The conscientious and consistent application of these two doctrines in
settlement of wage controversies which involve the reconsideration of
established differentials should result in the gradual building up of an
ordered scheme of wage relationship, such as is sought. This scheme
would rest upon fairly widely held ideas as to the most suitable basis
for wage differences. It would not make greater call upon the human
sense of fairness than must be made by any plan which hopes to secure
industrial peace by getting all parties to industrial conflict to agree
upon rules or principles for the settlement of the claims of each.
Whether that aim, itself, is a fanciful one, need not be again debated
here.
5.--Lest it appear that the above proposals have been put forward
without giving due weight to their defects, it is now well to consider
certain criticisms to which they may be fairly open. Two objections, in
particular, are likely to be made. One is of practical nature, the other
of a theoretical nature. They may be considered in that order.
The objection of a practical nature is that it will not be possible to
apply the suggested principles either accurately or consistently, and
this for two reasons. Firstly, it may be asserted that the application
of the proposed doctrines would require a scientific comparison of the
characteristics of different kinds of work, which comparison is declared
to be unobtainable. Secondly, it may be said that in order to fix such
wage differentials as are reasonably certain to accomplish the ends for
which they are set, it will be necessary to have a precise knowledge of
many facts and forces. This knowledge may be declared to be
unobtainable.
No simple or very final answer can be returned to these doubts. It must
be admitted that it will always remain difficult to compare occupations
except in general descriptive terms. The relative training and talents
required for different kinds of work, and the relative demands made upon
the individual by different kinds of work will always remain, to a great
extent, a matter of opinion. It is also true that only a general
knowledge can be obtained of the factors governing the supply of any
particular sort of labor at a given time, and the probable effect of any
wage change upon that supply. The differentials which would be
established from a consideration of such material could not claim to be
more than a practical approximation to the differentials which would
carry out the intention of the policy.
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