AFTER THE WAR

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2632, 1 December 1915, Page 5

AFTER THE WAR

BRITAIN'S HOME PROBLEMS,

Mr. B. Seebohm Rowntree has published a striking, articlo on "Our' Home / Problems After .the War." "The war (he writes) has taught us many lessons,' and one of the , most striking is the tremendous ad« vantage which Germany has gained not only • from the extraordinary thoroughness with which she has prepared for war, but also from the ability which:.. she haß shown for many years past in developing the full industrial resources of tho State. "Just as Germany has for years been patiently preparing for war, let us prepare for peace, and grapple beforehand with the difficulties which, like, tho other nations of Europe, wo must face when hostilities are over." Mr. • Rowntree considers what can ha done, and makes these remarks and suggestions:— v We must provide for our soldiers on their return an honourable - means of subsistence.

The cost of living will be high, and the economic position of tho worker will. be weaker. Many womon will retain the posts they held during the war. To avert the calamity of a lowered standard of living,.surplus labour must bo absorbed, as it tends to keen down wages in periods of bad trade. Lot ,the Government, form an exceedingly 'stro.'ig committee to a comprehensive scheme for dealing with unemployment. This committee might consider: — 1. The provision of working-clasß houses, t . ' ' 2. Afforestation and reclamation of wasto lands. 3. New roads. i. Clearance of slum areas. 5. Work held back by the war. 6. Training unemployed men and wo» men to bo efficient workers. If such schemes are said to be unnecessary, Mr. Rowntree replies that "tho problem of . dealing effectively with periods of exceptional unemployment never has been solved in the past." But "if suitable provision is . made, it should be possible even at a time of ser ious industrial depression for the St.rU to prevent the volume of unemployment from rising above the normal level." "We must steadfastly resist th< spirit of fatalism. If we survey tha industry of tho country wo shall see that almost everywhere there is room for great improvement. It is universally admitted that our agricultural land might produce a areat deal moro than it does. . . We might bo very much more efficient in the conduct of our industry. Wealth equivalent to tens of millions of pounds is lost to this country every year by tho continued ifSo of obsolete machines and methods. Let us, while carefully avoiding nerve-destroying and quite unnecessary 'drive,' try and introduce into the industrial world somethine of.the push and go which characterise much of the industry of America, and sometime; also of the plodding methodical Leffioieaox ojf GennaßX*' 1 •