INDUSTRIAL UNREST
LABOUR'S SHARE OF THE NATIONAL PROSPERITY DISCUSSION IN THE HOUSE OF, LORDS . THE EXCESS WAR PROFITS By TeleerapK—Press. Association—Copyright London, February 19. .; In. the House - of. Lords, Lord Buckmaster drew attention to the-'industrial unrest! He said that all - classes'. were united in wishing that Labour should enjoy a bigger share of ihe national.prosparity. Returns, showed that r .450. millions sterling of excess; profits ;wer<Tmade during the war. The time had' conie'for. a critical invstigation 05,.t0 1 whether they were legitimately acquired and whether they could. be controlled and used for a big scheme of national deI velopment. The war had led people to 'think there was an'unfathomable reservoir of public wealth. The Government had yielded to threats, and tljis was wrong. Our. present financial position and indebtedness were associated with the labour troubles. The-..0n1y--.way to pay the debt charges was to multiply the, output of the factories.. Yet- there was' growing evidence .of .'industrial stagnation. The best way of combating Bolshevism was to prove .it .economically, a failure. ' Viscount Grey said some of the present Labour demands urged.recognition of tiie ■unions-as part of the industrial machin--ery of; the country. • They- 6hould be statutorily incorporated so as to be cap-' abld of suing and being sued, and able to. compel everyone in. any' .trade to be a member of the union. . ~ / The Lord Chancellor, Lord Birkenhead, in his maideu speech, Isaid it wag entirely .wrong .to "suppose, that the Government ivas doing nothing. He agreed that the situation .was grave, in that tha national debt was nearly jC5,000,000,000, while a formidable factor was presented! : in the new demands made on the Trea---sury on every side. Everyone was de«! mandin? new conditions of life. The! nation had been living, on its capital and! liking it. There was a universal desire J j to work less and receive more.' three great present menaces were the. threats of miners, railway men' 6,. anAj transport workers' strikes. The Government policy in relation to those menaces had never varied. , It had been a .policy of inquiry with' the fullest discussion and tlie most complete candour. 1 The Government hoped to persuade these men that' they-were-now- given the full* est fruit of their toil, a.nd the Government would use every effort to afford tbem all the due amenities of life. A relatively small section of the community was "tainted with the revolutionary doctrine of the Boishevik. . There would be no want of firmness on ,the part of the Government in dealing with this section. If the" Government failed' to deal with the menace of those "who .attempted to destroy the ■ industries, by strikes, it would be necessary for some sterner'instrument toiTeusu're the safety . of the people. ■'. Lord Birkenhead admitted, the existence of the housing grievance. He described the report of the' Scottish Houg- . ing Commission as a horrible, tragic document." The conditions it' described were .1 disgrace and a shame_ to a Christian country. It was the intention of the Government to find a . solution ,foj this evil. ■ ••• . . The debate was adjourned:—Reuter.
THE TRANSPORT WORKERS ■ forming triple'alliance with MINERS, AND RAILWAYMEN. (Rec. February 20, 5.5 p.m.) London, February 19. The ."Daily News" Labour correspondent says there is reason to believe that Tuesday's meeting of the trauspwt workers will reject' Mr.' R. S. Homo's offer of arbitration in connection with v the forty-four'hours' week proposal. Die transport workers have; been in communication with the miners and railwaymen, and there is a more definite menace of ; simultaneous action .'by this triplp alliance.—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Aesn. BELFAST'S MUNICIPAL SERVICES RESTORED' UNDER POLICE PROTECTION. (Rec. February 20, 5.5 p.m.) London, February 19. The municipal services have been restored in' Belfast -under military protection, after three weeks o£ idleness-Jus,-N.Z. Cable Assn. BELFAST GENERATSTRIKE ENDED (Rec. February 21, 0.35 a.m.) 'London, February 19. The Belfast general strike has ended.-!, Rtuter. ' AUSTRALIAN SPiMMD FIREMEN ' MEN DECIDE TO RESUME. (Rec. February 20, 9.20 p.ui.) Sydney, February 20.' The dispute between theFedcrated Seamen and Firemen's Union and the Australasian Steamship Owners' Association over improved conditions on account of influenza has lieen ended. The men have decided to' resume and'refer their claims to the Arbitration-.Court'.'-Press Aesn. ,
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Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 126, 21 February 1919, Page 5
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690INDUSTRIAL UNREST Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 126, 21 February 1919, Page 5
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