The
habit of acting shortsightedly is a hard one to break. What can be done?
Nothing. No rules or laws will effect the changes. But enlightened
self-interest will. It takes a little while for enlightenment to spread.
But spread it must, for the concern in which both employer and employees
work to the same end of service is bound to forge ahead in business.
What do we mean by high wages, anyway?
We mean a higher wage than was paid ten months or ten years ago. We do
not mean a higher wage than ought to be paid. Our high wages of to-day
may be low wages ten years from now.
If it is right for the manager of a business to try to make it pay
larger dividends, it is quite as right that he should try to make it pay
higher wages. But it is not the manager of the business who pays the
high wages. Of course, if he can and will not, then the blame is on him.
But he alone can never make high wages possible. High wages cannot be
paid unless the workmen earn them. Their labour is the productive
factor. It is not the only productive factor--poor management can waste
labour and material and nullify the efforts of labour.
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