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 THE LIBRARY 
 OF 
 
 THE UNIVERSITY 
 
 OF CALIFORNIA 
 
 LOS ANGELES
 
 THE PROBLEM OF 
 THE UNEMPLOYED 
 
 BY 
 
 REV. W. S. WILLIAMS, M. D. 
 
 BOSTON: THE GORHAM PRESS 
 
 TORONTO: THE COPP CLARK CO., LIMITED
 
 Copyright, 1917, by W. S. Williams, M. D. 
 
 All Rigrhts Reserved 
 
 made in the united states of america 
 The Gorham Press. Boston U. S. a.
 
 
 PREFACE 
 
 The following essay has been written under a 
 deep sense of the need of an honest effort at reduc- 
 ing if not abolishing the commercial and social cess- 
 pool of our age — unemployment. In this decade, 
 when national ideals are taking a new and higher 
 form, Unemployment, as a "problem of industry," 
 should yield to the higher industrial and social 
 righteousness. We desire to acknowledge our in- 
 debtedness to Dr. Josiah Strong, of New York; 
 Mr. A. C. Pigou, Mr. Percy Alden, M. P. ; and 
 Mr. W. H. Beveridge, of England, whose writ- 
 ings have greatly helped the writer to arrive at 
 definite conclusions. 
 
 THE AUTHOR. 
 
 1458366
 
 CONTENTS 
 
 I. Statement of the Case 9 
 
 II. Definitions and Divisions 14 
 
 III. Extent and Seriousness of Condition. . 21 
 
 IV. Causes or Why the Unemployed 30 
 
 V. How the Problem has been Treated. . . 74 
 
 VI. Solution of the Problem 81
 
 THE PROBLEM OF THE UNEMPLOYED
 
 The 
 Problem of the Unemployed 
 
 I 
 
 STATEMENT OF THE CASE 
 
 TN turning to our Dictionaries, for the ex- 
 act meaning of the word problem, we find 
 this definition— "A matter of uncertainty, re- 
 quiring further light to determine the truth, 
 especially when difficult or uncertain of solu- 
 tion." Every unbiased, well informed reader will 
 know that all the elements of "uncertainty" are 
 here, and thus our subject can be justly called a 
 Problem. This you will further see in the fact 
 that even the best writers, the most exact in the use 
 of words, are not able to speak of the unemployed, 
 and unemployment in the same terms. Thus there 
 must be something in the subject that is hazy, even 
 for clear thinkers. 
 
 The answers to the question — "What constitutes 
 the unemployed and unemployment, the problem it 
 is?" are as varied, as the minds that have offered a 
 solution. The problem is a product of many and 
 Infinitely various forces; some economic, others per- 
 sonal, some transient, others persistent and statlon- 
 
 9
 
 lO The Problem of the Unemployed 
 
 ary; some superficial; others deeply rooted in the 
 social and industrial fabrics. On the one hand you 
 will find it stated that it is a problem of progress. 
 On the other, it is definitely stated, that the labor 
 problem, is made so, because it aims at improving 
 the conditions of the wage-earning classes. It can- 
 not be denied, and looking on this vast question 
 from an economic standpoint, but that the genu- 
 inely unemployed are as they are, because of the 
 maladjustment between the supply of labor and its 
 demands. Whoever approaches this question with 
 the preoccupation, that any man who wants work 
 can get it — will never arrive at any solution of the 
 subject. True, on all hands, you will hear the ques- 
 tion asked, "Why is the man unemployed?" But 
 the asking of the question does not solve the prob- 
 lem. The answer to the question by a labor econ- 
 omist will be^ — that the enforced idleness of the man 
 points, either to defect in himself, or to an excess 
 of the supply of labor over its demand. Ten to one 
 it is this latter. Then in this light, and if, this is 
 all, the way to solve the problem is to adjust this 
 demand. As this is the maladjustment of industry, 
 then correct and improve industry Itself. We wish 
 the problem so easy of solution. 
 
 The problem of the unemployed is the problem 
 of all civilized communities, but especially of all 
 manufacturing countries. Then we must remem- 
 ber, the problem is not a transitory, but a perma-
 
 The Problem of the Unemployed 1 1 
 
 nent one. Its seriousness will be modified only, 
 as the causes are removed. The point is this, and 
 this is the crux of the whole question — how can an 
 honest workman be provided with work that will 
 meet the simple requirements of himself and his 
 family. It is easier said than done — "remove the 
 cause." When we face this crux, we are appalled 
 with the vastness of the problem. From the nature 
 of the problem thus revealed, we find that all the 
 social and economic problems are mixed with the 
 one considered. The condition of the unemployed 
 as a rule is the product of many, and infinitely vari- 
 ous forces, — some economic; others personal; some 
 transient; others persistent; some superficial, others 
 deeply rooted in the social and economic fabrics. 
 No question the problem of the unemployed is 
 caused primarily by the state of society, thus the 
 question becomes a serious social one. Between un- 
 employment and the social fabric there is a very 
 close, and sensitive relation. Such a condition then, 
 at once, points to a radical defect in our Social Sys- 
 tem. This defect is seen in various relations. The 
 easiest to be seen is that society has no ability, and 
 if it has, it has not used it, to organize and co-ordi- 
 nate the wealth producing power of the country to 
 remedy one of the most serious evils. Mr. Charles 
 Booth of London (England) , after a careful study 
 of the subject made this declaration, "Our modern 
 system of industry will not work without some un-
 
 12 The Problem of the Unemployed 
 
 employed margin, some reserve of labor." Mr. 
 Booth is not the only one in such a belief. Wheth- 
 er this is true from an industrial standpoint, surely 
 enlightened and Christianized social conditions will, 
 and should not stand for the subjection of a large 
 section of citizens to be nothing better than the 
 slaves of the minority of the citizens, in the same 
 country? Fluctuations and other changes in busi- 
 ness, may call for a nominal reserve, in a transitory 
 state, but not the vast army of unemployed, we have 
 today. Take away from employers of labor their 
 selfish purpose in their business, and this problem 
 is far on the way of solution. In God's world, no 
 man has a right to hold his brother in conditions 
 that he desires not for himself. Take another view 
 — if unemployment is necessary to our economic 
 system, the system itself should be quickly changed. 
 The fact is palpable, that the large number of un- 
 employed exists not because of the nature of our 
 economic system per se, but is largely the result of 
 economic disorder. 
 
 And whatever else it is, — certainly, it is a prob- 
 lem of applied religion. It is high time the ethics 
 of Jesus, should be applied in their larger meaning 
 to industry and economics. It is not now our pur- 
 pose to enter into the extent of the problem, we here 
 will only refer to the increasing number of unem- 
 ployed, as an argument for the urgency and per- 
 plexing condition of the unemployed as a demand
 
 The Problem of the Unemployed 13 
 
 for immediate action. It is not a want to be satis- 
 fied, but a disease to be eradicated. It has to be 
 faced with serious thought, and determination. 
 First of all, we must be convinced, the problem 
 can be solved. It is not a failure of existing social 
 conditions, nor an entire collapse of our economic 
 fabric. And in solving this problem, we must be 
 prepared to forego certain previous industrial 
 methods and customs. It is very gratifying to be 
 convinced, that in society there is a growth of a 
 sense of responsibility for the unemployed. There 
 is also a demand for a more correct, and a fuller in- 
 formation on the subject. The crude ideas of the 
 past, are being forced out of men's minds. They 
 are convinced that the county (poor) house, the 
 doling of charity, is not a cure. Men are getting- 
 scientific in demanding the history of the case, and 
 its true diagnosis, and they are ready to abide by 
 the results.
 
 II 
 
 DEFINITIONS AND DIVISIONS 
 
 ' I 'HE same indefiniteness, or lack of care in mak- 
 ing distinctions, is found in connection with this 
 part of our subject. Men cannot be classified as un- 
 employed, simply because they are for a certain 
 time idle. Idleness and unemployment, are not al- 
 ways correlated terms. In our Western civiliza- 
 tion, we have been unfortunate in substituting for 
 the Eastern Caste, class distinction, which has been 
 carried too far. Now a belief has grown that a 
 man cannot pass from one class to the other. The 
 current phrase, "Once a wage earner, always a 
 wage earner," should be dropt. It is the mistaken 
 ideas as to these classes, that has caused such a 
 vagueness in certain literature, as to who are the 
 unemployed. The importance of a clear distinction 
 as to who constitutes the unemployed class is well 
 brought out by Mr. John Burns, a labor leader of 
 England. He thus writes, "In spite of some advo- 
 cates of work for the unemployed, I may say, I con- 
 tend as a Socialist, that until the differentiation of 
 the laborer from the loafer takes place, the unem- 
 ployed question can never be properly discussed, 
 and dealt with. Till the tramp, thief, and ne'er- 
 
 14
 
 The Problem of the Unemployed 15 
 
 do-well, however pitiable he may be, is dealt with 
 distinctly from the genuine worker, no permanent 
 benefit will result to any of them. The gentleman 
 who gets up to look for work at mid-day, and prays 
 that he may not find it, is undeserving of pity." Oth- 
 er men as capable to judge, and not lacking in char- 
 ity, state amongst the unemployed, are a large num- 
 ber of inefficient and worthless men, whose services 
 economically are not wanted. But again, let us con- 
 sider, to what is due the inefficiency of the incompe- 
 tents? Mr. Charles Booth, helps to answer the 
 question when he says — "The irregularity Immedi- 
 ately resulting from fluctuation in demand, the sea- 
 sons and other causes quoted. Is a sufficiently serious 
 evil in itself, but other results as serious, if not more 
 so, follow in Its track. Casual employment Is found 
 almost Invariably to Involve deterioration in both 
 physique and character. The hopeless hand-to- 
 mouth kind of existence Is . . . least condu- 
 cive to thrift, self-reliance Is weakened, and habits 
 of idleness, unsteadiness, and intemperance (are) 
 formed." And the second generation suffers more. 
 Now in classifying the unemployed. It Is well to re- 
 member, such facts and conditions. Unemploy- 
 ment, no question, may be, and Is, a part of Indus- 
 trial competition, and as long as this condition, un- 
 der the present system, lasts, there will be unem- 
 ployed. Two questions meet us here, — ( i ) Is every 
 one who Is unemployed at any time, whether by
 
 1 6 The Problem of the Unemployed 
 
 sickness, or some other cause, to be reckoned as 
 among the unemployed? (2) Are those who do 
 not want to work to be considered as among the 
 unemployed? Unemployment is hard to define be- 
 cause so many varied conditions enter into the sub- 
 ject, and the various classes who are not constant 
 workers, at times are employed, and so are consid- 
 ered workers. The public speak of the unemployed 
 as those who are not occupied the full day, though 
 tiiey may be employed part of the day. The Brit- 
 ish National Insurance Act basis its calculations, 
 and idea of unemployment on the hours occupied in 
 labor. This act looks on a man as unemployed 
 when he cannot obtain the work he desires," (i) 
 otherwise than in a situation vacant on account of 
 a stoppage of work due to an industrial dispute, 
 (2) "in the district where he (workman) was last 
 ordinarily employed, otherwise than at a rate low- 
 er, or on conditions less favorable, than those which 
 he habitually obtained in his usual employment in 
 that district, or would have obtained had he con- 
 tinued to be so employed, (3) in any other dis- 
 trict, otherwise than at a rate of wage lower, or on 
 conditions less favorable than those generally ob- 
 tained in such district by agreement between asso- 
 ciations of employers and of workmen, or, failing 
 any such agreement, than those generally recog- 
 nized in such district by good employers." Mr. 
 Carroll D. Wright (1886) stated, "The unem-
 
 The Problem of the Unemployed 17 
 
 ployed are those who under prosperous times 
 would be fully employed, and who during the time 
 mentioned, were seeking employment." This defi- 
 nition greatly reduces the number of the unem- 
 ployed. In justice to all, the partially employed 
 should be added to the above. Some think the 
 term unemployed designate those who do not get 
 remunerative work. These would embrace those 
 who work from quarter to half their time. Then 
 there are the respectable poor who do not make 
 known their condition, but who suffer because 
 of under-employment. Through its Poor Law 
 Commissions, England has reduced the number of 
 the unemployed. This is done by making a special 
 provision to care for what is known as the depend- 
 able classes. These are taken out of the unem- 
 ployed class. These classes are, the aged, feeble- 
 minded, and the immature. England then, knows, 
 as unemployed only, ( i ) Men from permanent 
 institutions who may be idle. (2) Men from dis- 
 continuous employment. (3) The underem- 
 ployed. (4) The unemployables. In the report 
 of the Minority of the Poor Law Commission to 
 the British Parliament (1909) we find, in order 
 to deal adequately with the problem of the unem- 
 ployed, they insist that ( i ) "the aged, the sick, 
 feeble-minded, the immature youth, who take the 
 place of the experienced and drive them 
 to forced inactivity, must be entirely removed
 
 1 8 The Problem of the Unemployed 
 
 from the Labor Market, and be provided for, by 
 the authorities. Taking a broad view of the unem- 
 ployed they appear as being such from two causes, 
 (i) From industrial maladjustment. (2) Those 
 who, from various causes are inefficient. These 
 points cover the employer and the employee. The 
 following division gives a very workable basis to 
 get at the unemployed. 
 
 ( 1 ) Unskilled laborers, physically and morally 
 unable to work steady, for a continuous period. No 
 law is known that can rule out these people from the 
 ranks of the unemployed — they are there. 
 
 (2) The Actually Unemployables, who though 
 obtaining odd jobs yet are more at home in loafing, 
 and watching for charity doles, and breadlines. 
 Government no question, should take this class in 
 hand, and deal with them by the only measures that 
 will be of value. Thus the ranks of the truly unem- 
 ployed will be weeded out, and thus the problem 
 will be made easier to solve. 
 
 (3) Efficient Workmen unemployed by pro- 
 longed depression of trade, from the many differ- 
 ent causes that prevail. 
 
 (4) Skilled and Efficient Workmen temporar- 
 ily, out of employment, owing to seasonal or unfor- 
 seen stoppage of work, or some disturbance in the 
 normal condition of the trade. Even in our unsat- 
 isfactory state as to the unemployed, these two last 
 classes are the only ones that should be considered
 
 The Problem of the Unemployed 19 
 
 amongst the unemployed. 
 
 There is another class that cannot be forgotten. 
 This is the underemployed, so called. These often- 
 est belong to the "Bare-Subsistence-Trades." Such 
 are the trades who force the workman to work at 
 wages below self-support. The underemployed, 
 are a large class, and they are recruited mostly from 
 the ranks of Casual labor. Some, it is true, have 
 come from the higher grades. In this connection 
 there is an actual leakage of labor power, which in- 
 volves more serious issues than that through fluctu- 
 ations of industry. Any agency that deals with un- 
 employment, must deal first of all with underem- 
 ployment for the step from this to unemployment 
 is very short and direct. Underemployment is a 
 very subtle and dangerous condition. The under- 
 employed are those who are called on often enough, 
 to be prevented from drifting elsewhere, and who 
 keep at a high margin the reserve of labor. Their 
 pay is inadequate to make a decent living, and they 
 are a menace, not only to the labor market, but also 
 to the genuinely unemployed. A demand for a liv- 
 ing wage should quickly make the underemployed 
 non-existent. To employ children at school at odd 
 jobs, should also be prohibited by laws. To call the 
 unemployed those who "are involuntary idle," is to 
 enlarge the horizon too far. While the sentence is 
 true enough as to the genuinely unemployed, how 
 many elements are brought in which might be allied
 
 20 The Problem of the Unemployed 
 
 to the subject. 
 
