RECONVERSION OF INDUSTRY

Press, Volume LXXXII, Issue 24902, 15 June 1946, Page 7

RECONVERSION OF INDUSTRY

“POLICY OF FULL EMPLOYMENT ”

SPEECH TO LABOUR CONFERENCE LONDON, June 13. "Conversion from war to peace under the Labour Government is proceeding with order and system, as compared nth the muddle, inflation, and final suash which was characteristic of in-'-Jtrial reconversion after the previous war,” said the Lord President of the Council <Mr Herbert Morrison), opening the debate on manpower and aonomic affairs at the Labour Party Conference at Bournemouth. Only 3,000,000 working days had »en lost through industrial disputes roni July, 1945, to March of this year, compared with 27,000,000 lost in 1920, said. The Government was purstitog a policy of full employment such « had never .been attempted by any ®®er country in the world with a ®nilar form of democratic government. It was rapidly building up an derail planning organisation, which Counted to an “economic general raff ” to direct full employment. "We are looking ahead for possible rouble and a possible depression in Jher countries of the world,” conjnued Mr Morrison. “If, unhappily, a cpression were to occur in the United States, which, Heaven forbid, and if a world depression were to occur, we are preparing to do what is possible to avoid repercussions on the economic ufe of our own country.” Mr Morrison said that 1947 would be ®e first year in which Britain would * working on something like a peacetime footing, but “things will still be pretty rough, and there will be many grim aspects, with tight supplies and *ack of elbow room, and the threat of amine may well dominate 1947, as mdly, or perhaps worse, than 1946. A big surprise was caused at the fjmference when, against the advice of ge Minister of Agriculture (Mr Tom williams), delegates carried by an overwhelming majority a resolution ojucising the Government’s agricultural policy. The resolution called for a Policy more in line v.dth labour’s ffifpted programme, and ’ demanded setter amenities for farm workers.