Thank you for correcting the text in this article. Your corrections improve Papers Past searches for everyone. See the latest corrections.

This article contains searchable text which was automatically generated and may contain errors. Join the community and correct any errors you spot to help us improve Papers Past.

Article image
Article image
Article image
Article image
Article image
Article image
Article image
Article image

The Dominion. SATURDAY, DECEMBER 18. 1920. THE RIGHT TO WORK

With the fact- on record that over half a million workers in the United. Kingdom arc out of employ ment,'tho executive of the British , Labour Party "has decidcd that the present scandal of starving innocent people- cannot be allowed to .continue." Though it docs v not laclCcmphasis, this, protest tails off somewhat feebly in talk about more liberal unemployment doles, Which are to-' serve "until better provision ' ;for ; Unemployment is made." An altogether bolder policy and bolder methods arc demand- j ed in order that one of the worst aiid most intolerable abuses of mod- j cm life may be as nearly as pos- l sible abolished. At this time of i day no 'self-respecting country can afford or be contest to accept recurring unemployment as in the established order of' things—much less to be restricted in- dealing with it to the provision of doles for those who are out of work. Even the most elaborate schemes of unemployment insurance are far from meeting the case. As a means of relieving'immediate distress in tho conditions that are now developing in Great Britan, palliatives of this nature are. of course, indisoensable; but they leave ■ untouched tho real problem of so organising industry that employment will be available, -for all who are able and willing to work. Although it, presents many difficulties this nrobleni is.by no means insoluble. In most countries,, certainly in: all British countries, . it- is well within the of practical possibility to raise industrial organisation to such a»pitch>of cfficicncy that unemployment would be, reduced tb negligible proportions. Only sound organisation and effective co-operation -in industry arc necessary in order that this . desirable , state of affairs may be attained.. In any examination of-the position, however, the strange fact stands out that tho most obvious causes of unemployment are to-be, found in t the accepted policy and methods of considerable sections of . organised Labour—those sections which make_ a practice of periodically industrial upheavals in which, besides temporarily abandoning their own employment,, they., directly and indirectly occasion widespread unemtilojment in other-branches of industry.

The latest example in point is tho strike of stewards on the Australian- inter-Stale steamers and the simultaneous"- dispute between 'soma sections _ of the Australian seamen and their employers. The issues betjveen the. parties have not been stated: very - clcarly, hut it seems quite clear that no question that

could be regarded as vitally imports ant or urgent has bcei'i raised. According to a. Sydney cablegram, engineers, seamen, butchers' and bakers are agreed in regarding the hasty action of the stewards with disfavour. On the ulher hand tlio strike will at oncc extend unemployment- throughout, the Commonwealth at a time when workers generally am anxious to earn some additional money to title them over the Christmas holiday season.' A considerable amount of unemployment already existed in New South Wales and some of the other Australian States. It is reported today that in Sydney alono there are fifteen thousand people'out of work. The present figures of unemployment, of course, will expand rapidly if the strike continues. The paralysis of inter-Stato sea traffic, will automatically throw man.V thousands of watcrs'i'ders out of work and if the strike continue* similar cffects will extend speedily to various other industries. ' .The suspension of a great part of the normal holiday traffic'will-seriously [ affect both employment and trade. Unfortunately the wanton disregard of the interests and welfare of their fellow-workers shown bv. the strikers on this occasion.is typical of the policy commonly pursued by strong sections of organised Labour in Australia " and elsewhero, and until this policy, is abandoned it is idle to talk of remedying tho evil of unemployment. Strikes, stoppages and harassing tactics undoubtedly account more than any other factor for the spread of unemployment. The immediate and obvious effect of these disturbances is .sufficiently serious. Very often the number of people thrown out of work by a strike in which they have no concern greatly exr ceeds _ that of the actual strikers. This is bad enough, but it is even more serious that recurring upheavals destroy the conditions of, trade prosperity ancl industrial stabilityMat- ai'c essential to settled- employment. Whenever- they support or tolerate" a policy which creates • unsettled conditions arid insecurity, workers are directly' inviting unemployment. The/whole of. the facts are in- plain • sight. It is not, of course, suggested that strikes ana Industrial disturbance's are the 6nly cause of unemployment,' but they constitute its chief .cause and-until Laboiir bodies generally "discard such tactics and adopt a'wiser policy it is hopeless; to think of dealing comprehensively .with tho.problcm. Using their, common sense wage-earners are., bound to ■recognise that the policy favoured by their militant- organisations not only occasions iinempfoynienV but absolutely'blocks the -measures that might easily be: taken to prevent it if reasonable co-operition between the parties engaged in industry were attainable. Th<} fact has to be recognised—it is .at -present being enforced by hard in Britain and Australia—that tho workers themselves are in a great measure responsible" for the ' fact " that some of tliem. are jyt intervals denied the riirht, which ought to be universal, of earning a living.:

Permanent link to this item
Hononga pūmau ki tēnei tūemi

https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/DOM19201218.2.23

Bibliographic details
Ngā taipitopito pukapuka

Dominion, Volume 14, Issue 72, 18 December 1920, Page 10

Word count
Tapeke kupu
858

The Dominion. SATURDAY, DECEMBER 18. 1920. THE RIGHT TO WORK Dominion, Volume 14, Issue 72, 18 December 1920, Page 10

The Dominion. SATURDAY, DECEMBER 18. 1920. THE RIGHT TO WORK Dominion, Volume 14, Issue 72, 18 December 1920, Page 10

Help

Log in or create a Papers Past website account

Use your Papers Past website account to correct newspaper text.

By creating and using this account you agree to our terms of use.

Log in with RealMe®

If you’ve used a RealMe login somewhere else, you can use it here too. If you don’t already have a username and password, just click Log in and you can choose to create one.


Log in again to continue your work

Your session has expired.

Log in again with RealMe®


Alert