 There is another definition which calls for a 
 warm consideration. It is the one that confines the 
 unemployed to those only who work for wages, and 
 who by whatever cause, when their wages fail them 
 are unemployed. We know that many economists, 
 restrict the term "Unemployment," to a condition 
 among the wage earning classes, and this in respect 
 to wage work. If a man can do something after 
 his day's labor is over this does not exclude him 
 from the wage earning class. The term applies to 
 wage earners when they are unemployed in respect 
 to wage work. Many things might be said, against 
 this view. We all know that unemployment does 
 not include all the idleness of the wage earners. Un- 
 employment refers to the forced idleness of men 
 who want to work. This will exclude many classes, 
 as those who do not want, for any price, to work; 
 the sick, the aged, the infirm, and the feeble-minded. 
 To come within the proper meaning of the term, 
 the unemployed should be those who, are compelled 
 to be idle, when they can and want work, but at 
 present, such is not the current views. This is, any 
 man, who living on a day's wages, is deprived of 
 the means of earning this amount. Under this view 
 the army of the unemployed is bound to be large.
 
 Ill 
 
 EXTENT AND SERIOUSNESS OF THE 
 CONDITION 
 
 npHIS will take in the number of the unemployed, 
 and the extent of unemployment, with the re- 
 sults. It is the extent of unemployment that adds 
 number and force to the army of the unemployed. 
 A vital lack in our social, political, and industrial 
 life is this, there is a great lack of information on 
 this field of practical everyday life. Why it should 
 be so, brings out in answer a condemnation of our 
 attitude towards the unemployed. At the bar of 
 this query, society is held as the accused. European 
 countries, because of their longer acquaintance with 
 this disease, and their methods of dealing with it, 
 are in possession of a more exact information there- 
 on. In the United States, conditions have been such 
 that very little attention was given this social gan- 
 grene. What efforts that were made in the past to 
 get at real facts, has been done by churches and 
 charitable institutions in our large centres of popula- 
 tion, because of the demand of the unemployed for 
 relief. In answer to the question, — What is the 
 number of the unemployed, we are face to face with 
 
 21
 
 22 The Problem of the Unemployed 
 
 the fact that there is no universal system to register 
 the unemployed. The difficulty to get at the root 
 of this is probably fundamental. It is much easier 
 to find the number of the employed, but this will 
 not help us. In England there are various ways to 
 get at the number of the unemployed, and yet the 
 net result is unsatisfactory. The Department of 
 Labor in the United States, is too modern and too 
 incomplete in its formation and function. But this 
 year it is in a far better condition to give good re- 
 sults, more so, than at any time. When we glance 
 at England years back, its only means was the Re- 
 lief Department of Government, with its Relieving 
 Officer and Poor House plan in every assigned sec- 
 tion. So unsatisfactory was the working of this 
 system, that for years constant improvements are 
 introduced. At the present time, there is in that 
 country various methods to get at the condition. 
 We will name first the Returns of the Trade Unions 
 to the Labor Department of the Board of Trade. 
 The other is the Report of the Distress Committees 
 under the Unemployed Workman's Act of 1905. 
 But these are far from being complete. The Re- 
 turns of the unemployed by the unions are published 
 monthly in the Labor Gazette. The returns for 
 January, 1908, from the unions are these. Out of 
 a membership of 649,789 there were 40,580 unem- 
 ployed, in some form or other. But you will know, 
 these unions cover only a very partial section of the
 
 The Problem of the Unemployed 23 
 
 labor market. Let us look to the report for the 
 end of December, 1907. Here we find the unem- 
 ployed — out of the employed reported by the un- 
 ions, to be 6,1 per cent. Looking back a year to 
 January, 1907, we find the percentage to be 4.2 
 (England). So unreliable, however, are the re- 
 turns of the Trade Unions as to the unemployed, 
 that it is better not to rely upon them. When we 
 look to the Distress Committees we do not fare any 
 better. Some of these committees have not taken 
 any action. The others have been only partial. The 
 power that created these committees entrusted them 
 with the business of registering, investigating, and 
 classifying the unemployed. Of the result, it is evi- 
 dent to all, that there is none. To show what a 
 long period of suffering we have passed through, 
 because of this diseased condition in the industrial 
 and social circles we will hurriedly glance over vari- 
 ous places and periods. The statistics as to the his- 
 tory of unemployment up to the year 1 890 are very 
 meagre, especially in the United States. Previous 
 to this, one of the best states to pay any attention to 
 the unemployed was Massachusetts. Looking back 
 on the history of this state we find that 29.6 per 
 cent, is the record for the year 1885. This is the 
 percentage of the unemployed as compared with the 
 population of this state, and this for one year. In 
 1900 the returns gave 28.2 per cent. Taking the 
 whole of the United States in the year 1 890 we find
 
 24 The Problem of the Unemployed 
 
 — and taking the population of from lo years of 
 age and over, that 15.1 per cent, were unemployed 
 during the year. The returns for 1900 are doubt- 
 ful, but they give us as unemployed 22.3. In Eng- 
 land until the year 1875 there was a general de- 
 crease in unemployment. However, after that year 
 there was a constant increase in the percentage of 
 the unemployed until the year 1886 when it reached 
 its maximum. Between this year and 19 10, owing 
 to trade depressions the above maximum was not 
 reduced. In the best years in England, never has 
 the percentage of unemployment gone below 2 per 
 cent. The lowest figure known is 2.2 per cent, and 
 this occurred in the year 1899 in April and No- 
 vember. The reason for this was that many fac- 
 tories and works kept running. As regards the 
 United States, it is generally conceded that in nor- 
 mal times, the statistics of Massachusetts, may be 
 relied on in all parts of the country, that will come 
 near the same condition. In 1885 a thorough in- 
 quiry was made in Massachusetts amongst all em- 
 ployed in productive industries. There were 806,- 
 470 bread-winners in the state. Of these 241,589 
 had been unemployed at their principal occupations 
 on an average 4. 1 1 months in the year named. The 
 total wage-earning population lost on an average 
 1.22 months. Of the 241,589 unemployed at their 
 principal occupations, 10,758 found work at sec- 
 ondary occupations. Thus the unemployed lost
 
 The Problem of the Unemployed 25 
 
 during the year on an average 3.9 1 months, and the 
 general Industrial population 1.16 months. The 
 Commissioners of Labor said, "Abour one-third of 
 the total persons engaged in remunerative labor 
 were unemployed at their principal occupation for 
 about one-third of the working time." Taking the 
 census of 1900 (U. S. ) as our guide we find, and 
 taking the whole country, and all industries into ac- 
 count, that there were 22.3 per cent, unemployed. 
 In the manufacturing districts it was 27.2 per cent. 
 We find that unemployment is more prevalent in 
 the eastern, and northern (U. S. ) sections of the 
 country. In Bedford, Fall River and other centres 
 (Mass.), in 1S85, the percentage went up to 62 
 per cent. We often meet with the sentence, "fluctua- 
 tion in the number of the unemployed." This 
 "means that about 30 per cent, of the maximum 
 number employed in the busiest season, are ren- 
 dered idle during the slack seasons." This percent- 
 age is given for one state alone. But this condition 
 is not confined to one state. In the anthracite coal 
 mines, we find that the average time the men are 
 employed is not more than two-thirds. Seamen on 
 the lakes (U. S.) are not employed on an average 
 more than three months of the year. In the cloth- 
 ing trades in New York City, conditions are but lit- 
 tle better. During the first seven months of 1903 
 about one-third, and one-fourth of all the workmen 
 of New York City were unemployed. This year
 
 id The Problem of the Unemployed 
 
 was considered prosperous. In times that are not 
 as prosperous the number is much higher. In Janu- 
 ary, 191 5, the church of the Ascension, N. Y. City, 
 situated on Fifth Ave,, employed rehable men to 
 look thoroughly into the condition and number of 
 the unemployed in that city (Greater N. Y. City). 
 These men gave the following figures. They found 
 60,000 without work, money and shelter. The to- 
 tal unemployed as far as they were able to secure 
 the figures were 562,700. They found 125,000 
 women. This is rather below than above the actual 
 number. The United States Labor Report, re- 
 ferring to the year 1886 gives us the following 
 facts, — "In establishments as factories, mines, and 
 so on, 5 per cent, were absolutely idle during the 
 year ending July ist, 1885, and perhaps 5 per cent, 
 more were idle part of the time. In 1880 (census) 
 there were 255,000 of such estabhshments employ- 
 ing upward of 2,250,000. In such establishments 
 during the year mentioned, there were 168,750 em- 
 ployees idle." In 1880 this report gives, out of the 
 whole population of the country (U. S.), 1,304,- 
 497 as unemployed. For the year 1885 the figures 
 are 998,839 unemployed. And this in such a 
 young country as ours, with everything to discour- 
 age unemployment. In the year 1895 (U. S. ) the 
 number of the unemployed is increasing. Mr. 
 Wright of the Bureau of Labor estimates that for 
 the year, he reports 1,000,000 are unemployed of
 
 The Problem of the Unemployed 27 
 
 those who in prosperous times would be employed. 
 Then what of those who are habitually on the un- 
 employed list? In the Annual Report of the Amer- 
 ican Telephone and Telegraph Company issued by 
 its President, Mr. T. N. Vail, March 25, 1915, we 
 find the statement that there are (on this date), 
 2,000,000 persons unemployed in the United States, 
 whose yearly earnings should be, at least $1,250,- 
 000,000. Let us now see what is the testimony of 
 the Fabian Tract, No. 5, as to England and 
 Wales. "Of the great permanent Army of the un- 
 employed, no reliable statistics can be obtained. 
 Mr. Charles Booth writing of the class on or be- 
 low the poverty line, — whose earnings do not ex- 
 ceed a guinea a week per family — numbered in 
 London 1,292,737. To this number he added 99,- 
 830 inmates of workhouses, etc., making a total of 
 1,400,000 of the population of London. Then he 
 adds of the pauper class 2,460,000. To add the 
 pauper class is not wrong for the greatest number 
 in this class are so because of unemployment." Mr. 
 William Sproule, President of the Pacific System of 
 the Southern Pacific Railroad, speaking at the end 
 of February, 19 15, uses these very words, — "The 
 country is in the midst of a period of unemployment 
 and distress, the like of which the nation never saw 
 before. It is the habit of the time to speak of un- 
 employment as if it related only to those who work
 
 2 8 The Problem of the Unemployed 
 
 for a specific hourly or daily, weekly or monthly 
 wage. It is thought of chiefly as relating to those 
 engaged in minor places or in the humbler duties of 
 life." Then he goes on to explain how present con- 
 ditions affect business men. One term Mr. Sproule 
 uses, is worthy of thought. It is this, "unprece- 
 dented condition." We find that to-day there are 
 6,000,000 women out of employment. Here is the 
 list as if in a nutshell. 
 
 There are 10,000,000 in poverty. 
 
 There are 4,000,000 public paupers. 
 
 There are 2,000,000 (U. S.) unemployed. 
 
 There are 500,000 male immigrants annually. 
 
 There are 1,700,000 children of tender age who 
 have to work, and as we are informed, in the south- 
 ern part of the country, some of these children are 
 as young as 5 years. Now from all the facts pre- 
 sented in their varied aspects, no sane mind can not 
 but shudder at such a state, such a devastation and 
 loss. The financial loss to the country apart from 
 the individuals and families who suffer, is beyond 
 the power of figures to compute. Then think of the 
 poverty, want, and degradations of the individuals 
 and their families who suffer. Then what about 
 this hatchery for all forms of crime to the third 
 and fourth generation. Thus unemployment is the 
 cesspool for industrial and moral disease that can 
 easily be fatal to all national enterprise and charac- 
 ter. It is really the national gangrene that eats to
 
 The Problem of the Unemployed 29 
 
 the vitals of the nation's life. No man nor woman 
 can escape the responsibility, for we have all fallen 
 far short of our duty in this matter.
 
 IV 
 CAUSES— OR WHY THE UNEMPLOYED 
 
 npHESE have three distinct sources, but which 
 finally amalgamate into one great Amazon — 
 the unemployed. These sources are — ( i ) The in- 
 dividuals themselves. (2) Society. (3) Indus- 
 trial conditions. 
 
 It is difficult to say what is the proportion be- 
 tween personal inefficiency, and industrial malad- 
 justment. No question, — to some extent there is 
 an interrelation. The same can be said of Society. 
 As regards personal inefficiency, it is conceded, that 
 most of this is found among the lowest grades of 
 wage earners. Taking the estimates of Mr. Charles 
 Booth, (1889), the two lowest classes constituted 
 8.4 per cent, of the entire population. Looking 
 again on the part industrial disturbances play in this 
 matter, we have to say, that owing to a lack of relia- 
 ble figures from the whole field of labor, any esti- 
 mate can only be an approximation. As an illustra- 
 tion from one section of the labor market, we may 
 quote a fact given by Mr. Drage "(The Unem- 
 ployed)." This illustration is taken from the con- 
 ditions found on the London Docks (England) . To 
 do the work required here, it is claimed that 4,000 
 
 30
 
 The Problem of the Unemployed 31 
 
 reserve laborers were required, 6,000 workmen ap- 
 plied, showing that 2,000 men were seeking work, 
 but could not find it a serious maladjustment. So- 
 ciety in this connection cannot escape the responsi- 
 bility. Years back, we find Germany has fixed upon 
 Society the responsibility for much of the poverty 
 found in that country, in levying its insurance dues. 
 Let us now turn to these points more carefully. 
 
 The Individuals Themselves 
 
 We are met here with the question — "How does 
 personal character enter into the economic causes of 
 unemployment ?" Some will answer at once — "You 
 cannot classify men according to the causes of their 
 unemployment." But we are not classifying ac- 
 cording to this standard. If we cannot classify 
 men, the men and their work classify themselves, 
 and the employers are doing it. Character is a 
 very important element in employment even the 
 lowest, and most unskilled. Character, it is true, 
 plays a more visible part, the higher we rise in the 
 scale of labor. No question, unemployment is due 
 to personal defects. There are men who are occa- 
 sionally unemployed, but the unemployables are al- 
 ways weeded out. They do not satisfy the demand. 
 Defect of character, everywhere, swell the army of 
 unemployed. When economic conditions become 
 such that men have to be discharged, the axe falls
 
 32 The Problem of the Unemployed 
 
 the first on those who have no character. An insub- 
 ordinate, irregular, lazy man, as compared with 
 the one who has the opposing qualities is the first to 
 suffer. And if other moral defects belong to the 
 man, the less hesitation is there to discharge him. 
 The Departmental Committee on Vagrancy (Eng- 
 land) state, that in good times from 20,000 to 30,- 
 000 of such men lose their jobs, and in times of 
 depression, this number runs up to 80,000. Idle- 
 ness demoralizes men and makes them more and 
 more unfit. Any man who knows anything about 
 wage earners, know there are men perfectly able to 
 work yet who cannot keep their employment. 
 
 Here there is a personal cause. As far as the 
 man himself is concerned we find three great causes 
 militating against him. These are, intemperance, 
 shiftlessness, and lack of thrift. Others may be 
 easily added as thieving, unwillingness to work for 
 his marketable value, incompatibility of temper 
 with fellow workers. There are some men in the 
 ranks of the unemployed simply because they will 
 not work unless they get the highest price in the 
 market for their labor, which is a moral deficiency 
 of character. It is an overestimation of oneself. 
 Many of these vices are acquired by heredity and 
 environment. But many of them also are contract- 
 ed through casual work, underemployment, and un- 
 employment. Let a man be for a time unemployed, 
 he becomes inefficient, and deteriorates in physique
 
 The Problem of the Unemployed 33 
 
 — economically and morally. Thus in this relation, 
 there is a double-action. Such a condition tells 
 harder on the second generation. The vagrant class 
 are supplied largely through such a condition. Va- 
 grancy can be more directly traced to casual or un- 
 employment, and both, than to other vices. Ineffi- 
 ciency is certainly, one strong cause for unemploy- 
 ment. When adverse industrial condition comes, — 
 the first to feel it, is the inefficient. The primary 
 cause for unemployment is an economic depression. 
 The secondary cause is inefficiency, which in many 
 cases can be traced to a period of idleness. Actually 
 men have been known, through idleness, to have be- 
 come unemployables. Thus personal character is 
 a great asset to secure employment and keep em- 
 ployed. 
 
