sequences by
awarding in some cases higher _absolute_ increases to the
lowest paid men, and so on up the scale to the highest paid
men who received the smallest increase. The large increases
granted to the lowest paid men were justified by the
Commission as necessary to bring their wages up to a living
wage level. See, for example, the Report of the Commission
on Disputes in Coal Mining and Other Industries in Nova
Scotia. _Canadian Labor Gazette_, July, 1918. For a similar
policy based on the same grounds, see the "Arbitration Award
in Certain Packing Industries in the United States." _U. S.
Monthly Labor Review_, May, 1918.

[145]

The figures are:

-----------------------------------------------------------
(Wage groups) (Group average)
1914, wages Relative increase Absolute increase,
earnings per hour of wages earnings per hour
-----------------------------------------------------------
.15-.20 208% .193
.20-.25 187% .188
.25-.30 185% .230
.30-.35 184% .266
.35-.40 174% .268
-----------------------------------------------------------

Such figures as these are not, of course, sufficient ground
for confident generalization, but they support an imputation
that the compromise method does furnish the best solution of
the difficulties the problem presents.

[146] See W. C. Mitchell, "Business Cycles," page 134. Also
W. C. Mitchell, "History of the Greenbacks," pages 33-37,
123-145.

CHAPTER XII--THE REGULATION OF WAGE LEVELS--(_Continued_)

WAGES AND PROFITS

Section 1. The profits return in industry, under any policy of wage
settlement, will be closely scrutinized.--Section 2. The
possibility of measuring a "fair" profits return for all industry
discussed. A method suggested.--Section 3. Would the principles of
wage settlement worked out so far, produce a fair profits return?
An open question.--Section 4. The scope and form of any measure
designed to assure the desired distributive outcome can be
discerned.--Section 5. The various steps in the formulation of such
a measure reviewed. A measure tentatively suggested.--Section 6.
The difficulties of calculating wage changes called for un