FACTORY COUNCILS

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 275, 16 August 1919, Page 7

FACTORY COUNCILS

EQUAL AUTHORITY FOR'WORKERS AND MASTERS : GERMAN GOVERNMENT'S PROPOSALS By Mesriph-Press Aesoeiation-Cocj-rijht. London, August .12., ■ .-The "Daily ChrouioleV' cprrespondent! at Berlin states that the-Geirman Government has formulated proposals to given legal status to factory councils on the lines of the Socialist Guild, movement in England, thus giving industrial' life a demooralic basis. Thus, far tie proposals uiiiy. recognise .single factories,.but the. Cjovern merit foreshadows, district and Imperial economic couucUs, including eiri-' ploya's and employees. The basic idea of the present scheme is to give the workers equal authority with the'mastere in all questions affecting tho. social, conditions of: factory life, and the right, to examine economic questions. Where fewer than twenty people' are employed ?hop stewards will -be olected. The councils mil ho elected annually "by workers above twenty years of age. Agriculture and the . liberal professions 'wfli be .ineluded in the scheme—Aus.-N-.Z. .Cable Assn.

I Renter's correspondent at Weimar reported on ,Tuly 23 that, speaking in the National Assembly, Herr Bauer (the Premier), in a lengthy .speech, warned the country against a hasty revolution, which would inovitably lead to counter-revolu-tion and disaster. He Admitted that the people htid grievances which the Government would- endeavour to remove, but ho indicated that the remedy was the l.aW, -whichwas being drafted .to.regulate Workers and Economic. Councils.' He. foreshadowed a Bill.nationalising electric power stations and socialising tlie production of lignite. The socialisation of otlier mine.3 woidd follow. The Government would embark on a general policy of socialisation, and Herr Bauer declared that when the State possessed the railways, electricity,. and mines_it would bo in a position to assure, desirable conditions for tho workers. Superfluous imported. luxuries, ..especially all imports Jikely to prejudice the labour. market, woufil bo banned,l .