 Society — as a Cause 
 
 To what has been already said, there are other 
 things, that must be urged on society. There 
 should be an effort on the part of society to destroy 
 ev^ery vestige of class distinction. It is character 
 that should cause distinction and not a man's work. 
 Society has been too ready to point, yea in derision, 
 to the workman as a wage-earner. In looking up 
 the history of labor we find that this distinction has 
 been getting more and more pronounced. We find 
 that it was a desire for a class exclusion that led to
 
 34 The Problem of the Unemployed 
 
 such a result as class distinction. The dividing of 
 English society into a capitalistic, and a wageearn- 
 ing classes came from a desire to maintain social 
 superiority. At first this distinction was not in 
 existence, and the sooner it gets out of existence the 
 better it will be for all. It is a matter of history, 
 that as the master craftsman acquired wealth he, 
 more and more, formed a class by himself. The 
 chasm widened. The labor guilds became more 
 monopolistic, avaricious, tyrannical. By 1536 in 
 England, these guilds had become so tyrannical, 
 that parliament had to interfere. Now the class- 
 hatred can be traced to these conditions hundreds 
 of years back. As the world is becoming more and 
 more Christianized, and so democratic, it is the 
 bounden duty of Christianized society to do all in 
 its power to remove this class distinction and 
 hatred. This would materially aid in the solution 
 of the problem of the unemployed. As it is, society 
 is retarding the movement at solution. 
 
 Labor problems no doubt, have their roots, in 
 three or four great social institutions. Society by 
 not exercising its influence as it should over these, is 
 a serious contributing cause to unemployment. The 
 Wage System itself is one of these social institu- 
 tions. Under this system men are not supposed to 
 be in bondage, and they should not be in the other 
 extreme — the Socialistic. True, by his hire, the 
 workman takes upon himself the responsibility of
 
 The Problem of the Unemployed 35 
 
 certain conditions. He places himself on the mar- 
 ket for hire, and is seeking the best advantage. Now 
 I hold that Society should lend its moral support to 
 this man, so that he will get, at least, a fair deal. 
 
 Another Social Institution is capitalization. So- 
 ciety has been at fault in permitting the highly capi- 
 talized form of modern industry, to go too far, and 
 thus injure the workman. This is a delicate and an 
 intricate question to handle, yet it should be con- 
 trolled by the Christian principles of our modern 
 times, so that no citizen unduly suffers. Under 
 present conditions they do suffer. We are today 
 working under what is known as the "factory sys- 
 tem." While this system has many advantages, yet 
 it has been allowed to go to a condition, that its 
 disadvantages are multiplying, and for which we 
 hold society responsible. We shall name few of 
 these disadvantages, nay wrongs;— child labor, em- 
 ployment of women under certain conditions; in- 
 dustrial accidents ; factory regulations too onerous 
 without sufficient protection to those employed; in- 
 difference to the primary interests of the workman. 
 In our own days, the factory system has gone too 
 far in centralization, which hinders industrial inde- 
 pendence. All these things lead to the swelling of 
 the numbers of the unemployed. Society has not 
 made the effort, it should, to prevent existing con- 
 ditions, thus its responsibility. Then again Society 
 has been too ready to uphold every selfish motive
 
 36 The Problem of the Unemployed 
 
 of the employers of labor. Without mentioning 
 anything else we may refer to the support society 
 gives to the Sweating System. This is one of the 
 worst agencies that lead to unemployment, and it 
 materially swells the ranks of the unemployed. In 
 the chapter on Cause, Remedies, etc., we will have 
 to refer again to this system, as an industrial fac- 
 tor. A writer in the "Independent," lately, has 
 expressed himself forcibly, on this point as to socie- 
 ty. He says "the Issue of unemployment cannot 
 longer be shirked, because it will become more and 
 more the centre of justified social revolt. Socialists 
 and anarchists will use It for ends of their own. Un- 
 til Society deals seriously, and constructively, with 
 the problem this agitation will be justified. 
 We have thus far, fooled with these issues." (Those 
 vast) "armies of skllless vagrants and unemploya- 
 bles are year by year, our social products." 
 
 Industrial Conditions 
 
 John Stuart Mill, spoke once of men "sacrificed 
 to the gains of their fellow citizens, and of poster- 
 ity." He no doubt spoke of industrial causes mili- 
 tating against men. We may put the cause from 
 Industry, as "Loss and lack of Industrial Quality." 
 Industry Is In a constant flux and men are constantly 
 thrown out of employment. Industries are trans- 
 formed, others decay. Less men, are at times, em-
 
 The Problem of the Unemployed 37 
 
 ployed, then one type of labor is substituted for an- 
 other. Seats of industries are moved, and in form- 
 er times men found it hard to change their resi- 
 dence. Men of certain age, by changes in their 
 workshops, and factories, are thrown out of em- 
 ployment, and they find it hard to adopt new meth- 
 ods, and at the same time, it is more difficult for 
 them to obtain work. Though advancing years 
 may not be a great factor in unemployment, yet it is 
 a factor when radical changes in the mode of work 
 takes place. Then in their very nature, we have 
 certain trades that directly lead to unemployment 
 in its worst form — unemployment leading to pau- 
 perism. These are known to economists and work- 
 men as, ( I ) Bare Subsistence-trades. These pay 
 such low wages that a man and his famiiy cannot 
 subsist. (2) Labor deteriorating trades. Such 
 are those in their work which sap the physical 
 strength, and character of their employees. (3) 
 Subsidized trades. These do not pay enough wages 
 to keep those who are employed in proper condition 
 and labor value. The funeral procession of these 
 trades, to the grave of the unemployed, is large. 
 Industry as a whole grows, but certain trades fail, 
 causing unemployment. 
 
 Casual and irregular employment. There are 
 two marked features belonging to casual employ- 
 ment. There is but little, if any discrimination, as 
 to the men employed. The idea in the mind of the
 
 38 The Problem of the Unemployed 
 
 employer, or the "boss," seems to be — "get the 
 work done anyway." This state of things carries 
 on its surface, a lack of permanency, therefore the 
 employed will be discharged as soon as the work is 
 done. The other feature is what we already hinted 
 at, — the hire at best is but for a short time. Here 
 there is no injustice, because conditions are known. 
 However, the demand and supply of labor should 
 be such, as to make casual and irregular employ- 
 ment a difficult thing to exist. As it is at present, 
 it is a curse to those employed, and a loss to the 
 country. So common has this method of employ- 
 ment become, that it has given existence to a class 
 of workmen, who are satisfied with only a limited 
 amount of work. To the employer of labor, it may 
 be an advantage from a selfish standpoint, and a 
 boon to an employer who does work on a small 
 scale with a limited capital. But to the workman it 
 is an hand-to-mouth existence. To the state, and 
 municipality, it is an anxiety and loss. Men who 
 are good employers of labor, do not want the cas- 
 ual workman. The sad fact, however, is, the per- 
 centage of such men is not low. In London (Eng- 
 land) the percentage at least is 7.5. We find that 
 such employment leads directly to deterioration in 
 physique and character. It is too well known to 
 need much argument, that a hand-to-mouth exist- 
 ence is the least incentive to self-reliance and thrift. 
 It is also as well known, that such condition leads to
 
 The Problem of the Unemployed 39 
 
 unsteadiness, and intemperance. Its worst form is 
 the deteriorating influence it carries on the children. 
 Children raised in such homes are the vagrants and 
 unemployables. Under our present system of in- 
 dustry the remedy by persuasion is so hopeless, that 
 society and the state should make up their minds, 
 that radical means must be used, and the only hope 
 is by forcibly making the condition impossible of 
 existence. An effort should be made, that irregular 
 and casual work cannot find a supply. Then on the 
 other hand, make conditions such that a work of 
 this kind cannot be found. 
 
 Another phase of this danger is. Irregular Work. 
 In many ways there is a likeness to, and an affinity 
 between a casual and an irregular work, yet there is 
 a difference. One point is, in the irregular work, 
 there is not the same element of a chance to obtain, 
 work. With the irregular work, a man may be em- 
 ployed, yet his time of work is uncertain. What 
 has been said of the Casual Work, as to its deteri- 
 orating influence is fully applicable to irregular 
 work. There is one form, however of this work 
 that we should particularly warn against. This is 
 overtime. In the United States, this method is very 
 prevalent, and is a fruitful cause of unemployment. 
 The reason given for overtime by employers who 
 use it, is, that it is demanded. In many cases, a big 
 question-mark could be placed after such a reason. 
 Government has become alive to the dangers to
 
 40 The Problem of the Unemployed 
 
 overtime work in many industries, that it is abso- 
 lutely prohibited ; in others, government has so ob- 
 structed the way that a difficulty is found. In many 
 States legislatures have rightly demanded a higher 
 pay for overwork time. No one can deny, but that 
 industries at times may be pressed for supplies, but 
 this is not the rule. Many shops and factories how- 
 ever make it the rule for a certain period. But is 
 not much of this supposed demand not created by 
 selfishness? With many commodities, their manu- 
 facture can be taken up at any time. If the firm has 
 sufficient capital, so as not to be compelled to at 
 once, place such commodities on the market, it 
 would be a direct benefit to such firms to have a 
 recourse to overtime. Factories afterwards could 
 be shut down ; running expenses could be dispensed 
 with, the employers and managers can turn their at- 
 tention to something else, or to enjoy their rest. But 
 we are here confronted with a serious question — 
 "What about the men who are employed in such 
 factories, under such conditions?" They most of- 
 ten fall into the ranks of the unemployed. Then 
 there is a larger question still — "Is overtime a real 
 benefit to those employed?" The answer is — physi- 
 cally it is a serious menace to health, and financially 
 also it is a loss except under rare conditions. Mor- 
 ally such a work deteriorates, for various reasons. 
 Where saloons exist they invariably are well patron- 
 ized at certain hours, and they are crowded near
 
 The Problem of the Unemployed 41 
 
 such works. The irregular habits and loss of sleep 
 affect even the moral fibre. If the man has a char- 
 acter and can keep it, and the pay is large, without 
 any sickness, nor accident, a financial margin may 
 be secured, but not often. Then how long does 
 overtime last? Generally it is a short period, fol- 
 lowed by a shutting down, with a long period of 
 idleness. After balancing all profits and loss, to the 
 employed, we believe every sane workingman will 
 come to the conclusion, that it is better for all, that 
 the even tenor of the shops and factories be kept up 
 with a good day's work at proper pay. The effort 
 made by employees everywhere for short hours, is 
 a proof of the sanity of this view. Then there are 
 other facts to be considered. One is, overtime is 
 oftenest followed by long period of idleness. An- 
 other is, that overtime from a business principle is 
 wrong. Then these extra efforts lead to lower 
 wages, and in the long run, the workman will find, 
 he has lost more than he has gained. As a fact, bus- 
 iness rightly conducted, needs no overtime. This 
 on a large scale is proved by the fact that much less 
 overtime is used in England than in the United 
 States. Many firms who resort to overtime, when 
 pressed for a reason, why they closed down, will 
 candidly say, "We could not keep it up, and we have 
 somehow to get back our money." Business and 
 trade carried on against nature's laws are bound to 
 suffer. Thus overtime is a direct cause of unem-
 
 42 The Problem of the Unemployed 
 
 ployment. 
 
 Underemployment is another of the irregulari- 
 ties of labor. Underemployment is just as bad as 
 underpayment, for it indirectly amounts to the same 
 thing, and is the next door neighbor to no employ- 
 ment. 
 
 Competition though a law of progress, is from 
 the standpoint of the workman, a serious matter, 
 and affects very seriously employment. Some look 
 on labor as a species of gambling. The man with 
 a large family has to compete for wages with the 
 single man. Here there is a very vital competition. 
 The employer is in the market for the cheapest hire. 
 The man with a large family is outrivalled by the 
 man with a small family, and the man without a 
 family. The first one says he cannot work for less 
 than 25 cents an hour, because of his large family. 
 The second can work for 20 cents an hour, and the 
 third for 18 cents, because he has no family. This 
 last man is as capable in everyway as the other two. 
 The employer of the labor gains seven cents an 
 hour on each man, and if he has to employ a large 
 number, the gain will be large. Thus, who can 
 blame him for employing the eighteen cents man. 
 In unskilled labor the Italian and other South of 
 Europe people, outbid our own laborers. The two 
 first men we mentioned, unless the demand is very 
 strong, must fall to the ranks of the unemployed. 
 Two out of three are thus out of jobs. In Salt Lake
 
 The Problem of the Unemployed 43 
 
 City, a public protest was made, this spring, against 
 the Bureau (Municipal), because they were em- 
 ploying foreigners to do the work of the city and 
 the Americans compelled to be idle. Competition 
 invariably reduces wages, and thus becomes a fruit- 
 ful source of unemployment. 
 
 The Reserve of Labor is another cause that di- 
 rectly leads to swell the number of the unemployed. 
 The reason given for this condition is that labor de- 
 mands it. Entering into this feature of the labor 
 market there are certain elements, that ought to be 
 remembered. The reserve represents the fluctua- 
 tions of work to be done m various labor centers. 
 There are men holding themselves open for a 
 chance, thinking they might get something better 
 Then another reason for it on the part of the work- 
 man is ignorance of where to get employment. Here 
 the question of mobility enters. Weighing this 
 cause in a general way, we may say there are to 
 every 800 or 900 men employed from 100 to 200 
 reserves. A few years back, the seriousness of this 
 condition was to be easily seen, on the London 
 Docks in England. We find that when 4,000 men 
 were needed for the various demands, 6,000 ap- 
 plied, thus giving the managers an opportunity to 
 increase their reserve of labor, and finally swell the 
 ranks of the unemployed. One who is well ac- 
 quainted with Dock employment, makes this state- 
 ment, "The central evil is the maintenance of a
 
 44 The Problem of the Unemployed 
 
 floating reserve of labor, far larger than the maxi- 
 mum demands of employers." To give a general 
 estimate of the reserve of labor throughout the 
 country cannot be done, only approximately. Mr. 
 Charles Booth, confining himself to report casual 
 employment, believes "that in this class of work 
 alone, there are 20,000 (London Docks), compet- 
 ing irregularly for work in the same 22,000." The 
 number of men employed (Docks) on the busiest 
 day was 18,000, and on the slackest day 12,000. 
 Taking the average for the year it was 15,000. 
 Thus in this class of work, alone, and in one place, 
 there would be 7,000 waiting to be employed. In 
 all the other ports of England, similar conditions 
 prevail. Miss Rathbone speaking of Liverpool, 
 England, reports thus — "the present irregularity of 
 employment, is much greater than is arithmetically 
 necessary, to balance the irregularity of work in 
 the port, taking it as a single labor market." In 
 other trades irregularity of work keeps a large re- 
 serve of men, who at least do not work, more than 
 half their time. These men are told they might be 
 called at an hour's notice. Now, we are face to face 
 with the question — Is this reserve of labor abso- 
 lutely a necessity? Our answer is decidedly — No. 
 When we can stop casual and irregular work, and 
 worker, the reserve of labor will disappear. Get 
 less men to look for a job and be willing to wait, 
 employers will have to keep their men, thus there
 
 The Problem of the Unemployed 45 
 
 will be a marked reduction in the number of the un- 
 employed. There is not one moment in any trade, 
 when men are employed to the full. A law of in- 
 dustry is this, — the more numerous and scattered 
 the separate trades and works are, and the greater 
 and more rapid the fluctuations, the demand will be 
 for a larger reserve of labor, and the faster will the 
 number be added to the unemployed, for the re- 
 serve is a good apprenticeship to unemployment. 
 
 Trusts as Cause — Trusts centralize wealth. By 
 this means they are more able to make quick 
 changes, introduce the best and most modern ma- 
 chinery which replace men. They are more able to 
 control the labor market and thus influence hire and 
 wages. Then, in another way they lead to unem- 
 ployment by closing down many of their factories, 
 and when this is done, they discard the oldest men, 
 and many are thrown out irrespective of age, and 
 thus the ranks of the unemployed are more numer- 
 ous. Such times, whatever else are times of weed- 
 ing out the men, who otherwise would have been 
 employed. 
 
