Show THE TRUE STANDARD the literary digest of october sit 81 reviews a recent volume by dr lyman abbott entitled christianity and social problems problem in which the author i deals with the great question ot of the day how are men to live together in one human brotherhood I 1 it t to is a 1 question with which the best beet thought of every axe age boo baa been concerned and one which is likely to much attention in the near future people are aroused to a realization of the fact that goos godso earth to la not so eo small that the temporal happiness ot of the few can be secured only through the misery of the many they understand that a orsi era of peace and good will to la within the reach of intelligent beings reflecting the image of the creator and specula uve thought and pro practical I 1 expert experiments mente will naturally be directed toward find ing ine the road to that happy goal dr abott in discussing labor and wages points out that the question of the superiority of the be present batem system over feudalism sod and slavery has haa been settled long sao BRO but he finds that it la a deficient chiefly in chiff that it falls to provide steady work to all willing laborers and also to give a fair air equivalent in many cases for labor tie he believes however that mat the existing conditions are but temporary and the industrial unrest to is the result of a blind struggle toward a democracy of wealth 0 which will finally result in labor hiring capital capita not capital labor i 3 and in men not money cont controlling rollin ff industry as they now control govern ment the commonly accepted doctrine that labor jabor to is a commodity and there fore regulated as to its value by supply and demand the author pro nondess a heresy economically false fair and aud ethically on this point be argues when a work logman comes to the factory on a monday morning behas he has nothing to sell he is in empty handed he has come in order to produce something by his exertion and that something when it is is produced Is ia to be sold and part of the proceeds of that sale will of right belong to him because he has helped to produce it and as there is in no labor commodity to be sold so ao there is no labor market in which to sell it A free market assumes assume a variety of sellers with different commodities and a variety of buyers with different needs the seller at perfect liberty to sell or not to sell the buyer at perfect liberty to buy or not to buy there is no such market for labor the laborers are in a great majority of cases as firmly attached to their own byl by prejudice by ignorance of the outside world and its needs by home considerations by their little possessions their houses and lot and by religious ties a an if they were rooted to the soil the they have no variety of skill to offer as an a rule rule the laborer knows how to do well only one thin thing g uses well only one tool and must find an owner for that tool who wishes a laborer to use it or must be idle the production of commodities te Is the result he be further maintains maintain of three classes classee the tool owner or capit alist the superintendent or manager and the tool user or laborer it Is the 9 of political economy to ascertain bow values can be equitably divided between these tats to Is the whole labor question to quote again it Is is not true that the laborer to is en titled to the whole nor does he demand it whatever some of the wild advocates of his cause may have claimed for him the superintendent is entitled to his hare and a large share to direct such an industry to know what products are needed in the world to find a purchaser for them at a price which will give a fair return for the labor of producing them reul requires res of cf a high quality and one which deserves a generous compensation pensa tion the tool owner is entitled to a remuneration presumptively he or alme some one irom from whom he has received his tools has ban saved the money which his companions spent either in present comfort or in doubtful pleasure and he is entitled to a reward for his economy and thrift though it may be a question whether our modern industrial du system does not sometimes give a reward too great for the virtue of acquisition and so transform virtue into a vice the laborer is entitled to a compensation pensa tion since the abolition of slavery no one in theory denies this right the determination how the division of the product of this joint industry shall be made is a difficult one but it is certain that it is not to be made by a system which bids the capitalist pay as little wages as possible for the services rendered and the laborer render as little servi cass possible for the wages received Wb whatever ateer may be the right way this is the he wrong way it Is 18 presumably of great interest to our readers to note the views and ideas idea advanced upon a question of this kind most moot of them are familiar with the noble eglons of the carthage martyr to lay is a broad and solid foundation upon which the diversified In inte teresO reste of mankind can most meet in unity social reformers reformer alto to ensure final ly come back to the fundamental principles he enunciated the cause of all discord in human interests interest is ie to be found in a deviation from we the laws of the originator of the u universe diverse the remedy Is perfect compliance with those laws and never before was wa there perhaps greater need deed ot of emphasizing this truth than at present standards of value have their importance but ID infinitely finitely more important to is the moral standard of men and women in all positions in ID society |