s of the miners were too low,
relative to wages in other industries--though the commission differed on
the amount of wage increase to be awarded.

But perhaps the most significant answer to those objections which rest
on practical grounds is the fact that any wage level that might be set
for any occupation under the proposed principles would be but the
minimum standard wage for that occupation. And no element in the whole
policy of wage settlement should stand in the way of the payment of a
higher wage than that fixed by the central authority for any type of
work. Thus no fear would have to be entertained that any industry would
be faced with a shortage of labor due to the difficulty of getting
precise knowledge on which to base wage differentials.

Here, indeed, we approach very close to that other objection which may
be put forward on theoretical grounds. Which objection is that all
attempts at revision of existing wage differentials would involve a risk
of producing, on the one hand, a shortage of certain kinds of labor,
and, on the other hand, an oversupply of other kinds. It is reasoned
that in spite of every effort of careful calculation of wage
differentials, some danger of over or undersupply of certain kinds of
labor will always be present.

These fears would be based upon a misconception of the nature of the
policy of wage settlement that is proposed. As has already been
emphasized, the wage level that would be fixed for any kind of labor
would be but a minimum standard wage. There is no part of the proposed
policy of wage settlement which would interfere with the payment of
higher wages than the standard minimum. Therefore, no industry would
find itself unable to secure the labor it required merely because of the
differentials established by the central authority. Each industry would
still retain all its powers of bargaining for the labor it needs. Nor,
on the other hand, would there be any serious danger that the wage rates
set for any industry or occupation would be so high as to add to any
already existing possibilities of oversupply of certain types of labor.
For, after all, the central authority would consider the question of the
revision of existing wage differentials only when the question is
pressed upon it by the failure of the workers and employers to agree.
The central authority would not be likely to declare wage rates higher
than those contended for by the wage earners or lower than those
cont