 Relief {Charity) . By this we mean, injudicious 
 and badly managed relief, and even relief, as a 
 means to meet the unemployed, as a principle. True 
 there are conditions in which men, even good men, 
 need a help, and it would be wrong to withhold such 
 a help. But as a rule, whether the aid be personal, 
 municipal, or state, in too many cases, such has
 
 4^ The Problem of the Unemployed 
 
 been given without considering the real and ulti- 
 mate benefit of those helped. Honorable workmen 
 despise charity aid, and say, — "Give us work." But 
 there are a large class who are not of this type. 
 Now we find that relief has had no classification, no 
 wise management, in fact has been inefficient, con- 
 trolled too often by favoritism, and demoralizing. 
 Many men have been thus induced to depend on 
 charity, and neglect providing by honest work. 
 Many of these are, today, well known at the soup 
 kitchens, and breadlines. They are the most dif- 
 ficult to handle of the unemployed, without princi- 
 ple, and without shame. 
 
 Immigration. As the ranks of the unemployed, 
 are swelled mostly from unskilled labor, and the 
 lower classes of workmen, we can easily see how 
 this helps unemployment, and how the number of 
 the unemployed are thus augmented. This result 
 has been markedly noticed since 1885 in this coun- 
 try. From this year to the present, the character, 
 ability, and desirability of the Immigrant has 
 changed. The influx of people of a low standard 
 of life, and correspondingly low in intellect, and ed- 
 ucation, has in every way affected the American 
 workingman. In this relationship, the first influ- 
 ence is on Wages. Because of their cheap way of 
 living, ignorance of our language and customs, the 
 cupidity of employers lead them to take advantage 
 of these people to their own benefit. The main de-
 
 The Problem of the Unemployed 47 
 
 fence of these employers, in seeking alien labor is, — 
 they cannot get native Americans to do their work; 
 they are too upish; and so cannot be controlled. 
 They claim, the American boy knows more than his 
 "boss." Anyway, whatever truth may be in this, 
 the American will not be a slave, and he will not pay 
 the "little boss," a bonus for the privilege of a job. 
 The immigrant has his rights, as well as the native, 
 and there is a reasonable and a just way to deal with 
 the situation without causing an injustice to either 
 party. It cannot be denied, but that immigration 
 has driven many of the native sons and daughters 
 out of the labor market. Where have they gone? 
 Wherever else, alas ! but to the ranks of the unem- 
 ployed. This is especially true of laborers, and the 
 unskilled employee. No doubt much of this loss to 
 the natives, can be laid at the door of improper dis- 
 tribution of the immigrants. Our large cities, and 
 the northern sections of the country suffer most, be- 
 cause the immigrants crowd to these places. These 
 people naturally, have a strong affinity for each 
 other, strengthened by many ties. They form pop- 
 ulous colonies in our great centres of industries. 
 Employers encourage the condition, because they 
 thus can get their cheap labor. These people cause 
 an oversupply of workers, they underbid for wages, 
 and are willing to work at a nominal price. The 
 only relief often is the expansion of the labor mar- 
 ket, which of late has not kept pace with the condi-
 
 48 The Problem of the Unemployed 
 
 tlons. Our Government is becoming more and more 
 alive to this condition, and our Bureau of Immigra- 
 tion is putting forth extra efforts towards a better 
 distribution. God through this great European 
 War, is making their task much easier. We have 
 said, what we have said, notwithstanding the fact, 
 that certain economists minimize the general effect 
 of immigration as a factor in unemployment. Facts, 
 certainly are against their view. Whoever studies 
 the question of the unemployed, where these large 
 aggregations of immigrants are, will at once be- 
 lieve, that immigration is a fruitful cause of unem- 
 ployment in the lower grades of labor, and indirect- 
 ly, the upper grades. All indications show that the 
 large influx of this class of alien population, is 
 caused by the action of selfish employers, with the 
 direct object of influencing the labor market. One 
 of the best informed, and a good authority on this 
 point is Mr. Jacob A. Riis. His statement is this 
 — "Scarce a Greek comes here" (U. S.), "man, 
 or boy who is not under contract." "A hundred 
 dollars a year is the price, so it is said, by those who 
 know, though the padrones' cunning, has put the 
 legal proof, beyond their reach. And the Armen- 
 ian and Syrian hucksters, are worked by some ped- 
 dling trust that traffics in human labor, as do other 
 merchants in foodstuffs, coal and oil." From this 
 we see, how the selfish employer multiplies his 
 means of profit at the expense of the country. In
 
 The Problem of the Unemployed 49 
 
 this relation there are various agencies combining to 
 farm the country. These immigrants do not come 
 here Hke the old ones, to get land and establish a 
 home, but they are coaxed by allurements, glowing 
 advertisements scattered broadcast by American 
 selfish employers, the Navigation Trusts, and An- 
 archists. On the part of these Agencies, it is not 
 love of charity towards either the emigrant or the 
 United States. Those who have kept in touch with 
 the work of the U. S. Senate, will remember, when 
 one of our immigration bills was introduced, that 
 the Southern Railroad Co. not only had a lobby, 
 but actually sent representatives to a Committee of 
 the Senate, to plead against passing any bill that 
 would restrict emigration. The reason given by 
 these grave representatives was — "We need the 
 men." At this very moment, there were thousands 
 of unemployed in the country. The Commissioner 
 of Immigration answered thus, — "If you pay living 
 wages you will get laborers enough." Italy is hon- 
 eycombed with emigration agents, drumming up 
 business for the United States labor market, when 
 this market is already full. The class of employers 
 of labor in our country who use such means, are 
 the poorest paying concerns. In one instance, these 
 people, for the period of 12 months employed 7,- 
 000 agents throughout Italy, who used every means 
 foul and fair, to persuade those poor people to 
 come to this country. Such an effort is put forth to
 
 50 The Problem of the Unemployed 
 
 keep down wages. The result in many cases, is a 
 hand-to-mouth existence and a material addition to 
 the unemployed. The S. Pacific Railroad Co. when 
 these people were actually brought to this country, 
 would not pay them more than $ii.i6 to $1.39 a 
 day. And how many days a month, these poor peo- 
 ple are allowed to work? Such conduct is worse 
 than theft, and God will not close His eyes to such 
 murderous tactics. Allied with the employers of 
 cheap labor, is the Anarchist. He wants to flood 
 the labor market, and prevent work at reasonable 
 price, so he can create discontent, and find a pre- 
 pared soil to scatter the seeds of revolution, to 
 make impossible, order and government. From all 
 these proceedings, unskilled labor, greatly suffers 
 and the result is unemployment. 
 
 The Sweating System. It is in the Sweating Sys- 
 tem we see the dire results of the low type of immi- 
 grants, who have come to our shores. These de- 
 fenceless new-comers, at once, fall the helpless vic- 
 tims to this system. Ignorant of the language, and 
 poor on their landing, they accept any employment 
 that offers a means to keep together soul and body. 
 Most of them are in abject poverty. The definition 
 of the Sweating System, by Henry White, once the 
 general secretary of the United Garment Work- 
 ers of America, will reveal the nature of this hide- 
 ous monster. Of this Mr. White says, "Sweating 
 System is specifically used to describe a condition of
 
 The Problem of the Unemployed 5 1 
 
 labor in which, a maximum amount of work in a 
 given time, is performed for a minimum wage, and 
 in which the ordinary rules of health and comfort 
 are disregarded." It is the seasonal character of 
 such a miserable system that directly affects unem- 
 ployment, and this coupled with the wages. Long 
 hours, with the scantiest wages would be bad 
 enough. Add to this, how health suffers by work- 
 ing in unsanitary places, and which is a constant 
 source of expense. To all this add the uncertain 
 tenure of work. There are only two seasons of the 
 year that offers work. Because it is a contract system, 
 all the losses through lack of work, are thrown on 
 the employed. Almost as a body, those employed 
 lose every desire at thrift, they fall easy victims to 
 every evil habit that undermines manhood and 
 character. For a very few weeks, work is rushed, 
 for the balance of the year, those who are in the 
 grasp of the system must be idle. Families and in- 
 dividuals soon use up what was gained, and there 
 is nothing for them but to depend for relief on char- 
 ity. A tailor, who had been born into the home of 
 one of these parents, and in early years had been 
 compelled to work under the system, was one even- 
 ing walking on the sidewalk with a friend. They 
 passed a prostitute. Immediately this tailor said 
 to the other man: "The man who won pleasure by 
 the degradation of that woman, is a modern canni- 
 bal." Pausing for a moment, and with fierce an-
 
 52 The Problem of the Unemployed 
 
 ger he continued, "No he is worse than a cannibal, 
 for he not only destroyed her body, he ate her very 
 soul." Such a man was a sweating employer. 
 What a picture of the Sweating system, industrially 
 and morally, and yet such is upheld by honest re- 
 ligious men and women, in their overreadiness to 
 buy cheap clothing in the market. How long will ye 
 people, who make better claims, uphold such a hell 
 on earth, as this system produces. Children raised 
 in this environment are, with a very high average, 
 defectives, through lack of proper care and nourish- 
 ment. The army of the unemployed are filled to a 
 high percentage from these sweated workers. The 
 How needs no argument to make clear. 
 
 Child and Woman Employment are also a direct 
 and fruitful cause of unemployment. These, it is 
 true, are some of the resulting evils of our industrial 
 progress. The evils as such are not the result of 
 progress, but rather the results of man's cupidity, 
 in taking the wrong advantage of progress. Child 
 and woman's labor came in with the factory system, 
 and no one will attempt to deny that this system is a 
 great step in advance of its predecessor. The de- 
 mands — social and industrial — are for manufac- 
 turing on a large scale, thus the machine, and the 
 man with a machine, came to be a demand. The 
 industrial revolution had been coming on for at 
 least 300 years, and men were preparing for it. 
 The factory system came to meet a demand for a
 
 The Problem of the Unemployed 53 
 
 reduction in the cost of production. This is one of 
 the laws of business as forced into being by the 
 needs of our civilization. The employment of wo- 
 men and children is a matter of adjustment to a 
 changed industrial condition. Coexisting with the 
 larger demand of the factories, for a larger supply 
 of help, was the fact that, for household purposes, 
 the need was over-supplied. The shorter hours, 
 and better pay became a bait, and allured the wo- 
 men to the shops and factories. At first, for a long 
 period of years, this kind of labor was greatly 
 abused. The conditions under which women lived, 
 and the fact they could be employed at much lower 
 wages than man, led to their being employed on a 
 longer and larger scale. They were even being em- 
 ployed in the mines. A desire for profit, and for 
 the highest interest on the capital invested, led to 
 the employment not only of women, but also of 
 children. About the beginning of the year 1 800 the 
 abuse resulting from women and child labor began 
 to be felt. The eyes of England, to the terrible 
 abuses, became opened, by what is known in the his- 
 tory of labor, as "pauper apprentice." This was 
 the practice of workhouses (county houses) to rent 
 out the children housed there, for so much money. 
 This abuse soon led to a horrible traffic in children. 
 Traders scoured the country to buy children, as if 
 they bought cattle. These children then, were prac- 
 tically sold for a higher figure to the factories,
 
 54 The Problem of the Unemployed 
 
 where they became nothing but slaves. Not only 
 the misery, but also the waste of human life became 
 frightful. The moral sense of the country was 
 roused; parliament took action, and the law of 
 1802 was passed. Soon, however, a way to avoid 
 the restrictions of this law, was devised. Children, 
 whom the law of 1802 did not protect became the 
 victims. Abuses again prevailed, and such is the 
 history of industry to the present day. Children 
 who were secured by this last attempt, as young as 
 six years old and younger, were brought into the 
 factories and they had to work a 16 hours day. 
 Several Commissions under the auspices of Parlia- 
 ment were formed. These Commissions reported 
 and their reports became the foundations for form- 
 ing and passing several laws, which corrected, and 
 curbed the abuses. In the year 1842, it was found 
 that these laws again were inefficient, as children 
 under 13 years old, were found working in the 
 mines. This led to the passing of the laws (Eng- 
 land) of 1842, prohibiting the employment in 
 mines of women and children. Since then the bat- 
 tle of decency and right against man's cupidity in 
 business has been going on in various countries. 
 Notwithstanding, these conditions today, as to the 
 employment of women and children in factories, are 
 deplorable, especially in the Southern States (U. 
 S.). Comparing the employment of women and 
 children in the United States with England, our
 
 The Problem of the Unemployed 55 
 
 country has the advantage. Of course this sentence 
 should be quahfied. We have gained by England's 
 experiments with the problem. In the United States 
 we have no pauper apprentice problem ; women and 
 girls have never been employed in mines ; we have 
 profited in the building of factories; certain em- 
 ployments in England have not been found in the 
 United States; wages of women are higher in the 
 United States; corrective and prohibitive legisla- 
 tion has controlled the situation earlier. 
 
 It may be emphatically stated, the morale of the 
 factory women in the United States is much higher. 
 Child and woman labor has of late years materially 
 increased. In the year 1880, 16.8 per cent, of chil- 
 dren, were employed as compared with 18.2 per 
 cent, in 1900. This takes the average for the year 
 1900. Looking more carefully into facts we find 
 that 10.2 per cent, of girls for this year were em- 
 ployed as against 26.1 per cent, of boys. The 
 growth in the employing of children between 10 
 and 15 years old has exceeded the growth of popu- 
 lation. Children employment predominate in the 
 South, while the predominancy in the North Atlan- 
 tic States is that of Women. But fast as we find the 
 increase in child labor, that of woman even exceeds. 
 The paradox is, — the women bread-winners have 
 increased faster than the male, and even than the 
 female population. In the returns for the year 
 1900, we find that domestic and personal occupa-
 
 56 The Problem of the Unemployed 
 
 tions had 1,953,467 women; agriculture 770,055; 
 professional 429,497. These facts give us a glance 
 on the extent of this condition amongst us. The 
 glass industry employs more children, while the 
 textile employ more women. In this connection 
 13.3 per cent, of children are employed, and 41.9 
 women. The evils attending the employment of 
 these classes, we would like to dwell upon at large. 
 But owing to our subject, we can only point to such 
 evils. The evils to children, besides the moral (the 
 greatest) are physically, — the retarding of the phy- 
 sical development, and more or less its ruin. The 
 state thus loses a high percentage of her citizens, 
 and it is placed under an enormous expense to care 
 for those who are physically wrecked. Individual 
 and corporations get the benefit, when these em- 
 ployees are able, but soon they are unable, and so 
 they become a public charge, to be cared for by the 
 taxpayers. Besides these, there are other evils, es- 
 pecially in connection with the employment of wo- 
 men. Their feminine susceptibilities are blunted 
 and hardened, thus they are made unfit for mother- 
 hood; if married, home has to be neglected during 
 employment. But the matter that concerns us most 
 in the treatment of this subject, is its relation to the 
 employed, and its effect on the unemployed. While 
 this is presented keep in mind the large number of 
 children and women who are employed. Think also 
 of the low, and inadequate pay, as a rule, this class
 
 The Problem of the Unemployed 57 
 
 of labor commands. Then think also of the lower 
 demands on women, as to the maintenance of life, 
 — they generally live cheaper. What makes the em- 
 ployment of children and women, so dangerous is 
 its competition with the labor of men. We find cap- 
 able men underbid by women's and children's com- 
 petition, and this is keen as to wages. In many cases 
 the men are thrown out of employment. Then the 
 inadequate pay to the women and children does not 
 compensate for the loss of employment by the head 
 of the family. And besides, in a large number of 
 cases, yea most, this is the rule. In proportion as 
 the wife and children contribute to the support of 
 the family the wages of the father are reduced. We 
 close this section by stating, that statistics in all 
 countries prove that the employment of women and 
 children, throws out of employment annually, a 
 very large number of able-bodied men. For exact 
 datas as far as can be gathered see the Reports of 
 the English Government, and those of our Bureau 
 of Labor. 
 
