MICHIGAN ACADEMY OF SCIENCE. 123 



productivity^ generally, it means less product \yev laborer, and might 

 mean a decrease in the "national dividend" or "social income." This 

 would be a misfortune, but it would necessitate no change in general 

 price levels. Only when confined to particular industries or trades, 

 and not generalized, could exchange values and prices be affected. 

 \yhat, then, are the facts? 



The average index number of hours per week for 15 relatively weakly 

 organized industries was 9G.2 in 1907. In the same year the average 

 for 8 strongly organized industries was 93, — a difference of 3% in favor 

 of the stronger unions. When it is observed that such strongly union- 

 ized workers as cigar makers, and blacksmiths and horse shoers have 

 index numbers of 99.5 and 94.1 respectively ; while common laborers in 

 foundry and machine shops, lumber, and jiaper and wood pulp have 

 95.3, 95.2. and 94.5, respectively, the difficulty of drawing conclusions 

 is apparent.- 



I conclude that on the whole organized labor has forced greater re- 

 ductions in hours than have occurred in the case of unorganized laborers 

 and that other things heing equal this would tend to raise the particu- 

 lar prices of the good they produce. Whether other things have been 

 equal and prices of organized labor's products have risen at the ex- 

 pense of other products will appear ia a moment. 



As regards the third factor, skill, I must be content with observing 

 ihat to the extent trade unions force employers to use skilled men where 

 unskilled men — handymen, helpere, etc. — could do the work, they may 

 virtually decrease productivity relatively to wage, or, more simpl}', 

 increase or jtrevent a decrease in cost. To what extent this is done there 

 is no melius of learning.'' (Of course, if skill l>e considered alone or ab- 

 solutely, and not in relation to cost, it will generally be admitted that 

 on the average the most skilled men of the craft will l)elong to the union 

 and unions rather foster than decrease skill.) 

 (b). Wage Rates. 



As to the movement of the other factor in "relative productivity," 

 i. e., of rates of wages, some inferences may be drawn from the statistics 



'Shorter hours may increase energy and skill. 



-Table showing relative hours per week for weakly organized and strongly organized 

 industries : 



Weak. Strong. 



Agricultural Implements 96.3 Bread 91.6 



Boots and Shoes 06.0 Blacksmith and horseshoeing 94.1 



Carpets 98.6 Building 90.6 



Cars 95.9 Harness 9.5 . 9 



Cotton Goods 96.8 Brewery 87.0 



Electrical Apparatus and Supplies.. 93.3 Stone and Marble 93.6 



Foundry and Machine Shop 94 . 6 Printing 92 . 4 



Gas 96.1 Cigars 99.5 



Glass 98 . 6 



Hosiery and Knit Goods 97.7 93.0 



Iron and Steel-* Bessemer 90.5 



aon ana Meei , gj^^^ 100.fi 



Leather 99 . 9 



Paper 8&.9 



Silk 97.6 



Woolen Goods 98 . 



06.2 



''Nice questions of social justice would be involved in answering the question, might this 

 not be done justly, as a short-time policy, anyhow? 



