MORE HARD WORK BY EVERYBODY

Chronicle (Levin), 3 September 1947, Page 5

MORE HARD WORK BY EVERYBODY

LONDON, Sept. 1. The trades union movement believe! that Britain could and would extricate herself from the present linancial morass, said Mr. G. W. Thomson in his presidential addresfe to the T.U.C. annual congress at Southport. The workers w.anted to know what ,was expected of them, however serious imight be the demands. He called for more planning, more saving and more liard work by everybody. Mr. Thomson said it was obvious that Britain w-as going to be faced with the alternative of allowing world prices to break suddenly, with probably heavy unemployment in all countries and a complete breakdown in the interriational linancial machinery, or taking a share in controlling the world economy for the general good of ail people. ) ' 1 The crisis of last winter emphasised the shortage of manpower and, to a certain extent, its maldigtribution, ' ' he continued. "The problem still is to secure the maximum production in the most essential industries and services, although it is now much more obvi'ous that more authoritative planning ot production on a very wide scale is required, with attention devoted to longer-term economic policies and with a constant eye on the general' good. " The speeial "report of the T.U.G. general council on the economic situation says it is inevitable that cuts further than those envisaged in Mr. Attlee's statement in the House- of Gommons will be necessary. The present position requires Congress to ( debate the matter with a full sense of realism. Immediately Congress ends, contaet will be made with the Government to get the clearest possible picture of the situation and confer with appropriate Ministers on the ■ Government 's plans for meeting the position.