Daybreak; A Romance of an Old World
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CHAPTER XXX.
ATTEMPTS TO SOLVE THE PROBLEM.
It was not till the next day that we sat down together again to continuethe conversation. Remembering what the doctor had said, Thorwald began:
"In sketching for you the history of that age of activity and change inour career, I was in such fear of wearying you with dry details that Ihurried along and omitted the very things to which you refer, Doctor.This people did try all the experiments that suggested themselves,and if you think your patience will endure it I will speak of a few ofthem."
We both assured him that we would gladly listen, and that we consideredourselves fortunate in having such an instructor. He was merely tellingus about a certain period in the history of Mars, but if he had knownhow nearly he had been coming to the course of events on the earth hewould not have wondered that we were so eager to hear all he had to say.
"Quite early in the labor difficulties," he resumed, "state arbitrationhad its day; a short one, however, for the appointment of thearbitrators soon became a matter of partisan politics, and theirinfluence was gone. Whichever side was in power could appoint a boardthat would be prejudiced in favor of that side from the start, and whenthe trouble came the other party would not have confidence enough intheir judgment to accept their decision.
"Next, laws were passed making arbitration compulsory, but allowing thearbitrators to be chosen at the time of the strike, the employer to nameone, the workmen one, and these two to find the third. This did somegood as long as only first class men were selected, but a few flagrantcases occurred where the arbitrators, who were allowed to inspect thebooks of the concern, made public the private affairs of the business,to the great injury of the owners. This brought the law into disfavor,and, as there was no provision for enforcing the decisions, it came topass that they were often disregarded, and so, before long, this plan ofsettling disputes was also abandoned.
"For a good many years no other subject so completely filled the publicmind as this very troublesome one, and people of all professions werecontinually suggesting remedies. It was held by many to be a goodworking theory that the employees in every business, whether industrial,mercantile, or financial, were entitled to some share in the profitsover and above their compensation in wages. This was disputed by thelarge majority of the employers, who claimed that their contract withthe workmen was a simple one, by which they agreed to work so many hoursfor so much pay, and as this was their due even if the business proveda losing one, so they had no just claim to anything more if it weresuccessful the employees had nothing to do or say about the questionof profits. On the other hand, where a number of men had, by long andfaithful service, a strict regard for the welfare of the business, andloyalty to all of the employer's interests, helped to build up a greatindustry, an increasing number of people, not only the wage earners butmany others not directly interested, felt that the workmen hadfairly gained, if not a share in the proprietorship, at least someconsideration from the owners. This feeling was especially strong incases where the laws of the land had materially aided the success of thebusiness, and where the profits were unusually large.
"I want to say, in passing, that it is by such indications as theexistence of this sentiment that we can see, all through those troubloustimes, the gradual improvement of the race.
"As some of the employers came to be impressed with the same thought,they began in a quiet way trying the experiment of giving their men abonus at the end of the year, proportioned to the amount of wages theyearned. In some cases this gave place after a time to the plan of makingthe workmen regular partners, and giving them a certain percentage ofthe profits in lieu of wages. But when a time of general depression cameand the percentage did not amount to as much as their old pay had been,the men felt as though they had been led into a trap, and after they hadendured the situation for a time they were glad to return to the formersystem.
"Another scheme that was extensively tried was cooperation among theworkingmen, both in manufacturing and mercantile business. The argument,which was a plausible one, was that the expense of big salaries formanagement, together with the enormous profits, would all be availablefor dividends. The results showed that in the long run the profits, inall but exceptional cases, were not more than a fair interest on theinvestment, and as to the salaries, it was found that financial andbusiness ability was scarce and costly, and yet necessary to success.The associations of workingmen were willing to put their money intobuildings, machinery, and stock, and the men were ready to work hardthemselves, but they were not willing to pay for skill in management,and so their failure was inevitable. At the same time they still heldto the opinion, which was at the bottom of these experiments, that underthe old system the owners and managers of the business got too muchof the profits and the operatives too little. Is there anything else,Doctor, that you think these people might have tried?"
"I am not satisfied," the doctor answered, "with their effortsat profit-sharing. It seems to me that that scheme, under propermanagement, ought to have brought the two classes together by givingthem a common interest in every enterprise, and so to have graduallydone away with all bitterness and strife. Employers might have used apart of their surplus profits in building better houses for their men,in giving them instruction as to a nobler way of living, in openinglibraries and bath-houses and cooking schools and savings banks, inkeeping them insured against sickness and death, and in doing a thousandthings to show the men that they were thoughtful of their comfort andwelfare. If the workmen could discover by such means that the employerswere really their friends, I think it must have disarmed their hatredand antagonism. Then if, with these benefits, they could have receivedin money a small percentage above their usual wages, they wouldcertainly have repaid such friendliness by a service so faithful and anindustry so constant as to more than make up, in increased profits, forall the philanthropic expenditures."
