YORKSHIRE LETTER

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 30, 30 October 1917, Page 8

YORKSHIRE LETTER

STATE CONTROL OF THE WOOLLEN ' INDUSTRY SIGNIFICANT MEMORANDUM PUBLISHED ; Bradford, September 6. The position in the West Hiding of Yorkshire, in fact, in the wool trade in general, shows no radical change except that things are all alive, and there is as yet 'no. settlement of the difficulties which have characterised the industry during the past month. Wo did not review the situation last week on account of important developments impending. Jleetings were * taking place in. Bradford almost daily, tho object being: to try to arrange a programme with the Governilieut oiliciajft for the future conducting of business. After the spinners' revolt and their refusing ro nominate a representative to serve on tho Board of Control, things were brought more or le6S to a standstill, there being: important private meetings last week of the Wool Textile-Association, attended b** representatives from the spinners' meeting, to try to formulate a programme acceptable to all sections of the trade, for' submission to the officials in London. Up to the time of writing no definite statement of a policy has been announced, and in the meantime the Department has made an important announcement regarding the constitution of the Board of Control. What is happening is exactly what we expected. The trade being unable to agree of/so many different associations, the Government is pursuing its own policy, and -announces that in a day or two an Army Council order will be issued constituting and defining the powers of the new Board of Control.

Constitution of the Board of Control. It will be remembered that at the spinners' meeting a fortnight ago, a resolution was passed stating clearly that the West Riding Spinners' Federation could not agree to' the formation of a Board of Control until there was an alteration of "points of vital principle." The chief objeotion at that time-was tho composition of the Board of Control, the Ijpparttnent deciding that there should ne seven representatives of the, Government, seven Labour representatives, and seven nominees of the various trade associations. Naturally, both spinners and manufacturers fail to see to-day the need for seven La--1 hour representatives being on the Board of Control, for tho simple reason that hitherto they, have had nothing whatever to do with matters of private business interest. Everybody recognises that they have a right to be on any council affecting .military fabrics, but when it camcs to a question of spinning for civilian and export purposes, where wages aro not concerned, Labour naa no rightful voice. What the various meetings of the Wool Textile Association have been trying to establish was the condemnation of tho policy of tbo Department, or, in other words, to let .down' the officials of the Government as nicely and as gracefully as possible. In principle there is general agreement to the formation of the Boa*£ of Control, but the Wool Textile Association wants to see a Trading Board of Control formed which will consist of two-thirds trade representatives and one-third Labour and Departmental officials. We arc only afraid that they are seeking greater powers than the Department will ever agree to, but they are doing their utmost to try to redeem the past and .to save the trade from being further handicapped in dealing with the officials of the Government. New light haß been thrown upon the whole scheme of Sta-te Control, with the announcement this week of the formation of tho Board of Control. A draft memorandum has been submitted, showing its powers and constitution, and while no official Army Council' order has yet appeared, tho following is a droit memorandum published by tho Department. It will form the basis of tho. new order which will be issued in a few days.

Draft Memorandum. 1. The Army Council shall determine tho amount of raw "wooT to be maintained in reserve for military purposes, end shall also, from time to time, fix, in consultation with the board, the amount to be released for civilian trade. 2. The War Department shall continue to determine, through its executive officials the terms and conditions of all contracts for Government supplies, and sucli contracts shall be closed under the sole authority and responsibility of the

offloials of the Department appointed for that purpose. All financial arrangements shall remain in tao hands of the Wiu Department. . 3. Tho board shall not bo responsible for dealing with raw wool up to and including the making of tops. This shall bo done by the Army Contracts' Department, whioh shall mate the arrangements for distribution in accordance with the requirements of the hoard. 4. Subject to tho above reservations, the board shall' regulato tho allocation ot wool, tops, and other products and byproducts in such manner as:

