Chapter IX: The Living Wage 177

Sec. 1. The reasons for seeking separate principles for the settlement of the wages of the lowest paid groups.

Sec. 2. Wage statistics of these groups a matter of familiar knowledge.

Sec. 3. The definition of the living wage idea. An inescapable element of indefiniteness contained in it.

Sec. 4. The living wage principle put in the form of applied policy.

Sec. 5. Should the living wage principle be applied to male labor? The arguments for and against.

Sec. 6. The theoretical case for the living wage principle. The verdict of past experience favorable to its extension.

Sec. 7. The dangers which must be guarded against in applying it.

Sec. 8. It should be administered through machinery which makes possible careful study of facts of each industry. This machinery discussed.

Sec. 9. The question of the relation to be established between living wage for men and women difficult. Alternatives considered.

Sec. 10. A plan for the adjustment of the living wage to price changes. The basis of adjustment.

Sec. 11. The policy of adjustment--already discussed.

Sec. 12. The hope of the living wage policy.

Chapter X--The Regulation of Wage Levels 209

Sec. 1. Why there must be in industry an ordered scheme of wage relationship between each and every group of wage earners. The limits of collective bargaining as a factor in industrial peace.

Sec. 2. In the beginning, the scheme must probably be based on an acceptance of existing wage "differentials." The reasons for this are of a practical kind.

Sec. 3. Any policy which planned to develop a scheme of wage relationships merely by maintaining existing differentials would be bound to fall to pieces in the end. The difficulties that would arise.

Sec. 4. Two principles proposed as the basis of the desired scheme of wage relationship. Their meaning as applied doctrines.

Sec. 5. These principles open to criticism both on practical and theoretical grounds. The chief criticisms examined and taken into account.

Sec. 6. Some notes on the best method of administering these principles. The necessity of avoiding political interference, if possible.

Chapter XI--The Regulation of Wage Levels
(_Continued_)--Wages And Prices 231

Sec. 1. The scheme of wage relationship must recommend itself as just to the wage earners and the community in general. The ultimate distributive question to be met is the division of the product between profit and wages.

Sec. 2. Provision for the adjustment of wages to price movements would aid, however, towards reaching distributive goal. A policy of adjustment suggested.

Sec. 3. The difficulty of maintaining scheme of wage relationship of wages adjusted to price movements. The best method of adjustment a compromise.

Chapter XII--The Regulation of Wage Levels
(_Continued_)--Wages And Profits 239

Sec. 1. The profits return in industry, under any policy of wage settlement, will be closely scrutinized.

Sec. 2. The possibility of measuring a "fair" profits return for all industry discussed. A method suggested.

Sec. 3. Would the principles of wage settlement worked out so far, produce a fair profits return? An open question.

Sec. 4. The scope and form of any measure designed to assure the desired distributive outcome can be discerned.

Sec. 5. The various steps in the formulation of such a measure reviewed. A measure tentatively suggested.

Sec. 6. The difficulties of calculating wage changes called for under the suggested measure.

Sec. 7. The chief practical weaknesses of the suggested measure examined.

Sec. 8. It would be open to theoretical criticism also. The alternatives even less satisfactory.

Chapter XIII--A Concept of Industrial Peace 264

Sec. 1. The hope for industrial peace in the United States.

Sec. 2. A policy of wage settlement composed out of the principles already set forth.

Sec. 3. What results might be expected from the adoption of these principles as a policy?

Sec. 4. The matter of economic security for the wage earners likely to be important for industrial peace. Hardly considered in this book. The question has been presented to the Kansas Court of Industrial Relations.

Sec. 5. Certain new ideas concerning industrial relationship have come to stay. They indicate the probable current of future change.

THE SETTLEMENT OF WAGE DISPUTES