As has been seen, the increases in express rates since the birth of the
American Railway Express have been absorbed in wage increases. Now, in a
statistical study, the phrase "wage increases" will connote a mere item
of expense, but to the wage-worker it will connote happiness. It means
more nourishing food; it means more wholesome dwelling conditions; it
means more schooling for the children; it means more recreation; it
means more medical care and less illness; it means especially less
gnawing fear of what the morrow may hold. The example of the Railroad
Administration indicates the widespread services in lessening want or
even in increasing comforts which Government control brings in its
wake--the raising of all wages to that level below which a decent
standard of living cannot be maintained and the abolition of artificial
and undemocratic special wage privileges of sex or color in favor of
equal pay for equal work. A country which hitches its wagon to a world
made safe for democracy can ill afford in any of its industrial
activities underpaid workers, and least of all in any of its public
utilities. If a Government Postal Express should be compelled to devote
all its savings over the private express system only to wage increases
among the thousands of men and women express employees, instead of being
able to devote some or most of them to lowering the rates, the
inauguration of a Governmental Postal Express would be still more than
justified.