 Industrial Disputes, Strikes, etc. These disputes 
 may be considered as naturally belonging to the 
 wage system. But if the wage scale is right such 
 should not be the case. Whatever about this fea- 
 ture of the question, it is a matter of fact, that when 
 disputes prevail, the unemployed are more numer- 
 ous. In the late coal strike in England, the per- 
 centage of the unemployed was twice as high. The
 
 58 The Problem of the Unemployed 
 
 same percentage in comparison, was the case last 
 winter in Colorado, and Virginia. When these 
 troubles occur the people are made poorer, and the 
 longer the difficulties last, the longer the poverty. If 
 there is an interlocking of interests with other busi- 
 nesses, the question becomes more intricate, and 
 more men are thrown out of employment. Then 
 other trades in time, are affected. Thus industrial 
 disputes lead directly to throw out of employment a 
 large number of men. One thing at least is very 
 encouraging, strikes are not increasing as rapidly as 
 the industrial population increases. It is a general 
 belief that trade unions are acting as checks. But 
 until very lately the condition was serious. In the 
 report of the Industrial Commission, for a period 
 of 20 years, up to the year 1900 we find there were 
 330,000 persons, annually thrown out of employ- 
 ment. During this period the actual time lost by 
 the men thrown out was 194,000,000 days. But the 
 actual result, as it appears on the surface, is not so 
 extreme. When the right percentage of loss is 
 taken, results will be modified somewhat, yet with 
 this fact in mind, conditions have been very unsatis- 
 factory, and trying. 
 
 Sickness, especially tuberculosis, is a source of a 
 high percentage of unemployment. Until very late- 
 ly, this was caused too often, by unsanitary shops to 
 work in, also exposure, lack of nourishing, and 
 properly cooked food. To this also should be add-
 
 The Problem of the Unemployed 59 
 
 ed, overcrowded, and unsanitary homes. Do not 
 forget, however, that much of all these conditions 
 can be charged to industrial injustice. As insurance 
 for sickness will become more general and records 
 kept, the percentage of the unemployed owing to 
 sickness will be better known, and also its source. 
 
 Machinery. It is granted on every side, that the 
 introduction of machinery into any trade augments 
 the army of unemployed. At first the introduction 
 of machinery threw a large number of men out of 
 work. The men who could the quickest adapt them- 
 selves to these devices were the first to be re-em- 
 ployed. Amongst all classes of workmen, at first, 
 their was a revolt against the machine. In England 
 the net result of introducing machinery was to di- 
 minish employment. This is the experience every- 
 where. A larger number of men have been thrown 
 to other employments where machinery has been 
 introduced. Even where the men are reconciled, to 
 the innovation, everywhere machinery has caused a 
 great irregularity of work. Much of this is caused 
 by the inability of industry to adjust itself to the 
 larger output. By this time however, the most in- 
 teUigent workmen look on machinery as labor sav- 
 ing devices, and aids, and adapt themselves to the 
 conditions. We also find that l^ade Unions look 
 on the introduction of machinery as inevitable, 
 though they supplant men, and their effort now is 
 to regulate their introduction, so as to minimize un-
 
 6o The Problem of the Unemployed 
 
 employment. 
 
 Supply and Demand of Labor is one of the par 
 excellent causes, when not adjusted — of unemploy- 
 ment. Running parallel with supply and demand, 
 or rather affecting its condition are the questions 
 of capital and land. Between these there is a close 
 co-relation. This relation will be more clearly seen 
 in the older countries with land monopoly. And 
 again we find, as industrial economic factors these 
 three; industrial structure; fluctuations in industrial 
 activity; and reserve of labor. All three are very 
 closely related to the supply and demand of labor. 
 There are other features bearing closely on our sub- 
 ject. One is a sudden and a large increase of popu- 
 lation, and the over or the undersupply of materials 
 for the markets. Then closely allied is the brisk- 
 ness or slowness of sales. The condition of the in- 
 dustrial market will at once tell on the condition of 
 labor. It is almost a truism to say, that the demand 
 for labor, at once, affects its supply, and to this ex- 
 tent the unemployed are affected. In the i8th cen- 
 tury we find as a matter of history, that the indus- 
 trial revolution led to the growth of population, 
 and thus the supply of labor was affected. Then on 
 the other hand when the supply of labor is short, 
 two things at least follow. Wages are raised, and 
 an extra effort is made to meet the demand. And 
 the reverse is true. When the supply Is easy to se- 
 cure, wages fall, the use of machinery also falls, and
 
 The Problem of the Unemployed 6i 
 
 the number of the unemployed is kept up. Now, 
 to regulate the oversupply, and so adjust the labor 
 market, it is good to have available land to turn 
 there the oversupply of men. Even in the United 
 States this has proved a great boon. 3,000,000 
 acres have already been reclaimed. This drew from 
 the crowded labor centres a large number of men, 
 who otherwise would have been to a great extent in 
 the ranks of the unemployed. Our government 
 should not be too prodigal of the 100,000,000 
 acres still unclaimed. Another thing in these condi- 
 tions that forces itself to the front, is the query, as 
 to the sufficiency of capital to co-operate with labor, 
 and thus produce raw material. When this is se- 
 cured, there is at once a readjustment in the labor 
 market. The army of the unemployed is at once 
 reduced. If there is no available land, and not suf- 
 ficient capital, employment is scarce, and the unem- 
 ployed is increased to the extent of the deficiency. 
 We are here faced with two important questions, 
 constantly asked : "Is labor not playing a constantly 
 decreasing part in production?" "Does population 
 not increase faster than the opportunity for employ- 
 ment?" To these two questions we are not sure, if 
 we can give an answer that will satisfy every one, 
 but on a large scale we believe both questions can 
 be answered in the negative. In our country with 
 all its immigration, we find that industry keeps up 
 with it, and in time, the disturbance in the labor
 
 62 The Problem of the Unemployed 
 
 market from immigration is gradually adjusted. 
 And even with the introduction of machinery there 
 is a certain adjustment. Another tendency noticed in 
 the labor market is a transference from the poorer 
 paid employments, to the better paid. This helps the 
 adjustment. Then we find also a barometrical rise 
 in wages, which tends in the same direction. From 
 the year 1881 to 1901, in the principal industries, 
 there has been a rise in wages of about 16 per cent, 
 and in actual conditions, the figure has run up to 
 29 per cent. This affects the whole field of labor. 
 If it was not the actual condition, the unemployed 
 would be more numerous than they are. Capital 
 while at times somewhat cornered, has been ample, 
 and it becomes more and more available. As con- 
 ditions are today, there will be no lack in this 
 source. Now where the excess of labor over the 
 demand, is likely to prevail is in the less skilled, and 
 unorganized labor. This according to the Reports 
 of Distress Committees has been the condition. Cer- 
 tain economists argue that an increase of population 
 does not affect the supply of labor. But explain it as 
 they may, the actual state of the labor market is 
 this, — whatever the demand of the labor market, 
 the supply exceeds it. This is certainly a paradox, 
 and facts prohibit its ceasing to be a paradox. Logic 
 here cannot do away with facts, if it can any- 
 where. The fact remains — the supply of labor, ex- 
 ceeds the demand, and thus the number of the un-
 
 The Problem of the Unemployed 63 
 
 employed are not reduced. Here we are confronted 
 with another question: "Why should there be two 
 men for every job?" One answer is, — the malad- 
 justment of the labor market. The other answer is 
 — the immobility of labor. There is not one labor 
 market, but many, thus the difficulty to control the 
 supply. 
 
 Fluctuations. Of these there are many; industrial, 
 seasonal, cyclical, etc. We easily grant that fluctua- 
 tions if they could be controlled, should not directly 
 lead to unemployment. They are not controlled, and 
 so they do lead to unemployment. Rate of wages has 
 much to do with industrial fluctuations. Some will 
 ask — What is meant by fluctuation? It is the 
 changeable character of the demand for labor, in 
 any single separate centre of demand. This applies 
 to industrial fluctuations. The changeable charac- 
 ter of the demand, is measured according to good 
 writers on labor, and certain economists, by the dif- 
 ference between the amount of labor demanded, in 
 the average of all times, and the amount demanded 
 in the average of good or bad times taken separate- 
 ly. In a centre the average of men demanded, we 
 say is 10,000. When times improve it is 11,000 
 men. When times are bad, the average is 9,000. 
 Thus the real figure of fluctuation is a 1,000 in or- 
 dinary times. If it is desired to find the average for 
 the whole, apply the same rule if possible to each 
 centre, and add them together. If fluctuation is a
 
 64 The Problem of the Unemployed 
 
 cause of unemployment in one labor market, it may 
 be the cause in the whole. Fluctuations of any kind 
 directly lead to unemployment, by the nature of the 
 condition. Every trade during the year varies. 
 Each trade and factory has a slack and busy season. 
 Some trades without any direct cause from the con- 
 dition of the market have these. 
 
 (a) Seasonal fluctuations are caused by the 
 weather. During the winter months, bricklayers, 
 carpenters, and laborers depending on these, and 
 other outdoor work cannot be done. This is a 
 cause of a lack of employment that cannot be direct- 
 ly controlled neither by the market nor by man. A 
 large majority of the men following these occupa- 
 tions are compelled to be idle for a certain number 
 of weeks. During this period they are on an aver- 
 age unemployed. With the exception of the un- 
 skilled workmen, not much suffering takes place, 
 and unions generally provide for such times and 
 conditions. Nothing can be done to control the 
 seasons, but what of the men? There are also peri- 
 odical shut downs in certain trades, many of these 
 without an apparent cause or reason. These gen- 
 erally are irregular, and their range varies. For the 
 time being such actions add to the number of un- 
 employed. Some of the men never return to steady 
 employment. 
 
 (b) Cyclical Fluctuations — There are good and 
 bad times in every trade. Often these are caused by
 
 The Problem of the Unemployed 6^ 
 
 the state of the market, though not always. These 
 changes seem to come with a certain regularity 
 which is hard to explain. For 6 years from 1862, 
 in England there was a bad time. The following 
 four years things improved for the employed. Such 
 periods continue to our present time. What are 
 they? Are they God's way of controlling industry? 
 No way of directly controlling them has yet been 
 found. When they come, they seem to sweep over 
 a nation, and sometimes nations. Unemployment 
 becomes the rule, and employer, and employee suf- 
 fer. One of the tangible signs of the coming of 
 such times, is the contraction of the currency. Such 
 a condition struck our country the beginning of last 
 year. Another sign is depression of business, which 
 ends in a large percentage of unemployment. The 
 reverse condition and state will see the reverse re- 
 sults. Naturally every sane man will be led to ask, 
 "What is the cause of such fluctuations?" We can- 
 not do better, as an answer than to give the views 
 of one who has made a special study of this feature 
 of labor. "Different economic or fiscal regulations 
 established by custom or governmental policies." 
 "The coming of industrial depressions seem inevita- 
 ble, and the time of their coming is unknown to 
 man. Viewing their recurrence over a large period 
 of years these fluctuations vary from 7 to 1 1 years. 
 Various explanations are given as to why they come. 
 The fluctuation of the volume of metal currency, in-
 
 66 The Problem of the Unemployed 
 
 volving a corresponding rise and fall of prices. Mis- 
 direction of productive energy leading to depres- 
 sion." Overproduction. Exceptional development 
 of the means of transit and production in the years 
 preceding. Underconsumption. These various 
 reasons are open to criticism. As to the first with a 
 gold standard of currency, we do not see how this 
 reason explains. The exceptional development of 
 the means of transit, etc., does not explain, all the 
 facts. At times of depression do not all trades suf- 
 fer, when the extent of the depression is large. Then 
 underconsumption as an explanation, is only partial. 
 Overproduction and underproduction show — de- 
 cidedly, "misdirection of productive energy," and 
 ignorance of the market. Overproduction is thus 
 explained. Business houses in general, collectively 
 and independently — finding that there are indica- 
 tions that a certain article or articles are much need- 
 ed in the market, get busy. Each producer puts 
 forth an extra effort to secure as much as he can of 
 this supposed new demand. A number of such pro- 
 ducers compete, and between them the market is 
 overstocked. For the time extra labor is demanded, 
 then comes the slump, and unemployment results. 
 Calling a spade by its right name such a conduct is 
 the result of ignorance or selfishness, or both. To 
 be milder, it is miscalculation through ignorance. 
 Whatever it is its injury to the workingman re- 
 mains. One fact remains — the greater the fluctua-
 
 The Problem of the Unemployed 67 
 
 tions the greater the number of unemployed. 
 
 Wages. Adam Smith as to wages says, "Wages 
 like everything else are governed by supply and de- 
 mand, and in the aggregate, they depend upon the 
 proportion of laborers to the capital available for 
 employing labor." Malthus argues that "increase in 
 wages, will increase those who call for wages, and 
 this will reduce the wages." In other words, — the 
 greater the number of laborers and workmen, the 
 lower the wages. Then when the supply increases 
 to such a point, which has often occurred, that no 
 living wages can be obtained, then there is a large 
 swelling of the ranks of the unemployed. It is here 
 that a heavy emigration is dangerous. Ricardo the 
 economist says — "When the number of laborers is 
 increased, wages fall to their natural price." This 
 teacher says that the natural price of labor is that — 
 "which is necessary to enable the laborers to sub- 
 sist and propagate their race without increase or di- 
 minution. The market price of labor, is the price 
 which is really paid for it from the natural opera- 
 tion of the proportion of the supply to the de- 
 mand." Labor is cheap when there is an oversup- 
 ply, thus a large reserve of labor keeps down wages 
 and the contrary prevails when labor is scarce. The 
 German Socialist theory is this — Wages under com- 
 petition, can never be higher than that which will 
 just support the laborer and enable him to renew 
 his kind. The German view is upheld by the argu-
 
 68 The Problem of the Unemployed 
 
 ment, that the laborer could not be sufficiently edu- 
 cated so his condition be raised to the extent of 
 avoiding overpopulation, and that the only way to 
 regulate wages was by putting a stop to competi- 
 tion. This is the Socialistic view. The iron law 
 of Lasalle is unbending. There is another theory, 
 viz, — Wages depend upon the productivity of la- 
 bor, and not capital. Wages depend upon what the 
 product will produce. This seems natural, and is 
 very generally received by writers on economic ques- 
 tions. But intelligent workmen argue against it, 
 on the ground that the very competition of abund- 
 ant capital, and temporary rise of wages, for capi- 
 tal more and more uses machinery, and thus throws 
 on the market more skilled workmen. This in- 
 creases competition, with the result of lowering 
 wages. The smaller concerns will not be able to 
 compete with the large ones. Competition still 
 heightens, wages are further reduced, and more 
 men are thrown out of employment. As a proof 
 of this, it is claimed, wealth increases, while wages 
 decrease. One class becomes wealthier, the other 
 poorer. In this connection there are in actuality 
 many paradoxes. They are these — wages are bet- 
 ter, an oligarchy is becoming wealthier each year, 
 and still the unemployed are increasing, so does 
 poverty. We are thus forced to this conclusion — 
 Whatever theory as to wages you adopt, and how- 
 ever high you may aim to raise the standard of liv-
 
