Participation in these cooperative agencies must of necessity
prepare the mass of the people to participate more effectively
in the solution of the industrial, commercial, social and political
problems which continually arise. — From American Federation
of Labor Reconstruction Program, adopted by A. F. of L. Execu-
tive Council, December 28, iqi8. (Excerpt republished by,
mutual consent as expressing the views of Mr. Gompers.)

"EFFICIENCY" EXPERIMENTS

It is a conceded fact that the working people of our country
are the hardest worked and the largest producers of wealth,



THE LABOR VIEW OF PROFIT-SHARING 295

both per man and in the aggregate, as compared with any work-
men in the entire world. And yet these doctrinaires of so-called
efficiency imagine that by still further burdening the toilers of
America they can make them work harder and produce more;
produce more, aye, even to the extent of trebling the quantity
of their product. Perhaps they have not heard or read the warn-
ing of that keenest of observers, Herbert Spencer, who, on the
occasion of his last visit to the United States, when he noted
the intensity with which the toilers of our country were working,
declared that in the interest of the country and of its people, the
time had arrived to preach and practice "the gospel of relaxa-
tion."— American Federationist, April, ign.
