Inter-Collegiate Debate 1913-1914 of Baker University: The Question, Resolved: That Through Appropriate Legislation, a Minimum Wage Scale Ought to Be . in the United States (Classic Reprint)

Explore the case for a minimum wage and the arguments for and against it in early 20th‑century debates. This edition presents the affirmative position from a Baker University intercollegiate debate, outlining why lawmakers consider a minimum pay standard essential and how it aims to protect workers and the broader society.

The material frames the topic with concrete data, real-world concerns, and the key questions debaters faced. It contrasts the idea of a guaranteed living wage with economic theories about supply, demand, and the costs of production, while reflecting on immigrant and rural labor trends of the era. The text encourages readers to weigh justice, efficiency, and practical outcomes in wage policy.

• Clear articulation of what a minimum wage argues for, and what it intends to protect in workers’ lives.


• Economic concepts explained through period statistics and expert references.


• Arguments about how wages relate to productivity, cost of living, and societal good.


• Context for separate debates on policy feasibility, fairness, and unintended consequences.

Ideal for readers of labor history, economic policy discussions, and historical debate transcripts who want to understand early arguments around living wages and legislation.