PATRIOTIC ENGINEERS

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2660, 4 January 1916, Page 7

PATRIOTIC ENGINEERS

ACCEPT SCHEME OF DILUTION ■ The High Commissioner reports London, January 2, 6.30 p.m. ; At a conference with the l'r&D9 Minister and.the Minister of Munitions ; ou Friday, a deputation from the Amalgamated Society of Engineers passed a , '' resolution deciding to accept a schema : of dilution of membership of, the society. The society will operate active, ly in the scheme; providing the Government will pledge itself to incorporate in a- Bill'the power to enforce rates of pay and conditions of labour, •as set I out in documents, in the- controlled e& ■ j tablishments. . ENGINEERS MEET MINISTERS ; MR. ASQUITH STATES THE POSITION. (B«c. January 3, 7.10 p.m.) j London, January 3. Official.—Mr. Asquith and Mr. LloydGeorge received a deputation from the ■ Amalgamated Society of Engineers. ; Mr; Asquith stressed the importance . 1 of the whole-hearted dilution of Labour - on a large scale, without which neither '< Mr. Lloyd George would be able to meet - i the necessities of tlie war nor the armies carry on efficiently. It was • all-important that we get the required output domestically instead of from foreign sources. A serious financial j I problem is tlio obligation to pay in j shares and exports to America for muni- : tions supplied. Dilution will mean an I incalculable gain from the viewpoints i of military efficiency and financial sta- ! bility. Nothing is more important than.' i' the manufacture of munitions rii tho largest possible scale, and under the I best possible conditions. Despite the ' March agreement the dilution had been j sparingly adopted. Mr. Asquith added: "Undoubtedlv it ' has been diflieult to persuade skilled iV-n ■ toforgo their privileges and admit unskilled men to do their work, the - -; 1 .j fearing that they will be unable to iv j 6ort to the old conditions after the war.'"i I He exhorted the unions to use lh:>iy utmost influence to remove these, suspicions. The March agreement had hoi been effectively carried out, althonj ■.'! 'jiio months had elapsed. This matter ' j was absolutely of vital necessity. " ■ Mr. Asquith said that conditional i upon tho universal acceptance of the ! dilution and settlement of all grievances ! ho pledged the Government to enforce union rates of pay and conditions of ; labour m Government-controlled work- : shops. Thereupon tho enaineers resolved 5 to accept, and actively corporate in the ' gchenia cf dilution!