 The Problem of the Unemployed 69 
 
 ing, the rule in labor is, men will receive what 
 wages they can get, rather than starve. Then an- 
 other rule in practice is this — whatever raw mater- 
 ial yields of profit, plus the expense of manufactur- 
 ing, the workman does not get the corresponding 
 benefit. Economic theories and logic are nice on pa- 
 per, but they do not lead to results in practice. In 
 the face of all, it must be considered, that no fast 
 law can be laid down as to wages, for they depend 
 on many intricate causes, besides the cupidity of the 
 employer. Plasticity possibly has much to do with 
 conditions. We find that unemployment is likely to 
 be greater, the more rigidly wage rates are main- 
 tained in the face of variations in the demand for 
 labor. This also affects fluctuations. In a recent 
 report of the British Board of Trade we have the 
 following statement: "Trade union stand, and rates 
 of wages do not prevail in Germany to the same ex- 
 tent as in Great Britain. In consequence, work- 
 people have greater liberty in accepting work at 
 wages lower than those at which they have previ- 
 ously been employed, especially in bad times. A 
 more speedy return to employment of some kind, 
 and a consequent reduction in the percentage of 
 trade union members unemployed results from 
 this." Let us now glance very cursorily on actual 
 facts to illustrate the points mentioned. The an- 
 nual earnings by employees in the United States in- 
 creased from $247.38 in the year 1850 to $445.85
 
 70 The Problem of the Unemployed 
 
 In the year 1890, according to Mr. Carroll D. 
 Wright. It is claimed according to statistics pre- 
 sented to the 5 2d Congress that from the year 
 1873, there was a decrease in wages. The anoma- 
 lies are palpable. Who is correct? The question 
 is often asked — Are conditions as to wages im- 
 proving or not? We are sorry to have to confess — 
 there is no clear vision, and taking a wide survey, 
 many emphatically declare — "The workman was 
 never so prosperous as he is now, the condition of 
 the workman during the last 60 years has vastly im- 
 proved." But is this not due to the general condi- 
 tion of the country, and not directly owing to better 
 wages, in face of such a condition. The multimil- 
 lionaires who can afford smoking their cigarettes 
 wrapped in $100 papers, and the squalor in the 
 same city of New York, do not correspond. The 
 increase in the army of the unemployed in the same 
 city, has also a clear testimony. For an American 
 view, favorable to the condition of the working- 
 man, see Carroll D. Wright's, "The Industrial 
 Evolution in the United States." However, at the 
 same time remember Dr. Spahr declares the figures 
 on which Mr. Wright bases his conclusions are, 
 "utterly unreliable." Thus the difficulty to arrive 
 at any intelligent conclusions. The contention is, 
 that the cost of living has so increased as to mater- 
 ially reduce every advantage received by the amount 
 paid for labor. Thus at best, In the face of all, we
 
 The Problem of the Unemployed 71 
 
 cannot fail to see that the step between employment 
 and unemployment, is but a very short one, 
 and that very delicate changes can throw a large 
 number to the ranl<:s of the unemployed. Wages 
 today are not on such basis as to be a barrier. In 
 view of conditions they are no barrier. 
 
 The Short Hour Movement, or, "The Eight 
 Hour Philosophy," so called, does it, or does it 
 not, prevent unemployment. It does so, some claim 
 by increasing wages. This it does in two ways, 
 (i) By reducing enforced idleness. (2) By cre- 
 ating new wants, and raise the standard of living. 
 Let us see how this actually works. Take 8,000,- 
 000 adult laborers, and reduce their day by 2 hours. 
 This will withdraw 16,000,000 hours' labor a day 
 without discharging a single laborer. This would 
 be equal to increasing the demand for labor 20 per 
 cent. In other words a labor day of 8 hours would 
 create employment for 2,000,000 men. The mar- 
 ket for commodities, they claim, in the same ratio 
 would be enlarged. We at once grant that as a di- 
 rect improvement, physically, mentally, and relig- 
 iously, (if well used), such a philosophy would 
 benefit the race. But after all is this not a theory 
 unverified by actual results as to unemployment. 
 Conditions must fit such a philosophy, but do they 
 today? I hope they do. It is claimed today, that 
 with long hours, and increase of machinery, the 
 market will be overstocked, decrease of wages, and
 
 72 The Problem of the Unemployed 
 
 unemployment must follow. Anything that will 
 elevate the status of the workingman will be hailed. 
 But what is the actual result of the Short Hour 
 Movement? Morally and religiously, matters 
 have not improved where it has been introduced. 
 Industrially we know the Socialists strongly claim 
 that the reverse of its helpfulness, is true. One of 
 their leading men uses these words, "Reducing the 
 hours of labor will not employ the unemployed, or 
 at least will not employ them as fast as improve- 
 ments in machinery and other things. Rather it will 
 create more unemployed." Another of their argu- 
 ments is this — (it) "is powerless to check the phe- 
 nomena of so called overproduction, unemploy- 
 ment and the breakdown of the whole present in- 
 dustrial system." And we find the strongest advo- 
 cates of the movement, granting it is not a panacea 
 for unemployment. They say, the system has not 
 been sufficiently tried. We claim that under the 
 present industrial conditions, the Short Hour sys- 
 tem will create more unemployed. Its quota of 
 such is possibly not large. 
 
 Immobility of Labor. This is the reverse con- 
 dition of mobility and placticity. The country and 
 especially unions, are becoming more and more 
 alive to the importance of this condition. Through 
 lack of information, and poverty, in time past, la- 
 bor was almost stationary. When a man lost his 
 job in one place, unless he could find another within
 
 The Problem of the Unemployed 73 
 
 an easy walking distance, he settled down to idle- 
 ness. Now it has come to be thoroughly known, 
 that every improvement in the mobility of labor, 
 diminishes the reserve of labor in localities. Thus 
 the volume of unemployment is reduced. The more 
 rigid the immobility of labor, the more direct, and 
 greater the volume or number of the unemployed. 
 All the new methods of dealing with the unem- 
 ployed are paying special attention to this point. 
 Such is true of the Labor Exchange Act of England 
 and the efforts of the Bureau of Labor of the 
 United States. They make an effort to give all the 
 information possible, and even provide aid to meet 
 this very point. Thus the overcrowding of the la- 
 bor market in various sections, should not now be 
 so wide-spread, and difficult to handle. It has been 
 all along hard to move men from an overcrowded 
 market, to an undersupplied market. This is es- 
 pecially true when we try to move men from one 
 trade to another. But with education, information, 
 and other means, this is becoming easier. Immo- 
 bility of labor, certainly has been one fruitful cause 
 of unemployment. Lack of plasticity is another.
 
 V 
 
 HOW THE PROBLEM HAS BEEN TREAT- 
 ED IN THE PAST BY VARIOUS PEOPLE 
 
 A S this is a large subject, we cannot here enter 
 into it as its merits deserve. Whoever will study 
 the question from this standpoint will be convinced 
 the methods were not always on the right lines, and 
 consequently the results were not satisfactory. Ac- 
 cording to knowledge, possibly it was as good an 
 effort, as might be. Is it not true, that in the past 
 many thought the problem could not be solved. We 
 do not find the effort in many directions was to 
 reach the cause. Rather it was too much an effort 
 at ameliorating a condition. In many cases the ef- 
 fort proved only an added fuel to a flame, or more 
 poison to an already over septic state. The Eng- 
 lish people for years, were satisfied with charity in- 
 stitutions, and private gifts. Government coped 
 with the condition with Its Poor House, and reliev- 
 ing methods. There was no effort to get at real 
 facts; no effort at discrimination between the true 
 unemployed and the vagrant; no separation of the 
 various classes of those who applied for relief. In 
 the whole business there was no intelligent action. 
 This led to the coining daily more paupers and the 
 
 74
 
 The Problem of the Unemployed 75 
 
 augmenting of the army of unemployed. Some of 
 the countries on the continent of Europe caught the 
 gleam, and they tried to meet the problem in a 
 more scientific way. Glancing back a hundred years, 
 besides direct relief, we find the colony method was 
 used to meet the requirements of the unemployed. 
 As early as the year 18 18, we find the first colony 
 for this object established, in Holland, at Freder- 
 ickswoord in Friesland. The founder of this col- 
 ony had two ideas, which were "Help the people, 
 improve the land." We find at that time, this land 
 was a virgin soil. There were small holdings and 
 free farms. At first the men were placed on the 
 land entirely under the care of the colony. Here 
 they were trained, and fitted for the work. As soon 
 as such men were ready, and could be relied on, they 
 were placed on the farms. Germany and England 
 finally took up the method. Under the control of 
 the president of the local government board, we 
 find such a colony at Hollesley Bay, Suffolk, Eng- 
 land. There are others also in this country (Eng.) . 
 But they have not been conducted as they should, 
 thus they have not reached as they should, a full de- 
 gree of success. Much of this failure was caused, 
 by lack of classification, on the men received into 
 the colonies. Those in charge seemed to be more 
 swayed by the idea of charity, than that of the 
 training of good, sturdy citizens. Neither did thef 
 draw the line hard enough, between the genuinely
 
 76 The Problem of the Unemployed 
 
 unemployed and the inefficient classes. In England 
 trade unions, have been well used to reach the un- 
 employed. These by a more intelligent way of 
 classifying workmen; raising the standard of la- 
 bor; providing sick and unemployment benefits for 
 their members, have not only opened a path, show- 
 ing the way partially to deal with the unemployed, 
 but also, they have actually reduced the number of 
 the unemployed in their own trades. As this is 
 only a partial review of what has been done, and 
 not an exhaustive treatment, we pass many of the 
 methods used in France, and point only to one thing 
 which is highly instructive and helpful. I now refer 
 to the establishment in France of the Ecoles Ma- 
 ternelles. Classes de Garde. The purpose of these 
 is to provide for, and take care of young children, 
 so the parents, especially the mothers, can go out to 
 work. They need not to lose their work to take 
 care of the children, these institutions do this. These 
 children are also taught in the various grades to 
 which they belong. Any intelligent mind will see 
 the many points of advantage such a method gives, 
 and how thus, these people are kept from the ranks 
 of the unemployed. Germany has her own special 
 methods of dealing with the problem. Early in the 
 modern treatment of unemployment, this country 
 became prominent in her introduction and use of 
 insurance against sickness and unemployment. The 
 insurance system of Germany is far reaching, and
 
 The Problem of the Unemployed 77 
 
 is compulsory. There is on the part of the Ger- 
 man authorities an effort at finding out, who is re- 
 sponsible for poverty, and of course unemployment. 
 The compensation for meeting such a condition is 
 demanded from what has caused the condition. It 
 is hard, in every case to place the responsibility, but 
 a strict effort is made. Germany has found that 
 much of the poverty and unemployment rests on 
 Society, and here comes the burden of responsibil- 
 ity. On the other hand, it has found that, "the 80 
 per cent, of all accidents in industry is due to pro- 
 fessional risks of industry itself." Then here, the 
 industries, and not the individuals bear the burden, 
 which is the cost of the insurance. Another very 
 marked feature of the German plan is to conserve 
 all they can. They have found that disease, es- 
 pecially tuberculosis, is the cause of a great indus- 
 trial loss, and amongst others, that of unemploy- 
 ment. The sanitary conditions, especially of shops 
 and factories, are carefully watched. A special ef- 
 fort is made to cure disease. Then the German 
 Government employs special scientific men to de- 
 vise means of protection to workmen, while at their 
 work, thus they are not thrown out unprotected 
 when they are disabled, and accidents there, are not 
 frequent. While her insurance plan to meet unem- 
 ployment is not as good as the modern English 
 plan, yet she was the pioneer in this work. In this 
 country, the Government does everything it can to
 
 78 The Problem of the Unemployed 
 
 encourage thrift, and to prevent the existence of a 
 pauper class. 
 
 Comparatively young as Australia and her sister 
 colonies are, yet we find they have heroically made 
 an effort to meet the problem of the unemployed. 
 As to this condition, some of their laws are excel- 
 lent. The feature in the treatment of labor condi- 
 tions in Australia is, that these people have tried to 
 solve the problem by Legislation. While some of 
 these laws were primarily directed against the 
 sweating system, yet in their general application 
 they reach a much wider circle. Mr. Percy Alden 
 of England in his book, "Democratic England," 
 gives us a good resume of certain legislative acts 
 of Australia, New Zealand, New South Wales, etc. 
 Japan, at the close of its war with Russia, solved in 
 great measure the problem of the unemployed that 
 threatened her at the disbanding of her army. Ja- 
 pan shifted the thousands of her disbanded army to 
 the land, and such soldiers became farmers. Thus 
 the vast army of unemployed that threatened her, 
 was solved, by turning these soldiers into thrifty 
 citizens. Now let us turn back to England, and 
 look on her late efforts at solving the Problem of 
 the unemployed. England was in a very different 
 position to either Australia or Japan. She had no 
 available land in the British Isles. Her only open- 
 ing in this direction was her colonies. But no spec- 
 ial effort was made as far as we know to offer
 
 The Problem of the Unemployed 79 
 
 special inducements to emigrate. One great source 
 of unemployment in England was the Sweating Sys- 
 tem. Mr. Percy Alden raises the curtain for us to 
 see some of the last efforts to cope with this system, 
 and other labor questions. This effort was the result 
 of the Fifth Report from the Select Committee of 
 the House of Lords ( 1 890) and based upon it. The 
 part bearing on our subject is this, "It may be said 
 that the inefficiency of the workers, early marriage, 
 and the tendency of the residium of the population 
 in large towns to form a helpless community, to- 
 gether with a low standard of life — and the ex- 
 cessive supply of unskilled labor, are the chief fac- 
 tors in producing sweating. Moreover a large sup- 
 ply of cheap female labor is available by reason of 
 the fact that married women working at unskilled 
 labor in their homes, in the intervals between at- 
 tending to their domestic duties and not wholly sup- 
 porting themselves, can afford to work at what 
 would be starvation wages to unmarried women. 
 Such being the conditions of the labor market, 
 abundant materials exist to supply the unscrupu- 
 lous employer with his wretched dependent work- 
 ers." Another movement to deal with the question 
 was the passing through Parliament of the Trade 
 Boards Act of 1909. The Trade Board fixes a 
 minimum rate of wages for time work, and a gen- 
 eral minimum rate of wages for piece work in cer- 
 tain trades. Then we have the Labor Exchanges
 
 8o The Problem of the Unemployed 
 
 Act of 1909, an excellent Act, and far superior to 
 the German. By this law the Exchanges are classi- 
 fied and marked as A, B, C. The whole country is 
 divided, and there is an excellent telephonic and 
 telegraphic connection between all the exchanges. 
 It provides also that every village post office con- 
 tains and has to keep an employment register. 
 These Exchanges can advance loans for meeting the 
 travelling expenses of workmen to seek work, thus 
 making possible mobility of labor. On the various 
 committees carrying on the work of the Exchanges 
 various trades are represented.
 
 VI 
 
 SOLUTION OF THE PROBLEM— AN EF- 
 FORT AT 
 
 ' I *HE first thing is to know where we are at. Be- 
 fore the medical man will apply his remedy, he 
 makes the best diagnosis he can. The failure to 
 treat physical disease primarily, is the failure to 
 make the right diagnosis. It is the same with all 
 other diseases, whether civil, moral or spiritual. 
 Then in industry and labor, the imperative demand 
 is — Know the condition. As soon as this is done, 
 extricate every foreign substance that causes the 
 inflammation. Every inflammation — even fever — ■ 
 is caused by a foreign substance. The way to ac- 
 count for the unemployed is — there is a foreign 
 substance in the social and industrial bodies. Then 
 use your scalpel. Get a clean wound. Wounds heal 
 from the bottom upwards. Use antiseptics and 
 proper drainage tubes. After this take care of 
 and build up the general health, so as to get good 
 blood. This is the only way to deal with the dis- 
 ease of the unemployed. The process because of 
 the long and firm hold of the disease, will demand 
 a long as well as a severe treatment, but the results 
 will justify any means for the riddance of this pes- 
 
 8i
 
 82 The Problem of the Unemployed 
 
 tered sore. There is a need to be heroic. Do not 
 look upon the unemployed as if looking on a simple 
 indisposition of the civic and industrial body, which 
 will be relieved by a cathartic. There has been too 
 much looking on this diseased condition as the mor- 
 alist looks on sin — nothing very serious. This is 
 why people speak of the problem of the unem- 
 ployed as a "maladjustment," of the industrial 
 body. If this condition is nothing but a maladjust- 
 ment, all that is needed then is a readjustment. If 
 you are a mechanic to replace a piece of machinery 
 is easy. But industry — labor — is something more 
 intricate than a machine. With these facts in mind 
 let us approach as well as we can the solution of this 
 vital problem. 
 