"Doctor," said Thorwald, "I am pleased to see you take such an interestin this subject. You talk as though you had thought of it before, andyou have outlined almost the exact course pursued by the people of whomwe are speaking. Hundreds of such experiments were tried and persistedin for a long time, both before the serious labor troubles beganand after. Among their strongest advocates were men of theory in theprofessions, who were actuated by high motives but did not appreciatethe practical difficulties. They were pretty sure they could get alongwith the workingmen without so much friction. But the profit-sharingscheme also had the aid of many excellent men among the employers, as Ihave said. However, for one reason or another, the experiments allcame to naught. In some cases great expense was entered into to providecomforts for the workmen, and after a few prosperous years depressionfollowed and the proprietors found they had undertaken too much. Severallarge failures, brought about by such lack of judgment, helped toproduce disappointment and discouragement. Then it was found byexperience that the evil-disposed among the workmen were not to beconverted into honest, industrious, and faithful employees in any suchwholesale manner. Making men over could not be done in the block. Therenever had been any difficulty in dealing with the sober, reasonable,well-intentioned men. The trouble had all come from the vicious, theincompetent, and the shiftless ones. And the more privileges this classobtained, the more they demanded. If their working day was made shorterin order to give them the opportunity of taking advantage of the freefacilities for improving their minds, they loudly demanded anotherhour each day and frequent holidays, with the liberty of spending theirleisure time as best suited their tastes. If they were given a shareof the profits, they complained because it was so small a share, andthought they were being cheated when the proprietors would not letthem inspect the books to see if the profits were not larger thanrepresented. Then as partners they claimed the right to be consultedin the management of the business. Such demands brought on disputes, ofcourse; and the natural result was that strikes were not unknown even inthese humanitarian establishments. As the labor organizations were thenin ful
l blast the better class of men were drawn into the strikes, whichsometimes became so serious that the owners were compelled to give uptheir philanthropic efforts and go back to the old system of giving whatthey were obliged to and getting what they could in return.
"In general, employers found they had still an unanswered problem ontheir hands. An undue spirit of independence had been fostered among aclass of uneducated, ill-natured, and thick-headed workmen, and societywas rocked to its foundation in the effort to keep them within bounds."
"Will you let me make another suggestion, Thorwald?" asked the doctor."Why did not all classes approach this difficulty in a businesslike wayand work together to remove it? Why did not the state see that the rightof private contract was a safe and useful one for all sides, andcease to infringe on it by law? Why did not the public teachers make acombined and continued effort to instill a conciliatory spirit into bothsides, and to show how peace and brotherly feeling would be a mutualblessing? Why did not the employers--not one here and there, but all ofthem--treat their men as they would like to be treated in their place,make friends with them, talk reason even to unreasonable men, speakkindly to the unfriendly ones, urge the value of sobriety upon theintemperate, teach the incompetent, sympathize with the unfortunate, tryto reclaim the vicious instead of turning them off harshly, and in everyway strive to prove themselves to the men as beings of the same fleshand blood with them? And why did not the workingmen receive whatwas done for them with the right spirit--give up their envious andsuspicious feelings, improve every precious chance of getting knowledge,work for their employers as they would for themselves, cease to usethe power of the unions unjustly, cultivate amicable relations witheverybody, and try in all possible ways to make true men of themselves?If the men had worked along this line they would have found they werebettering themselves in every way faster than they could by strikes andconflicts."
"Ah! Doctor," replied Thorwald, "you have now the true solution. Suchaction would have annihilated the difficulties in a day. But to supposeevery employer and every workman capable of following such good adviceis to suppose that the world had then reached an almost ideal condition.The very existence and character of the troubles show how imperfect menwere. It was a common saying then that human nature was the same as ithad been in the earliest days and that it would never change while theworld should stand. This was a mistaken view, for there had been a greatchange. The heart had lost much of its selfishness and had begun tograsp in some slight measure a sense of that distant but high destiny towhich it had been called."
"If the world," said the doctor, "was not good enough for these troublesto be cured by kindness, I am anxious to know how they were healed. Iam sure you can tell us, for those people were your remote ancestors andyou are far removed from such vexations now."
"That is true," said Thorwald. "I can tell you how this social problemwas solved, and how our race has found release from the many dangersthat have threatened us. It has not been by man's device or invention.But God, whose arm alone has been our defense, has always called mento his aid, and thus, in his own time and way, help has come in everycrisis. The most important changes in society have been brought aboutgradually and without violence, and with that hint I think we had betterleave this subject for the present. Some day I want to go over with youbriefly the history of the work and influence of the gospel of Jesus inthe world, and it will then be fitting to refer again to the period ofwhich we have just now been speaking.
"I am sure you will find it a great relief for me to change the subject,or stop talking."
"We will not object to your changing the subject," said I, "whenever youthink it best, but we shall try to keep you talking till we know a greatdeal more about Mars than we do now."