(a) To secure the rnoai. efficient execution of Government onlei'a for supplies of woollen and worsted goods. (b) To employ to Die greateht advantage tho {labour, machinery, and skill now engaged in the industry. (c) To keep in fuii use the greatest possible proportion of machinery at present employed in the trade. For the purpose of securing the above objects it is provided that: (1) The board is empowered to allocate, as between districts, trades, groups, and individual firms, the quantity of wool and tops available for trade. (2) The officials of the War Department shall obtegn the advice and concurrence of the board in the Allocation of Government oontraotn in so far as it is necessary to ensure the most efficient and equitable distribution as between districts, trades, groups, and individual firms and to secure all possible regularity and continuity n. production. (3) The Director of Wool Textile Proj duction shall keep the board informed month by month of the total quantity of "wool set aside to produce the necessary Government supplies. 'IV board afiaU co-operate with tho responsible offic<n'3 to exccuto the Government programme to the utmost possible extent, but if. for unavoidable reasons, there is a deficiency in the o.uantity f.f wool actually put through the machine?, for Government purposes, tho Dirpotor of* Wool Textile Production ma.y, at the request of the board rele:ut?, ss an additional civilian Kupnly, a rn ouantity of wool to make up the deficiency. 5. The Director of Raw Materials shall, from time t-o time, furnish the board with statistics a-s to stooks, expected supplies, and estimated requirements of wool, to' assist the board in determining its policy. • 6. The Director of Ratv Materials shall furnish the board will all available information regarding arrangements for the export of wool, noils, tops yarn, cto., and shall seek the advice of the board on such matters.

;7. If & majority of the oflicial representatives on the board differ from the decision of the board on any matter affecting the provision of Government requiremeuts, tho matter may be referred by them to the Director of Raw Materiale for the decision of the Army Council. 8. The shall take over the work of existing priority and other committees of tJie trade which have assisted the Army Contracts Department. The board shall, at its discretion, set up district and sectional committees representative of the trade, and delegate to such committees such of its powers as it may deem expedient. 9. The 'Man Powor and Production Commutes shall be assisted by: tho board in any matter withiu its powers. The minutes of the various man power and production eommitees dealing with the above matters shall be sent to the Board of Control.

10. The Army Council Orders now in force regarding working hours, and the limitation of the rights of use and sale of wool owned by spinners and manufacturers, and other matters directly affecting tho interests of wool-spinners and manufacturers, shall come under the review of the board, mo War Department, in continuing these measures of control, or modifying them, shall act with tho advice and concurrence of the board. The enforcement of Buoh measures Bhall be supervised and directed by the board, provided always thot mv Bteps In thiß fegard which, in the opinion of the Surveyor-General of Supply, reauire reconsideration, shall bo referred back tn tho board for that purposo. 11. The board shall take all possible measures to protect tho interests of tho homo consumer, and to secure equitable treatment as between various branches of tha industry. 12. The board may, from tlm© to time, submit recommendations to the Army Council in reßpect of matters connected with the iudußtry not covered by the present terms of reference, and may recommend to tho Army Council the enlargement of its functions to deal therewith. 13. The board shall consist of ropresenta* tiveß nominated by the Army Council, uf whom at least 6ix shall be experts responsible for placing orders for Government supplies, representatives of employers, and representatives of employed, each member of the board to have an equal vote, lu addition there sihall bo a socretary of tho board, who shall bo an officer of tho Department. Tho employers' representatives of tho board shall bo nomlnatod by Labour associations so invited. Provision for the representation of interests which cannot be directly represented on the hoard shall bo made by means ot committees subsidiary to the board. 14. The chairman of the poard shall he director of wool textile production, and a deputy-chairman shall be elected by tha board. The meetings of tho board shall take place in Bradford .oxoept as otherwise determined by tho board; its decisions shall be taken by majority vote.

15. Minutes shall be kept of tho proceedings of the board, with a full record of ail decisions taken. Copies of tho mtn' utcs shall be sent to the HurvAyor-Genoral of Supply, tho financo member, and .the Director of Raw Materials. 16. 411 communications between ih<* Army Council or tlic Surveyor-General of Supply and the board shall be made through the Director of Raw Materials, and the Director of Wool Textile trotiuctiou. 17. Communications between tho lortd and tho trade shall bo made through the chairman or tho deputy-chairman, kftiug on behalf ami with tho approval "f tho board 18 The responsibility for carrying cut the decisions of the Board of Dontrol stall rest with the- Director of Wool Textile Production. , • , .'tho above is a very important dccumont. and nc doubt.but for the agination of tho trade there would havo been granted to th<* trade no suchi concessions awHAr in the above order. However, there seems tj be more give-and-tako likely, und it is to be hoped that an agreement will be arrived at between the Wool Textile Association, and the Government without having to resort to stricter measures.