 ( I ) Know the Condition — discriminate is the 
 first thing. Probe deep into the social and indus- 
 trial folds, and find, if possible, the cause. Dis- 
 criminate between the real unemployed — the man 
 who has been compelled by conditions he could not 
 control — to be idle, and the other men who do not 
 want work, the vagrant, and the incapable. For one 
 I would advocate strongly that Government be giv- 
 en full power to deal with the criminal classes, the 
 vagrants, and the incapables according to their con- 
 dition. The incapables from whatever cause should 
 be cared for by the state. If it is sickness, mental 
 weakness, and all such states, let the Central Gov- 
 ernment provide institutions for those, where they
 
 The Problem of the Unemployed 83 
 
 shall be wisely, firmly and well provided, with the 
 object, if possible, of restoration. Separate places 
 should be provided for such, and if in any way able 
 they should be made to work. No pauper stamina 
 should be attached to such a place. The vagrant, 
 the gentleman who will not work, and he who will 
 only work at casual jobs, should be handled by the 
 law, and their labor be made remunerative. If un- 
 manageable their punishment should be a harder 
 form of labor. They should be by themselves, un- 
 der an impartial and strict supervision. There 
 should not be favoritism nor politics. The "col- 
 ony" with all modern improvements should be used. 
 An opportunity for training should be uppermost, 
 leading to the highest possible citizenship, and in- 
 dependence. Every inducement for self control 
 should be held forth. The moral, and semi-mor- 
 al criminals — the criminal by heredity, and in 
 fact, the weak-minded vicious should be segregated 
 and treated as criminals. Just punishments should 
 be meted, with suitable work and training. Recla- 
 mation should be the watchword, and watchaction. 
 When any such, show a possible cure, they should 
 be brought before a body of citizens under the di- 
 rection of the Court, with expert and other testi- 
 mony for a decision. Such people should not be al- 
 lowed their liberty only after a certain time, and a 
 rigid proof. The power of pardon and release 
 should not be granted to any executive of a state,
 
 84 The Problem of the Unemployed 
 
 nor a single judge. If our present courts cannot 
 handle the cases without overcrowding, a new spec- 
 ial court should be formed by the legislature. These 
 cases would be better under the care of the Federal 
 Government. 
 
 England of late years has in part adopted this 
 plan of discrimination, and thus has made much 
 easier the solution of the problem. 
 
 Begin to create anew at the very lowest or first 
 step. This means starts with the Child. First of 
 all, the children of these submerged classes, all of 
 them, should be controlled by the State. As such 
 a guardian, the State should provide institutions 
 of training well equipped, and well guarded as to 
 the rights of the inmates. Some will say, — "Such a 
 plan will overtax the people, and the means to do 
 the work will be hard to find." But is the reclaim- 
 ing of a large number of our fellowmen from no 
 fault of their own, in many cases, not of greater 
 value than money? At first until the adjustment is 
 complete, there may be some hardship, but where 
 do you meet with any curing process, without any 
 suffering? Most of these institutions should be 
 made self-supporting. And besides, when all the 
 burdens of militarism will be removed, as they will 
 with the close of this European war, the vast ex- 
 pense that went to keep up such vast armed camps 
 should be well used to train men for manhood and 
 citizenship. Then with a higher manhood, the ex-
 
 The Problem of the Unemployed 85 
 
 pense of our criminal courts should be reduced to a 
 minimum. I say again — is not a higher citizenship 
 in the children of the vicious, and dependables of 
 greater value than dollars? By a wise provision of 
 law and management, the expenses of this plan, 
 could be made very small indeed. After these chil- 
 dren have passed through the grades, let them have 
 — suitable to their talents, — a technical training, 
 thus they are self-supporting. 
 
 Industrial training for the young is one of the 
 best keys to unlock this problem of the unem- 
 ployed. Such institutions should be provided and 
 placed in the best locations for pupils and for train- 
 ing. If not entirely controlled by the state they 
 should be under its strict supervision. Manual 
 training in our present schools is a material help, 
 but this does not meet the demand. Such training 
 should be compulsory and strictly enforced. Chil- 
 dren who are not taking kindly to the upper grades 
 of school work should be placed in these training 
 schools. The higher courses of such schools should 
 be technical and practical as trade schools. Gradu- 
 ation from these schools should entitle the gradu- 
 ate to a good remunerative position. For a certain 
 time after graduation, reports by such graduates 
 should be sent in, so often to the state, of the pro- 
 gress and behavior of such a student. Such action 
 should not savor of any spy element. Then these 
 technical schools, should be so conducted, and kept
 
 86 The Problem of the Unemployed 
 
 up to date, that when any young or middle aged 
 man is not employed, they can daily put in so much 
 time in the school. Every inducement should be 
 offered the students, so they will become willing 
 co-operators, yet law should be back of the whole. 
 Then in this connection, we would urge the advisa- 
 bility of raising the age for the regular school work, 
 as it now prevails. It should also be made compul- 
 sory on parents, any parents, their children cannot 
 leave school before the full age, to accept odd jobs 
 of any kind. Permitting children of school age to 
 accept these jobs injures the labor market, and is a 
 far more serious injury to the boy. In doubtful 
 rendezvous, wherever they are found, who makes 
 up the noisy crowds, smoking cheap cigarettes, 
 drinking and carousing? Is it not the boy or boys 
 who were allowed to leave school before they 
 should, to accept these jobs? It is a fact of experi- 
 ence, that unskilled boy labor, unfits him for any 
 work when he becomes a man. Unquestionably 
 many things boys are permitted to do, injure them 
 permanently in their character, and unfit them, even 
 for unskilled labor, as at these times, and by these 
 jobs, seeds of idleness, and irresponsibility, are 
 sown in their nature. A large percentage of these 
 kinds of boys are found amongst and swelling the 
 number of the unemployed. Boys and parents 
 should not simply be warned of the dangers of these 
 jobs, but they should be prohibited to take them up.
 
 The Problem of the Unemployed 87 
 
 To meet the conditions, provision should be made 
 to train the boys. We understand, there is such a 
 provision by the Post Office Authorities of Eng- 
 land. Then there are rich individuals, knowing the 
 dangers of the situation, who are meeting them. 
 We have also a reason to believe, public opinion is 
 getting ready for such an action. Principal Sadler 
 advocates this, when he says — "that employers, in- 
 cluding government departments, manufacturers; 
 commercial firms, retail tradesmen, and employers 
 of young domestic servants, should be placed under 
 statutory obligations to allow young persons of less 
 than seventeen years of age, who are in their em- 
 ployment to attend courses of physical, technical, 
 and general instruction for four hours a week, at 
 any rate during the winter months, at times of day 
 when the pupils are not too tired to profit by the 
 teaching." Canon Barnett when alive advocated 
 an act of Parliament to be passed, "Which will com- 
 pel employers to get for every young person in their 
 employ, a weekly certificate of attendance, at these 
 evening classes in each week." Germany twenty 
 years ago adopted a plan of this kind. The Report 
 of the Minority of the Poor Law Commissioners in 
 England contain these words, "We think that there 
 would be many advantages in such an amendment 
 of the Factory Acts and the Education Acts as 
 would make it illegal for any employer to employ 
 any boy at all in any occupation whatsoever below
 
 88 The Problem of the Unemployed 
 
 the age of fifteen ; or any youth under eighteen for 
 more than thirty hours per week; coupled with an 
 obHgation on the employer, as a condition of being 
 permitted to make use of the immature in industry, 
 to see that the youth between fifteen and eighteen 
 had his name on the roll of some suitable public in- 
 stitute giving physical training and technical educa- 
 tion; and an obligation on the boy to attend such an 
 institute for not less than thirty hours per week." 
 "Blind alley" employments should be absolutely 
 prohibited. Every boy and girl should be prepared 
 for a future remunerative career, and Government 
 should make it compulsory. The apprenticeship 
 method is one of the "more excellent" ways to meet 
 this condition. As child labor competes with man 
 labor, and prevents the employment of qualified 
 men, such should be prevented in every form. 
 
 This will lead us to see what to do with Woman 
 and Child's Labor, as a solution of our problem. 
 It is true, that child labor is the result of the Mod- 
 ern Revolution of Industry, yet we are not blind to 
 the fact of its dangers. And we are not blind to 
 the fact that at one time there was no child labor 
 problem. If it was so once, why it cannot be again ? 
 Child labor being so engrafted on our industrial 
 life, will make it hard to eradicate at once, yet our 
 modern Christian Civilization should not tolerate 
 it any longer. Provided the change cannot be pro- 
 duced at once, let it come by degrees, and educa-
 
 The Problem of the Unemployed 89 
 
 tional provisions made to lessen tiie evil as quickly 
 as possible, by taking care of the submerged chil- 
 dren in our industrial centres, and our large cities. 
 Let institutions be formed and built, and play- 
 grounds provided. Let not the child, any child, be 
 a street waif. Proper surroundings should be pro- 
 vided where the child can enter into the right stream 
 of true life. As the pay received by the child for 
 his labor is so small, and most of it as a rule spent 
 on medical aid, I say child labor should be absolute- 
 ly stopped. As a solution of the problem of the 
 unemployed, it is vital the state should prohibit such 
 a labor, and this absolutely. To say the pittance 
 gained injures the support of the family, is only 
 an effort at drawing the wool over the eyes of the 
 well-meaning, but thoughtless, so they will not see 
 the grabbing hand of the selfish employer. As many, 
 men are kept out of employment by child labor and 
 as the gain goes to the employer, there will be no 
 hardship to any poor family as a net result. So I 
 say again — stop child labor. I would say the same 
 as to JVoman Labor, especially those won\en who 
 are married. I speak now from the simple stand- 
 point of solving the problem of the unemployed. 
 In this essay we have no right to dwell on any oth- 
 er point. There is a moral demand in our favor, 
 there is also a civic demand. All voices combine, 
 to call for the same action. Woman contributes to 
 uphold cheap labor. She competes with man, the
 
 90 The Problem of thi Unemployed 
 
 natural breadwinner, and because she works cheap, 
 she throws out of work, man. And the net gain of 
 earnings to keep a family Is but a pittance. What 
 earnings are secured are more than lost In the keep- 
 ing from work, men. In this case again, what gain 
 there might be goes to the employer, because it is 
 cheap labor. Industry In every case should contrib- 
 ute to higher citizenship, and it should not enrich 
 the employer, at the Impoverishing of the State 
 and its citizens. A partial solution of our problem. 
 Is secured by prohibiting woman labor, especially 
 the married. Let Industry employ the husband, 
 and pay him proper wages, so there will be no false 
 allurements to the mothers to neglect their home 
 duties, and demoralize themselves, and their chil- 
 dren. You will ask, "What about widows, and the 
 unmarried? My answer as a partial solution of 
 our problem Is this — if the widows have children 
 under 17 years old, the state should provide so the 
 widow can be at home. The State of Oregon (U. 
 S.), has, in a partial way, taken this step. The 
 failure in Oregon is, that politics is allowed too 
 much free hand. Then again, the aid given is not 
 well-protected. Widows because of their cupidity, 
 are using the aid as a means of enrichment. These 
 women, every opportunity they can get, work at a 
 good pay, and leave their children to take care of 
 themselves. When State provision Is made it should 
 be large enough to cover the need, and so well
 
 The Problem of the Unemployed 91 
 
 guarded, and protected that neither politics nor 
 cupidity can take an advantage. Again all forms 
 of labor by single women should be conducted in 
 connection with Unions, or supervised by the State. 
 To us Americans such a supervion might be nasty to 
 the taste. But such is the vast and dangerous char- 
 acter of unemployment that even women should be 
 brought under union control. By this supervision 
 a provision can be made, to secure an insurance for 
 each individual against sickness and unemployment. 
 Such an arrangement should be compulsory by law. 
 And such provisions should be well guarded against 
 misuse. Even hard as the workers of the Sweat- 
 ing System were to handle, the Anti-sweating 
 League finally secured the desired result. Let us al- 
 ways remember this — Choke the natural support of 
 families, and you murder the home; coin into indus: 
 trial profits the vitality of the child and the woman, 
 you undermine society and ruin our citizenship. 
 
 To bring the individual to be an important ele- 
 ment in the solution of our problem, the only way 
 is by Education and the improvement of their envi- 
 ronment, even from childhood. Let the individual 
 be educated in the higher principles of manhood, 
 citizenship and labor. As to labor we need a better 
 training in its principles and object. Even the un- 
 skilled laborer should be taught there is something 
 nobler in his work, than simply the few cents an 
 hour he gets as pay. There is as much selfishness 
 of its kind, in the workman, and often more, than
 
 92 The Problem of the Unemployed 
 
 in the man who employs him. The laborer should 
 be taught that in God's plan, and education of the 
 world, he plays as important a part as the multi- 
 millionaire, and the professor in the University. 
 When we secure this, we are on the road to solve 
 the problem of the unemployed. The same is true 
 of Society. Society should be taught the royalty of 
 every grade of labor. It should also be taught the 
 need of justice in all our attitude towards the work- 
 ingman. It should be taught, that it is a moral 
 wrong to seek the lowest prices for goods, because 
 this keeps down our personal and family expenses. 
 God is angry with everyone who rides on the sweat 
 of his fellow man, to the goal of affluence, whether 
 it is in withholding wages, or help to keep down 
 wages by buying and patronizing a market thriving 
 on the starvation of the citizens. 
 
 Now we are face to face with the question — 
 How can we handle Competition between men and 
 machinery so as to solve the problem of the unem- 
 ployed? We are here facing a delicate point. As 
 this competition is the soul of progress, how can we 
 handle it without injuring progress? In reference 
 to the competition by Machinery, Labor Unions 
 have greatly solved this for us. They have 
 controlled the use of machinery in such a way, 
 as to be an aid to labor. Then we say, 
 control the competition in men by controlling 
 the reserve of labor. Readjust the labor
 
 The Problem of the Unemployed 93 
 
 market in such a way as to prove that the whole 
 field is under the control of intelligence and justice. 
 
 Immigration comes under the same category. 
 Take the demand and the methods of immigration 
 entirely from the hands of the employer of cheap 
 labor, and the great transatlantic Steamship Com- 
 panies. Let the Government by diplomacy control 
 the activities abroad of the agents of the parties 
 who reap the greatest profits. Let the healthy de- 
 velopment of the country alone, control the demand 
 for emigrants. Let severe punishments and long 
 terms of imprisonment hedge our immigration 
 laws, and keep out politicians. 
 
 Industrial Disputes of whatever kind, should if 
 possible, be prohibited, and if not possible, their re- 
 currence and danger should be minimized. Aus- 
 tralia, and her sister colonies, have bravely met 
 these difficulties, and their efforts have been very 
 successful. I now refer to the Wages Boards first 
 started in Victoria, and then adopted in South Aus- 
 tralia. These efforts were started in those Colonies 
 in October, 1896. Then we find the Industrial Ar- 
 bitration Act of New Zealand passed in 1894. Eng- 
 land adopted in part these plans, and passed the 
 Trade Boards Act of 1909. Anyone wishing to 
 see the full treatment of these movements, and their 
 effect may do so by consulting good books on la- 
 bor problems, and by the study of the various acts. 
 Also No. I, 2, 3, 4 Bulletins and 126 and 155
 
 94 The Problem of the Unemployed 
 
 (Nos.) of the Bureau of Labor (U. S.) for this 
 and various other important points. Whoever will 
 do so will find that many of the difficulties have 
 been met, and an excellent basis for the solution of 
 our problem has been established. 
 
