Few employers and few of those in their employ have very definite ideas as to the implied agreements which legally attach to the ordinary verbal contract to work for so many dollars a week, and still fewer have any definite ideas as to how the law might be improved. The anonymous writer of this book gives much valuable information as to the present status of the labor contract, and he advocates certain legal reforms the discussion of which can not fail to do good.
He holds that under present conditions the laborer is usually at a disadvantage in making a labor contract, since his very life depends on his finding work, and that thus the employer often grasps an unduly large share of the product. The remedy which the author proposes is to limit by law the percentage of profit (after all expenses are paid) which capital may receive each year on its actual investment. He would put this limit high enough to compensate for the losses of unprofitable years. All profits above this limit he proposes to divide among those who do the work, either of hand or head, in proportion to their wages. Also he would make some provision against the enforcement of needless and oppressive regulations.
Never in the world’s history were the toiling millions so near as now to a union for political action to secure their rights. Given a plan on which all can unite, and the union can be effected with astonishing rapidity. This book develops many if not all the features of the coming plan foraction, and every thinking man should read it.
