages generally advanced more than tho cost coat of ot living Thus In tho period of or 1911 to 1919 un weekly wages eB Increased Increase 1 2 19 per cent while tho the cost of living Increased d per percent percent percent cent At the tho same name time lime a an the wages havo have Increased th the number of ot hours of ot labor havo d decreased Norway Xora Is la now V legally committed to tho fort hour fort hour forty wee week In practically all of Its industries This Is an nn a decrease since 1911 of ot 9 97 7 hours a week or per cent In the export Industries where the greatest de decrease do- do crease has s taken place It amounts to 10 S hours hour a week or 18 14 1 4 per cent With wa wages es remaining unchanged this I decrease In tho the hours of ot work Is equivalent equivalent uha I lent ent to a n corresponding Increase In tho the thoI wages De Despite these Increases In wages rages and decreases eR In hours tho the laborers in tn n nevery I every Industry as their agreements ex expired expired ox- ox in 1919 and 1920 gave o notice to tol toI I l their employers that they did not want to toI renew their old agreements This re resulted re- re suIted d In long negotiations which for tor forthe I tho the majority of Industries led to no di direct direct dl- dl settlements Thus most of the die die- I had to bo be settled bv by compulsory or arbitration In accordance with the Norwegian Norwegian Nor Xo- I w lan law lawIt lawIt lawit It Is Is therefore therdore evident that the labor tabor coSts coats In the Norwegian I n export Industries the only Industries In Norway that produce produce pro pro- duce duco anything to fo American market aro are equal to If It not greater than th the labor costs coats In the tho United d States Even It If no other element e In tho the cost of ot production Is considered It Is clear clur that It Is la utterly Impossible for tor Norway to dump clump any ony of or her products on tho the American market without at nt the tho same time limo bringing ruin to her Industries There are arc however howe other costs In nto to the labor costs I which make the tho production In the tho Norwegian Nor Zor- export Industries abnormally hl hllen rn For or Instance In tho ho wood pulp pull and paper I Industries the tise prIce for tor the lumber required re- re has hils Increased d man many fold told since 1914 owing to the diminishing lumber supplies I of ot Norway arid and to tho the fact that Finnish and aM Russian lumber ha have hoo o not been en avail all I I able abie |