 The Anti-sweating difficulty was coped with 
 heroically by Sir Charles Dilke and coworkers. 
 Their efforts were more for the control of the Sys- 
 tem than its extirpation, but they have blazed the 
 way to show us how to deal with this feature of our 
 problem. In our opinion such a system should be 
 destroyed, as it is a blot on our civilization. But the 
 next best thing is to control, and get out of it, the 
 best we can. This effort already referred to has 
 also enabled us to see how the lowest unskilled labor 
 can be handled, as also much of women employ- 
 ment. Among the Sweated Workers of England in 
 the past, there was no organization of any kind. It 
 was found Trade Unions were hard to sustain 
 amongst them, as also the other unskilled workers. 
 After many efforts with the Sweated Workers, fin- 
 ally the Anti-Sweating League was started in Eng- 
 land, backed by the influential paper the "Daily 
 News." Other influential men and women stood 
 by it, and especially Sir Charles Dilke. The leaders 
 of the movement secured a Sweating Exhibition in 
 London. They also held a conference in Guild- 
 hall, London. Sir Charles Dilke, introduced a 
 bill in parliament to control the situation. This
 
 The Problem of the Unemployed 95 
 
 bill was framed on the plan of the Wage Boards 
 law of S. Australia. Matters greatly improved 
 from that time to this, thus proving the most de- 
 plorable situation can be controlled. 
 
 Decasualization, by its advocates, is claimed to 
 be a very good remedy for unemployment. By the 
 term is meant, "that all the irregular men from 
 each group of similar employers should be taken on, 
 from a common centre, and that this centre should 
 as far as possible, concentrate employment upon the 
 smallest number that will suffice for the work of 
 the group as a whole ; that successive jobs under dif- 
 ferent employers should as far as possible be made 
 to go in succession to the same individual instead of 
 being spread over several men, each idle half or 
 more than half his time. This may do away with 
 chronic poverty, but I am too unacquainted with its 
 practical working to advocate it as a solution of the 
 problem of the unemployed. There may be merits 
 in it to warrant at least a thorough trial. 
 
 Another way to solve the problem of the un- 
 employed is — the introduction of Profit-Sharing. 
 By profit-sharing we mean, an agreement entered 
 into by employer and employees, which provides the 
 workman will receive a share of the profits fixed in 
 advance of the actual output. This share of the 
 profits does not do away with wages. 
 
 Some noted employers and works, have adopted 
 the plan, and in many cases its workings has been
 
 96 The Problem of the Unemployed 
 
 good. One of the most noted in this matter was the 
 late "Golden Rule" Jones, once a Mayor of To- 
 ledo, O. This method involves no radical change 
 in the wage system. It is the method of mere using 
 the total product of industry, and thus benefit em- 
 ployer, and employee. It elevates the moral atmo- 
 sphere of such works by elevating the moral of the 
 workman; it creates a higher sense of responsibil- 
 ity; and makes for better co-operation, and success. 
 It is not a panacea for unemployment, but mater- 
 ially aids in preventing unemployment, and accord- 
 ing to the number of firms and men adopting it, 
 will materially cut down the number of the unem- 
 ployed. It has already attained quite a success in 
 solving difficulties, and thus lessen unemployment. 
 Another movement, making for this end is that of 
 Stock-ownership. Such a movement is increasing 
 in favor in the United States. It is not free from 
 objectional features, but by making the method 
 more perfect, these will disappear. Then a step in 
 the same direction, is that of Labor Copartnership. 
 This means, "the equal partnership of labor with 
 capital ... a substantial and known share of 
 the profit of a business belongs to the workingmen 
 in it, not by right of any shares they may hold . . . 
 but simply by the right of the labor they put in the 
 business. This confers on the employee a right to 
 vote in the conduct of the business." Whatever 
 tends to create responsibility, creates a higher mor-
 
 The Problem of the Unemployed 97 
 
 ale, and such a state in itself is bound sooner or lat- 
 er to help solve our problems. As a partial aid we 
 welcome all such movements. As to the place of 
 Poverty, in causing unemployment, we say, what- 
 ever aids in reducing poverty aids in the same act 
 in solving the problem of the unemployed. 
 
 Sickness as it affects unemployment should be re- 
 duced to the minimum, and if possible, eradicated. 
 Much of this can be done by demanding sanitary 
 buildings and surroundings to work in, and the 
 segregation, or non-employment of the tubercular. 
 As a disease tuberculosis causes a larger number to 
 fall into the line of the unemployed than any dis- 
 ease. The way in the meantime to solve this dif- 
 ficulty of labor is Insurance against the condition. 
 It is proved conclusively, by the history of labor or- 
 ganizations, that the prosperity of all labor organ- 
 izations, depend on the general industrial prosper- 
 ity, so laboring men should do their best to place 
 themselves in the best condition at such times, and 
 especially to strengthen their own organizations, 
 and the state should co-operate. The proof is not 
 far to find of the advantage of every insur- 
 ance method that can be used. These should 
 contain benefits against sickness, and unemploy- 
 ment. For these benefits, workingmen should com- 
 bine, and place their best men in charge of their in- 
 terests. It is a very happy fact for every one to 
 know that the British Labor Unions are becoming
 
 98 The Problem of the Unemployed 
 
 every year, more and more alive to this necessity of 
 providing Insurance against their various possibili- 
 ties of loss, especially sickness, and unemployment. 
 They also provide such means against strikes, and 
 other labor troubles. The sad fact in the United 
 States is they are far behind in this matter. A few 
 years back we find 77 British Unions paid unem- 
 ployed, sick and accidents benefits. Besides its di- 
 rect helpfulness and benefit, there are collateral 
 helps. Thus we hold that Insurances are of vital 
 help to solve the problem. Years ago Germany 
 saw this and took advantage of it. Their Compul- 
 sory Insurance System is the most far reaching in 
 the world, though the British is more advantageous 
 in many respects. All the Systems of insurance 
 against unemployment, which have had any suc- 
 cess have been worked through Trade Unions, of 
 workpeople engaged in the same industry, and 
 working together. This would in order to make 
 its provision general necessitate a union for every 
 trade. But good as the Unions have been in this 
 matter, there are certain objections to a General 
 Insurance by Trade Unions. Government should 
 guard carefully all such, and really Government 
 should take up the matter. Certain points should 
 be carefully watched in providing for these noble 
 helps to solve labor problems. A scheme should 
 be devised, demanding equal contributions from, 
 and paying equal benefits to workpeople who are
 
 The Problem of the Unemployed 99 
 
 sure to be frequently unemployed, and those who 
 are not likely to be often "out of a job." Yet of 
 course in proportion to the money paid into the 
 fund. But the more fortunate should be willing 
 within certain limits, to help their less fortunate 
 brothers, by bearing a share of the assessments. 
 Tariffs and contributions should be so arranged as 
 to meet the various demands. Then there should 
 be safe guards against illusing the benefits. Trade 
 Unions, and especially the British Unemployment 
 Insurance Act, have such a plan. They require 
 men in receipt of out-of-work benefit to sign daily, 
 the vacant book at some time that falls on nonnal 
 working hours. As the modern laws of England, 
 dealing with this important subject are so good, I 
 would recommend their study, especially those parts 
 dealing with sickness, unemployment, etc. Also the 
 German and Australian laws. Many of these can be 
 secured from our Bureau of Labor. These laws, as 
 yet, are the most practical efforts at the solution of 
 the problem of unemployment. The problem of 
 unemployment is solved in part, by these means. 
 They provide help when most needed, without any 
 taint of charity. They keep the workman from 
 falling into that poverty that undermines his fu- 
 ture; his independence is upheld; and he does not 
 need to be in the army of the unemployed. 
 
 Supply and Demand another source of difficulty, 
 should be solved by a better adjustment of the La-
 
 lOO The Problem of the Unemployed 
 
 bor market. Labor Exchanges with their adjuncts, 
 when they are generally and properly worked, will, 
 in large measure, correct this great difficulty. The 
 adjunct we call, "The Departments of Maintenance 
 and Training." This section on adjunct cares for 
 the household of the men who are waiting for em- 
 ployment. They also train even the men, in what 
 they are lacking. Thus they are kept from idle- 
 ness. Thus when such men are employed they are 
 better fitted. This Is part of the Government In- 
 surance plan, against unemployment, established 
 in the year 1909, by the Chancellor of the Exche- 
 quer — Mr. D. Lloyd George. The work of the Ex- 
 changes are to ascertain and report the surplus and 
 shortage of wages In every section. In fact they 
 are to act as clearing houses for Labor. They are 
 to unify and be the heart of the labor market. They 
 are also to dovetail casual and seasonal employment 
 so as to secure continuous work for those who are 
 chronically underemployed, and to make accessible, 
 work for the unemployed. England, in the year 
 1909, passed the Labor Exchanges Act. This act is 
 modeled after the German bureau^ but its provi- 
 sions are considered better. These Exchanges are 
 under the control of the state, and thus they become 
 an unit in combating unemployment. In Germany 
 institutions of the same kind are under the care of 
 municipalities, or other associations. The English 
 Act divides the country into eleven districts, with
 
 The Problem of the Unemployed loi 
 
 an inspector at the head of each district. This offi- 
 cer is called — divisional inspector. These Ex- 
 changes are classified by the letters of the alphabet, 
 and this according to the population of the towns, 
 e. g. Class A embraces towns of 100,000 and over, 
 B towns between 50,000 and 100,000 population. 
 The purpose to have these Exchanges so located is 
 that they will control the whole country. They 
 are also connected together with quick means of 
 communication. The number of these Exchanges 
 soon ran up to the hundreds, and they are placed 
 wherever needed. In the larger cities there are to 
 be branch offices, with the same communication. In 
 the smaller towns there are sub-offices, and the 
 whole system connected with telegraph and tele- 
 phone communications. Then every village Post 
 Office will keep a register of vacancies and of un- 
 employed. These Exchanges will act as clearing" 
 houses, — the one in London being the chief. The 
 amount of work already done more than justifies 
 their establishment. These Exchanges have at their 
 command a loan fund which is to be used to help 
 workmen to travel to where they can get work. The 
 Exchanges are cared for by an Advisory Commit- 
 tee, equally divided in their members of Trade Un- 
 ions, and employer's representatives. The Ex- 
 changes are well protected by law as to the conduct 
 of their work, and their main object is to bring em- 
 ployer and employee together. While these places
 
 I02 The Problem of the Unemployed 
 
 may not end unemployment, they will give more 
 and more, an accurate knowledge of the labor mar- 
 ket; ease friction; help employers and employees to 
 find the supply they need in work and men. They 
 will also help in dealing with the underemployed 
 and the casual worker, I look upon the establish- 
 ment of these Exchanges as one of the best methods 
 to solve the problem of the unemployed. 
 
 Fluctuations can be controlled, and thus we come 
 nearer the solution of our problem. To do so, we 
 must get an intelligent control of the industrial mar- 
 ket; a full co-operation between manufacturers, 
 merchants, and workingmen. To meet the seasonal 
 fluctuations, the only thing that can be done is, to 
 get the men to take up work they can do during the 
 inclemency of the weather. Exchanges and Unions 
 can provide for this dovetailing. Industrial train- 
 ing for the younger and all who are capable to take 
 it, for certain hours of the day, during the months 
 outdoor work cannot be carried out, will in time 
 bring about the desired result. The other alterna- 
 tive is ample insurance to meet the demands of the 
 families. When men are not working they should 
 be compelled to attend these technical schools. 
 Proper wage rate will materially aid. Cyclical fluc- 
 tuations are harder to solve. They, very much de- 
 pend on the state of the market ; on capital and raw- 
 material, with the demand for the goods. What- 
 ever controls these, directly controls cyclical flue-
 
 The Problem of the Unemployed 103 
 
 tuations. If we could put our finger on what causes 
 good and bad times we may then go far to solve 
 our problem. True providence has much to do 
 with these things, and thus far conditions are not 
 under our control, but man also has something to 
 do with it. To meet the condition all we can offer 
 now is insurance and technical training. 
 
 How to control IF ages, is hard to answer, yet the 
 right answer is vital in solving our problem. So 
 many features enter into this part of our subject, 
 that enhance the difficulties to offer an answer. Here 
 we are sailing between two extremes. One is the 
 improvidence and waste of the workman and his 
 family, the other is the large wealth manufacturers 
 as a rule accumulate from the business, and the 
 small part of this that reaches the workman. Lay 
 aside brain power, thrift, business ability and other- 
 facts favorable to any manufacturer, give the re- 
 turns due, then honestly face the question — "does 
 the workman receive from the work what he should, 
 by right and justice?" He does not receiv^e what he 
 should receive. Then one way to solve the problem 
 of the unemployed, from the standpoint of wages 
 is to advance these reasonably according to the 
 profits from the business. This means that the em- 
 ployer will receive what is due his enterprise, raw 
 material value, wear and tear, transportants, value 
 of his time, interest due his capital. Let the wages 
 then be according to what the profits will yield.
 
 I04 The Problem of the Unemployed 
 
 But summing up this delicate matter, it will be set- 
 tled right, when men enter business and conduct it, 
 from right principles. When they are moved by a 
 desire to further civilization, and their fellowmen, 
 and not selfish monetary profits, then the wage ques- 
 tion will settle itself. The Short Hour question, 
 and the plasticity of labor, will disappear with the 
 perfecting of the Labor Exchanges. 
 
 The last, and most certain solution we shall name 
 is this — place industry and labor on a proper Chris- 
 tian plane. Let both be controlled by the principles 
 of the Christ. 
 
 This subject being important and large enough 
 to be a subject of separate essay, we shall only indi- 
 cate few points to make our meaning intelligible. 
 
 By this we do not mean that we stop with the 
 "Golden Rule." By the principles of Christ I mean 
 the full orb of truths taught by Christ, as to the 
 relation of man with man, in the presence of God. 
 We would designate this orb by the words Love, 
 and Brotherliness. The door that opens to this 
 temple of Mystery (the unemployed) is swung on 
 the pivot of Love placed there by Christ, and the 
 doorkeeper is Brotherliness. This door will not 
 open only by following Christ's direction. Let 
 the Church try it. Everything between the two 
 extremes of human means, for centuries, have been 
 tried, but have failed. Why, then, not try the way 
 of the Christ, and do it honestly. These two ex-
 
 The Problem of the Unemployed 105 
 
 tremes are Slavery and Socialism. It is gratifying 
 to know the churches are beginning to awake right- 
 ly to their duty. What a noble testimony to the 
 fact, that Christianity is not dead, was the united 
 action of 1,000 churches in New York City, last 
 winter, when they came to the help of the unem- 
 ployed. But it is not relief simply, that will settle 
 this matter. The condition of the unemployed, is 
 a disease that cannot be cured, only by the Balm of 
 Gilead. This Balm must be applied to all our In- 
 dustrial relations, and especially the employer and 
 the employee. The conception of business must be 
 entirely changed, and Its status raised, from the 
 heathen to the Christian Standard. Men must be 
 trained to know; that when they go to business; 
 when they establish a factory, they do so, not di- 
 rectly for the dollar profit; a selfish desire for big 
 returns In profits, but for the higher development 
 of humanity. The workman of every grade must 
 know, he is "working as unto the Lord." The Infi- 
 dellc will smile, but we who believe have the best 
 of the laugh. This Is a sentence that should be 
 graven In the rock and blazed from the house 
 tops, "When men will go Into business for the com- 
 mon good, and not for selfish purposes, then there 
 will be no problem of the unemployed." Christ 
 taught that wealth must be used rightly for the es- 
 tablishment of the right social order. When this 
 Is properly carried out, wages will be so regulated.
 
 io6 The Problem of the Unemployed 
 
 as to be satisfactory. The employer will know the 
 workman is not a piece of machinery, and the work- 
 man will understand, the employer is not a cow to 
 be milked. Christ thunders against everything that 
 makes every and any man selfish and unsocial. The 
 only way to avoid disobedience to Christ is, let 
 every church, and every member, carry out heroi- 
 cally all that Christ has a right to look for and ex- 
 pect. When Love and Brotherliness will be heroi- 
 cally practiced, then the problem of the unemployed 
 will be solved perfectly.
 
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