BRITAIN'S URGENT NEED
MORE PRODUCTION MR. LLOYD GEORGE'S SPEECH GRAVE TIMES AHEAD (By Telegraph -Press Association--CopyriirM London, August 19. In an important speech in the House of Commons tho Prime Minister (Mr. Lloyd George) emphasised the difficulties duo to tho monetary exchange rates. Tha sovereign to-day was worth less than 17s. 6d. in Amcrica. This was duo to the fact that we were not paying for imports with exports. The only alternative to increased production was to quit the country. Ha mentioned among tho reasons for tho decreased production, the difficulties of transition from war conditions, and tho lack of labour; and also the fact that everybody's norves were jaded and torn after the strain of the war. Everybody was complaining of everybody else, and some complained of Providence. But tnese tendencies were world-wide, and would puss. Thn world was suffering irom shell-9hock on a big scale. Ono of the arguments in favour of reducing hours had been that it wouU' not involve a reduction of output. 'Die fact was that there had been a reduction of output almost in mathematical proportion to the diminution of hours. Deliberate slowing down was not w: fined to the workers; there were evidences of it among employers and managers. He stigmatised as a dangerous fallacy the theory that the less one worked the moro work there was for overybody. Deliberately to reduce out, put meant all-round unemployment on n gigantic scale. The absolute necessity of everybody pulling together must Iks brought home to tho whole country, [11 order to enable tho people to shake off the fatal lethargy and slackness which were depressing production and imperilling the most vital interests of the nation.
Labour said: "We realise 'he need for production. We do riot believo in direct action, but we are human, and we cannot work with a will unless our conditions are fairer." They must, said the Prime Minister, examine that attitude honestly and squarely, not in a spirit of ;esenfcment, but in the spirit of justice and comi'ftdeship created by the war. He appealed to employers and workers to press their claims in that spirit. Wo must demonstrate to the world Britain's traditional power of solving difficulties without resort to anarchy, and merely by an appeal to common-sense and the spirit of fair play. Tho speaker said ho admitted that before tho war hundreds of thousands of able-bodied men worked hard for wages which worn a disgrace to tho flag the.v fought for; but Labour's gains in tho,last two or three years had been enormous. The average wages had more than doubled, and hours had diminished by four per week. ■ Tho war had taught the soldiers that positions' were easier to capture than to retain. That was the lesson for Labour, who had. captured more advanced positions during tlie war than ever before.
Government's Labour Policy. Mr. Lloyd George announced that the Joint Industrial Council had como to an agreement regarding hours and wages, which would be embodied in a Bill to bo introduced in tho House to-morrow. Substantially, the Bill meant a Jfl-liour week, with few exceptions, and a living wage in all industries. He urged that steps should bo taken to humaniso industry by seeking tho co-operat'ion of tho workers regarding their conditions of work. He denied that lie had committed tho Government to accept every recommendation of the Sankey report. Howover, the Government had accepted tho policy of Stato purchase of mineral rights in coal, and proposed that a fund should be raised out of tho royalties to improve the housing and general amenities of the miners. Tho reason for Mr. Justice Sankey's recommendation of tho nationalisation' of mines—that it would produce harmony between tho employers and the workers—had been falsilied by tho recent Yorkshire strike, which was against the State. Moreover, the Stato ran the railways, yet the results had not been harmonious. Howevor, the Government'accepted in principle that there was need for unification and reorganisation of tho mines, in order to reduco the working and management charges. This could bo done by dividing tho country into areas, in each of which Labour should bo amalgamated for a limited period., The workers should bo represented on' the body controlling tho policy in each area. Tho Government was preparing a schemo on these lines.
Removing Trado Restrictions. Mr. Lloyd George announced that, in the interest of trade, the policy of trado restrictions would definitely terminate on September 1. They had been retained to shield industries during demobilisation and tho transition from war to peace, aud the only result of maintain* liig them after September 1 would be to artificially increase prices,_ which were already too high. Referring to attacks on the Government, he asked iras it wise, fair, or generous, whoa all systems of government were being challenged, to givo democracy the impression that tho Government was guilty of nothing but mistakes, scandals, and inefficiency, putting nothing on the credit side? He concluded by declaring that, with a clear eye, a steady hand, and a willing heart, th-e ship of Sfcato would reach calmer water. Debate on the Speccn.
Mr. W. Adamson (Labour), following Mr. Lloyd George, said that, .although nine months had passed since the armistice, there was no sign of a return to normal conditions. It was time that tho Government, since the war, had sold 161 ships, to foreign countries. That was a foolish transaction, and would cripple the efforts to restore tho financial position. Tito labour Party agreed «s to the necessity for increased, production. It could not be achieved without scrapping much of the existing machinery in the industries, aud without the employment of machines not hitherto used. The country would not tolerate the Government spending at the present rate. Ho urged Mr. Lloyd George to cut down drastically tho estimates for the Axmv. Naval, and Civil services. lie pressed tho Government to make tho Prolitewing Bill retrospective, by which means it could recover 1000 millions from profiteers.
Lord Robert Cenil said ho regretted that Mr. Lloyd George bad postponed bis industrial statement till the Inst day of the session, thus permitting the minimum of debate; He deprecated the withdrawal of the British troops from the Caucasus, allowing tile continuance of massacres of the Armenians, who should have immediate help.
! A Lively Scene. | There was a scene during the debate | j that followed, when 111". V. Hal tsliorn j (Labour) asserted that Mr. Bonnr Law i had promised to accept the nationalisa- • tion of mines if the commission favoured j it. Mr. Hartshorn said ho would <iu I nothing to render the Prime Minister's soliomo a success. The Government's policy would considerably reduce the | output instead of increasing it. Mr. Bonar Law denied having pledged , himself to nationalisation. Such a thing was never suggested. • Mr. Hartshorn, interviewed later, said that every miners' loader who had pre- : viously been disposed to assist the Ciovi e.riimont would now do his utmost to 1 overthrow it. Other minors' officials are ! equally angry. i Mr. Adamson said the parly would ! make the nationalisation of tho mines . and railways test iiuestions at the general election. Members of the House of Commons generally accept tho solution. Opponents of State control anticipate practical difficulties, but regard it us tho best compromise.—Aits.-N.H. Cable Assn. press¥inions TONE OP DISAPPOINTMENT. London, Aiugu6t ll). 4 The newspapers refleot a certain amount of disappointment at tho Prime
Minister's speech, mainly as tlio result of unauthorised auticipations: but there is general approval, except as to controversial topics like, the nal ioualisatioji of tho mines. Somo are disappoint™ that a settled trade policy lias not been announced, and declare that manufacturers -and traders are anxious to nave tho policy settled, to enable them to go ahead. But it is generally recognised that tho Prime Minister has refrained "O'n raising vexed fiscal controversies at tho present juncture. The Freetraders are gratified bv tho removal of the rescuetions, while Tariff lieforiuers are with the retention of safeguards lor the key imlustriM and the prevention 01 dumping. Though there wis little reason for expecting an Irish policy, regiet is expressed at tlio absence of a btatenient on the subject. The _ principal measure of disappointment arises liom the absence of positive measures to reduce tho national expenditure.—Aus.N.Z. Cable Assn.
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Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 279, 21 August 1919, Page 5
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1,378BRITAIN'S URGENT NEED Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 279, 21 August 1919, Page 5
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