LABOUR PROBLEMS

Evening Post, Volume XCVII, Issue 125, 29 May 1919, Page 8

LABOUR PROBLEMS

THE VIEW OF COMMERCE

"STANDING ON A PRECIPICE"

Labour and its relations with capital was referred to by the President of the Chamber of.Commerce (Mr. J. G. Harkness) to-day. Long before the war, he said, indications were not wanting to prove that industrial troublesi were simmering, arid, loomed larger than the proverbial cloud in the distant horizon. During tho war period these difficulties were temporarily _ allayed by-appeals to our common patriotism, conferences, and substantial increase to wages then paid or by the way of war bonuses to meet higher values of food products and the general "cost of living." The past year has not been signalled by any striking upheaval. The unrest and dissatisfaction is still manifest, and deepening in intensity. The object that Labour has in view is tho readjustment of present conditions. It maintains that the value attached to national prosperity does not depend, or,rather should not depend, on the increase of wealth, amongst the few, the general prosperity of the nation and the development of commercial pursuits, but in the improvement of conditions under which Labour works, a higher standard of living, and a more equitable and general distribution of all wealth amongst those who have to toil with their hands. To hasten this period it is advocated that all systems for the production of wealth should be national--ised, such as transport by sea or land,the output of all coal mines, the total productions of the soil and the manufactured goods of industry. WHERE LABOUR. IS UNITED. On this scheme Labour is practically united. Attempts will be made to attain this objective by means of the political machine, and if- evolution or constitutional methods will not bring into existence a complete transformation, then other processes must- be adopted. Neither time nor space will permit a refutation of such plausible arguments; suffice it to say, the policy underlying the whole structure is as old as the history of the worla, with this difference, that the portion which is true is old, but that which is new is not true. For the last 25 years or more, the wages paid to labour in any particular' ■ industry: .have been fixed, and.the conditions and hours under which the work shall be performed have been definitely, settled either by. the Arbitration Court or the Conciliation Council. Compulsory arbitration has not proved an unmixed blessing. ■ ' I The ahove method of adjusting wages' has not given'; complete satisfaction either to the employer or employee.: Experience has proved that it possesses several advantages, ■ but it is a matter of- considerable moment whether the disadvantages attached thereto do not counterbalance the benefits received. There is definite proof tht the fixing of the minimum wage is not an incentive to best effort. It fails to discriminate between the efficient and non-efficient worker in tho same class of work. It has not prevented strikes in Ihe past as it was hoped, and consequently agreements made under the award of the Court have been binding on the employers but not to the same extent with the employee. Further, .it has not. controlled or prevented the policy which is now -being adopted of restricting outputs and limiting the production of labour, and above all has destroyed the .very foundation of mutual respect and confidence as.between those immediately concerned. .'.';■■ -;/ ' :, ON A PRECIPICE.1 After this lapse of years these two great forces. Capital and Labour,. stand on a precipice, with something akin to bitterness oil each side —one reluctant to forego its privileges, the other armed with a suicidal policy of v "go-slow," which, must ultimately end in chaos and anarchy. The present is spoken of as a ,"New-Age ;".is it not the re-creation of ah old world, shorn of its prejudices, its selfishness, based on the principles which we, as a nation, have fought and sacrificed so much for?

What can be done to draw closer the bonds that should unite tho. opposing forces? The first step in any satisfactory solution is that the capitalists—the word is used in its broad sense, embracing all employers—must look beyond their own personal Interests", and regard the necessities' and demands of tho community as primary. The strength of this sentiment carried us through the welter of' war. If it was essential and good then, it will be efficacious in Peace. It may be a bitter lesson, but the fundamental principle has to be grasped that more injury is done to the community by having discontented, depressed, and underpaid employees, than any benefits the community will gain by accumulated wealth. It is a hard tiring to say, but the truth must be spoken, that in this new "re-creation," service to the community must necessarily rank superior to a large income.

THE WORKER'S OUTLOOK.

: How about the worker's attitude? His outlook on life, must be considerably broadened. His views on many important questions require modification. The worker must realise that the interests of. no particular section of the community can become paramount to the interests and prejudicial to the common good of tho community. He must learn that his best efforts should be given and the hardest work performed, not for a section of the people, but for the general good of the' community. A "go-slow" policy which limits output will inevitably deny; to Capital a legitimate return, and it will seek- other forms of-, investment. Wages will fall, .the industry will become unprofitable, , and , unemployment will follow. ( Such a policy is dishonest. It takes all it can get by way of payment and returns partial services for a given rate of pay. It is a sin against the individual who adopts the policy, and a crime against, the community of which ho forms a section, and whom he professes to assist.

These twp great factors, Capital and Labour, need to unite and co-operate in the cause of greater production, the result being that there will be enough to satisfy both. Confidence and trust must be restored in each other, not that Capital shall-' be enriched or become more powerful, nor that Labour shall bo again enslaved or trammelled, but that the former shall receive a fair return ; and the latter improved conditions of working, better wages, and higher standard of living, combining comfort and contentment.