RECONSTRUCTING THE NATION

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 212, 2 June 1919, Page 5

RECONSTRUCTING THE NATION

PEACE PROBLEM IN NEW ZEALAND

RETURNED SOLDIERS' PROPOSALS

The New Zealand' Returned Soldiers' Association, through its general secretary (llr. Douglas Seymour) has addressed to members of Parliament and public men and bodies in this country a statement of tho case for national reconstruction as viewed' by the association, requesting practical support. The critical industrial and commercial situation in England, which was precipitated on the outbreak of war (states die circular), forced the authorities to ilealwith organisation and production on the national scale. Por tho'first time the nation began to correlate its activities and work as a unit. , It is hardly disputable that the result justified the experiment. The situation of England in 1914 is.paralleled to-day in New Zealand and practically throughout the _ world.' Whereas in 1914 increased production wns imperative to provido (munitions of war it is now' equally necessary, to repair war ( wastage and meet war charges, whereas during the war it was necessary to classify and.distribute the man-power of the nation to give a maximum of efficiency for war is still- us necessary as ever to do this to copo ivith post-war conditions. New Zealand has lost during the war in killed alone some 16,000 men. The net 1 loss of labour due to incapacitation and sickness may conservatively be assessed at a further 15,000. The fact that this loss has taken place among the most able-bodied and productive sections of the community would maket a net loss of 30,000 man-power' as compared with the conditions of 1914, a minimum. On the other hand, our production must bo increased as compared with that of 3914 if we are to meet our war charges. It is, therefore, obviou6 _ that our avaijablo man-power must be intelligently distributed where it counts for .most. For Efficient Use of Man-Power, While it is neither possiblo nor desirable.to order any individual to a particular occupation or locality, a very close approximation to the most efficient distribution of our. Man-power can be achieved by intelligent influence. It is obvious that this problem is intimately connected with the vocational training of returned soldiers. In' the choico of occupations it is not only in the personal interest of the soldier but- in that of the whole of. the country .that his labour should be direoted to occupations where there is most room and need for him rather than to'occupations which, however popular, may be already overcrowded or prospectively a dead-end; Tho distinctive importance of land settlement oan hardly be over-emphasised as the following considerations indicate:— •

1. Production in New Zealand is bow, and is likely to remain, mainly primary. 2. The settler on land'has not only the soundest financial position, but the scope for him is for all practi- / cal purposes -unlimited. The economic effect of settling a man on the land is the'reverse in its tendency of • settling him in business, for while the latter tends to displace others, in the former cose every settler tends . to create further town employment. 3. The suitability of a. land occupa- ' tion for the incapacitated man is stressed bv the leading medical authorities, firstly since it is the healthiest life, and secondly since for artificial limb cases the movements demanded are much more simplo than those in most other occupations. ■ -i. It is further noteworthy that the value to tho soldier of realising that his work is an integral part'of national production rather than something to occupy his idle time is by ho means negligible. Thus the formulation and administration of a thoroughly cohesive, well nrtionJated and well advertised land policy, -designed not merely to satisfy a certain -limited demand for land, but to create a ■ demand and attract a maximum number of settlers, Is outstandingly the most vitally important single issue in New Zealand to-day. Government's Drift.

Perhaps [the most regrettable feature of the general ineptitude of the Government in reference to repatriation has teen its relative failure to take advantage of the situation created by the war in order to promote laud settlement.. It is obvious that for its success this scheme of,construction demands the good will nnd co-operation of many divergent interests. It will he ft difficult task for those controlling the, suggested conference to prevent its becoming a forum for social animosities, but tho eame difficulty occurs in any sooial question, and should be by no .means insuperable., Some sections of the community always suffer more than others through party jealousies or social inefficiency, and the peculiar significance of the present situation is that the man who is likely to suffer most is the soldier who is placed at a'social disadvantage by the fact of his' ab- , Bonce in ■ the service of his country. It will be noted that alternative modifications of the 6oheme are possible. It is debatable, for example, whether in view of the proorastinating attitude of the National Government even on questions of _ suoh gravity and urgenoy as repatriation, _ it is advisable to entrust the summoning of the proposed conference to it, or ' the taking of the necessary preliminary, steps , secure, unity of action from each industry. It is also obvious that Parliament will not be anxious to ontrust the investigation of national questions to a body as powerful as the conference would be, but tho inactivity of the Goveniment has destroyed confidence ™ mv solution of these problems which it is likely to offer. While the experience gamed by the present ParliamentC r l Committee in its investigation of industries would be valuable to the . Jionso in dealing with industrial questioiis, it is' obvious that the inquiry is a poor substitute' for a comprehensive national scheme. .

Capital and Labour. , It will be noted finally that the features ot tins scheme are similar to those suggested in the Whitley report and the Garten memorandum, Recent information indioatea that an almost identical sys. tern. of organisation has been put into operation in France. It is clear that & system of this kind is logically essential to any sound social plan, and in tho. light of its possibilities the chaotic and wasteful conditions of our production aie thrown into relief. Tlie distinctive difficulties upon tho solution of which the material welfaro of society depends are those which are summarised in the relations of Capital and Labour. Relative to the struggle between the parties representing these interests the soldfer stands at the present timn in. the position which the child occupies in cases of "parental discord. May it not be hoped that the obligations of the country towards him will riot bo lost .on the parties concerned, and that both' will approach the problem afresh with new and compelling reasons for seekln" ii mutually acceptable solution. DRAFT SCHEME. PRELIMINARY- CONSIDERATIONS. 1. The urgent need for increased production to meet: (a) Recurrent war charges, interest, and sinking fund, pensions, etc. (b) To repair economic wastage of capital during the war. (c) To raise the. standard of living and provide for housing reform. , (d) To dace New Zealand In a sound position for the coming economic struggle. . 2. The extreme difficulty of securing unity of action for each individual industry. primary or secondary, arid for the collective productive organisation of the community to provide for: (a) The integration of war experiences. to industrial and trado organisations. (b) The co-ordination of industries to the best community advantage. (c) The .machinery for dealing expeditiously with industrial difficulties. 3. In view of our decreased mon-power tho need for taking full advantage of the occupational unrest among soldiers, the disturbance of staffing due to the war, and the unsettled conditions of Industry,

in order to distribute the available manpower to tile best socia\ advantage and to minimise future difficulties, 4. Tho need of immediate action in view of the return of the whole army nt an early date. The Main Features! 1. The Government to require the representatives, employed and employing' of «icli individual industry, primary or secondary, to furnish a report at the earliest possible moment covering the present and prospective Dominion requirements of the induejry in respect to: (a) Man-power and necessary training (b) Capital. (c) Tariff. (d) Accessary supplementary industries.

2. The Government to summon a Dominion Industrial and Repatriation Conference which shall represent all the interests involved and include tho best expert advice obtainable, the conference to examine and collate such reports with the object of forming a constructive production policy foi the whole Dominion and refer particularly to: (a) The best distribution of our

available man-power. (b) Tho desirability of advancing

Slate capital for the initiation of development of industry. (c) Tho establishment of new industries. ■ ' ' (d) The desirability of 'State ownership of particular industries'or services.

(e) A Dominion scheme of hydroelectric power.

(f) A unified scheme of rooding, railways and communications generally.

(t!) Fiscal policv for the Dominion. fH) Recommendations for Empire policy. . • 3. The. report to bo immediately considered by Parliament, whose decision shall be embodied in the policy of the Repatriation Department.