LABOUR IN PEACE TIME

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 85, 4 January 1919, Page 7

LABOUR IN PEACE TIME

. /.:.- ,-V ,-•■ ■■..'.-.*' ■'.'... ,- '.:■■:■■ ■■•, .- MIC CLYkES'S VIEWS. ':'. ~ ' Mr. dynes,'M.Pi, , ■epealtiDß at the .'■ Natioanl Liberal .Club-recently on the pledge to restore trade union conditions at the end of the war, said the Government could afford only to do right, arid the right thing was to honour' the pledge and thereby win the confidence of workil'g- men.,"' a manner.probably to cause them to ma'ke terms not merely in the national interests but in the best interests of Labour us well. Employers and the -Statq, acting through Parliament, could do much to create the richt spirit in the ' mind of Labour by understanding that Labour will not long remain submissive , to any e.ystem',it considers ;iinfair. Stupid conflict between employers and employed would be" a. tragedy in the years of.rc--1 construction, while by joint endeavour we makn'good'the , losses of the war. •■ A trade union'comnosed of oven highly. : . skilled workmen, will' find that Labour and public opinion' will not permit thousands of willing workers to be turned, adrift in order ?o give industrial advantage to any one section. , 'Ncr .will it do •for any union to force 'ifnemnloyment .• upon a section of:'willing workers and then cnll on the State to support the unemployed. Any effort to'set up' a monopoly of the right to work based on prewar membership in a union or.on the possession of skill, or on the pround of hav- ■ m% been In the workshbp : first, will fail ■ because the.presonce of after-war conditions will be too etrong.