News
Amid Boston Overdose Crisis, a Pair of Harvard Students Are Bringing Narcan to the Red Line
News
At First Cambridge City Council Election Forum, Candidates Clash Over Building Emissions
News
Harvard’s Updated Sustainability Plan Garners Optimistic Responses from Student Climate Activists
News
‘Sunroof’ Singer Nicky Youre Lights Up Harvard Yard at Crimson Jam
News
‘The Architect of the Whole Plan’: Harvard Law Graduate Ken Chesebro’s Path to Jan. 6
To the Editors of the CRIMSON:
I have read the various articles upon the labor question in the Crimson and I have been greatly amused by them. I believe that they are the work of one who knows not the slightest thing about the labor question.
If I may I should like to say a few words about the worker's attitude. You prate about greater production for more wages. The worker has heard that old gag until it wearies him. Let me give an instance. In a certain corporation the piece work system is used. The prices are so not that the worker has to turn out a larger quantity of work to make a fair wage. This corporation is always clamoring for greater production. If a worker does turn out more than his average production his prices are cut so that he must maintain the greater production up keep the same wage. Such a system greatly encourages increased production.
In regard to value given for value received, it sounds excellent when a college boy says if. But who sets this standard of value? In most cases the manufacturer or employer, and too often this standard is very unfair. Can you expect labor to acquiesce to an unfair standard? In the few instances that fair standard of value has been set, labor has accepted and maintained this standard.
In all these editorials I have found the same theme. Labor is unjust, unreasonable, ignorant. I have worked for a year and a half as a factory hand. I belong to the working class. I know that a weary, body-deforming, mind-stupefying, soul-killing grind the worker's life is. I believe I understand the worker's view. Be says, "Give me a square deal and I shall give you a square deal." When capital gives the square deal the day of labor troubles is over. Until that square deal is given the labor question will always be before us. FRANCES T. RUXTER IES. November 29, 1920.
Want to keep up with breaking news? Subscribe to our email newsletter.