158 INDUSTRIAL REVOLUTION AND WAGES

Finally, it is apparent that the living or savings-wage
principle has been fully recognized as a problem of social
and industrial statesmanship, the solution of which must
not be deferred longer than necessary. The unskilled or
semi-skilled workers, to the compensation of which the
principle must be applied, as already stated, have traditionally
 been difficult, if not impossible, to organize effectively,
 and consequently have not had the economic strength
to urge their claim for consideration. The members of the
highly skilled craft organizations have also been so absorbed
 with their own interests that they have been indifferent
 to the needs of their less fortunate brothers. Only
in the case of industrial unions, such as the United Mine
Workers and the Amalgamated Clothing Workers, or in
closely federated organizations, as the Building Trades,
have unskilled workmen been raised to a living-wage level.
Also, there have been a few instances where the employer,
believing fundamentally in the economy of high wages, as
in the case of the Ford Motor Company, has voluntarily
placed the compensation of the unskilled on an adequate
basis. In general terms, therefore, it may be said that
altho the living or savings-wage standard is economically
sound, the mainspring of the movement has been from
those primarily interested in its social, political and humanitarian
 aspects.
Within the past few years, however, the fundamental
conceptions of industrial progress have strikingly changed.
With the increased mechanization of industry it has been
accepted that low wages do not make for low labor costs.
Furthermore, it has been widely realized that in their purchasing
 power the lowest grades of industrial workers have
relatively suffered a great disadvantage. Moreover, while
proceeding during recent years upon the theory that there
may be indeterminate increases in wages so long as costs