REDUCING PRICES

Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 75, 22 December 1919, Page 8

REDUCING PRICES

A LABOUR MINISTER'S SUGGESTIONS

INCREASED PRODUCTION AND IMPROVED ORGANISATION

"How to Get Prices Down" is the title of nu article contributed to the London "Daily Mail" by the liight. Hon. J. li. Clynes, a Labour mem bur of tho House of Commons, who has held important rank in the British Government. Mr. Clynes says that increased production is essential, and he suggests methods cf gaining that end.

"Machinery, formerly viewed by many workers as their natural enemy because it appeared to throw them out of a job, can now always bo made the servant of the worker," says Mr Clynes, "and In-' hour in its present state of organisation never njjain need fear the consequences of producing goods in abundance or creating a glut in the market which will be <1, cause of unemployment. In the days when labour was helpless and always at the mercy of organised capital, unemployment through over-production was more, than a r.sk—it often became a reality. That state-of things can never recur so long as labour continues to make good uso of tho state of organisation and llie effective partnership in the control of industry which it is beginning to assume.

"It is necessary, however, to deal with workmen's suspicions and to seek increased production through tho only method that will make it certain—namely. that 'of giving to the workman a sense of benefit from the better results which ho is called upon to show. The workman must bo convinced that his increased efforts aro put forth not for tho benefit of someone else but in part for his own personal advantage and for the general benefit of the public. Until something approaching a guarantee in practice is given to the mass of producers the problem of output will not bo solved and an increase in the yield of labour effort- will not be made. It will bo eas'or to prove to flic workman that increased effort will for him mean increased gain than to prove '<o the workman that a reduction in cofnmcdities has become the first cause of nearness and of reduced spend'ng power.

Increased production, however, cannot result from increased individual energy alone, and others besides workmen must bo blamed far any continued failure to make tho best of labour effort. Indolence on the part of workmen is not the chief cause of diminished output. Wp have been doing in the last year or two in regard to hours of work and wages rat(\s what employers should have shown themselves willing to do gradually over the previous period of 10 or 20 years.

Workmen who would have been content with an eight hours day if it had been arranged on reasonable or mutual terms before the war, and who would probably in the reduced hours have produced results equal to the output of the longer day, are not now content with eight hours—thev are asking for .seven, or even six. The ill-will created years liol.ire the war. as a result of refusals to concede anything excent to pressure or to force, went far to create and to deenen, the suspicion of workmen with regard to the cVigns of employers and capitalists, T* will take some time to live that dawn but workiren Who now behave fe'Csblv or thcm"htlesslv in their own sphere of productive i«-ork -"id show no interest in the wncrnl problem of output and nrodnet'on. or who diminHi pro. dnct'-on by indifference or bv deliberate failure to put in their full time with a reasonable and honourable measure nf exertion. :nre inflicting the Greatest (Vininijo upon their class and themselves. To (he degree that c eareilv is caused the "'"ice of ai't'clos is ,i"erei c ed: the hiclie l ' the price. <he lower the purchasing power of the workman's wage.

An increase i" the rate of nnv (o the worker is at the - moment of less in> n"rtance limn a dcrcso in the price of commodities renni'-od i n "vrM-y I'ome to valfn (-he ctanrlord of living. Hundreds of (1 iffe"pnf (V-ivts o? 43 orvi'-"- 1 "ceded in nHer thai- belter h"iK»= shouM be bui't, Hint hook «"<' clothii"* and f"*xl of all k ; nrls shoiv'l be supplied in "renter abundance. The o f e ll fi-pso things is in the form of a chain of servWc, nnd v-hen nnv ore link in tlio chain is weakened or snapped a li-onkrlflwn occurs far which i-i thp pnrf, labour "ays more tlno cap-'M in k"in<T deprived 'o f some of the fhin-s vhi"h lehcir lwniires. Tf I nhour at Hie docks or the norfs. or in eenpention n-ith transport and carta"". fr :1 « to maintain the free and steady low of o"mniediti"«. an interruption, wherever it may be caused, becomes an element in increasing to the worker the price of commodities when Phey are delivered to him.

Transport is an important clement in output and a serious facto-- in determining the price of commodities. Labour can be less blamed for any portion of the difficulties in transport than can others, becauso of failure to organiso and improve the distribution of articles. If in this problem of production we fail, scarcely anything caii save us from a still greater state of dearness, contusion, and risk, Whatever the war changed, it has not changed the fact that we must remain a great producing and exporting country.

Our standard of life in this land depends upon tho maintenance of our power to produce and export to other ends of the earth. AVo need not try to do all tihe work for other people, but we must continue to meet our competitors with success and effect in the markets of the world, and meet our own internal needs by providing great quantities of goods for sale, to meet the needs of other people. '

This country survived the greatest difficulties and complications presented by tlio years of the war, and it organised itself in a manner x which amazed and finally crushed t'no country's enemies. This country might have won the war without the support of any class in it except the working class. That class has now the opportunity of further serving itself wihile at the same time serving the nation, and just as the masses of workmen did their soldiering with every credit to themselves and their commanders, they have now an opportunity to follow the pursuit, of peaceful service in a manner to elevate and maintain a higher standard of life for themselves and their families.

To take from some wiho have too much would not assist greatly tho large number who have too little. The standard of life can be raised considerably only by increasing tho sum-total of community effort. In addition to output per unit, a groat increase could result from tlie employment on productive tissks of a largo number of people who now work hard in occupations which aro not productive and contribute very little to those useful forms of service which, are as necessary as any process of production or manufacture. We solved this problem in relation to Iho arts of war. It should not be outsidn our rango in relation to the arts of peace.