open
to an industrial court. (1) To fix the same wage for women as for men.
(2) To fix a ratio wage where it is proved to the satisfaction of the
Court that the average woman is not of equal value to the employer. (3)
To exclude women. (4) To accept the prima facie mode of assessment, but
to limit the proportion of women who may be employed by any particular
employer in any particular industry or grade.... The task of choosing
may often be one of extreme difficulty and delicacy."[131] The task of
fixing the relation between men's wages and women's wages will be even
more delicate when the introduction of women into a field of employment
follows upon a modification of the processes of production
involved.[132]

As was said above, to give advice upon the question of the relation
between men's wages and women's wages, should be one of the duties of
the joint boards or councils in the various industries. The course to be
pursued should be decided upon by balancing all of the interests
involved. It is to be desired that the same policy be pursued throughout
all industries or occupations rather than divergent ones, and the
central authority should strive to attain unity of policy.

10.--The complications introduced into the administration of the living
wage principle by changes in the general price level have yet to be
dealt with. It has been seen that changes in the general price level
affect the outcome of distribution and, for that reason, any policy of
wage settlement must include provision for the adjustment of wages to
price changes. We have now to consider how this adjustment can best be
carried out.

The central authority is obviously the most suitable body to supervise
the process of adjustment. The adjustment to price change should be
expressed as a percentage addition to or subtraction from the existing
wage. The central authority should be charged with the collection of
all necessary price data. This body should then proceed upon the advice
of the joint boards or councils in the industries concerned. Unless some
strong reason to the contrary exists, however, a uniform policy of
adjustment should be pursued--resting upon the following principles.

11.--The conclusions reached in Chapter V in regard to the policy to be
pursued in the adjustment of wages to changes in the price level fall
into two groups. Firstly, those which have to do with the choice of the
basis of calculation of wage adjustments. Secondl