INDUSTRIAL PEACE

Evening Post, Volume CXII, Issue 97, 21 October 1926, Page 13

INDUSTRIAL PEACE

LESSON FROM AMERICA

QUESTION OF UNEMPLOYMENT.

"i have dealt quite recently," said the president of the New Zealand Employers' Federation (tho Xlon'. T. Shailer We'ston) in his annual address to-day, "with the question of an industrial truce or peace. The advantages of tho suggestion then put forward are so apparent that it will be a pity if Labour leaders fail to-; appreciate them. With the increasing competition for our pvi- : mary products any increase in money wages just now would-jin tho long run be of little advantage to labour generally, although temporarily beneficial to the .actual recipients. On the other hand, a combined effort on the part of both employers and employees by increased efficiency of production to cheapen the price of commodities and thereby reduce the. cost of living will be at once felt by all classes of the . community^ "Labour throughout the British Em- ! pire "has now the choice between following the strategy of Russia and the Continental Labour Parties or that laid ; down by the late Samuel Gompers for the guidance ,of labour in the United States. .One. would think that the results obtained by the latter would make the choice inevitable. Under his re^ gime every worker in the United States had a ftfe'e hand.to utilise his individual powers to the,- utmost. All .that Mr. Gompers,was concerned with.was that the. worker should receive a fair return for. .whatever- .efforts he put forth. He always encouraged increased production, which meant not only more to divide between employer and employee; but also lower prices, which _ benefited . all consumers'. ■ An outstanding feature of Mr. . Gompers's rule was that he never borrowed or followed the ideas oflabour'"leaders -outside the United States. He always kept on good terms with them, but' his* own policy was moulded upon the circumstances of the United States and;; his own practical experience. This was ona of the main reasons for his success. UNITED ACTION IMPERATIVE. "Unemployment may recur next year in. New Zealand.-.The.- British coal strike has probably made it inevitable. That strike will probably cost the New Zealand dairy 'farmers' £2,000,000, and the meat growers a very substantial sum also. It is-claimed that -every individual 4. as the right to demand work, and if he.cannot.obtain it by his own initiative, it should be provided by the State. This proposition is far from being admitted by all,' but, if admitted, surely there, are two: necessary corollaries to.it. . Firstly, the individual asserting this, right must not by his own personal.habits unfit himself to perform work, provided, for him; and. secondly, he -must'be prepared. to perform tho work offered.by tho: State.: A soldier who by mutilating himself evades his military duties is regarded by his fel-low-soldiers as dishonourable. The man who, born fit and strong, through intemperance, vice, cv'honesty, nr other persoiial failings disables himself from taking advantage of the facilities for work this country affords,- offends seriously- against the community. Fortunately,: the percentage in New Zealand of these men is very small indeed—still the percentage of unemployment is also very low- compared with other countries. For-the man able and willing to work who, through no fault of his own, is without • employment, everyone should have the utmost sympathy—nothing is more soulrracking, especially 'if. he has dependents. The problem of unemployment must be faced by the united action of everyone—employers, individuals, local bodies, and the Government. It is a problem which should be kept free from parties and politics. If it recurs next winter this federation and the associations should in making a close . scrutiny into, the-^causes —the numbers of unemployed who" in fairness ought to blame themselves for their positions, and in what way.the trouble can be "remedied wholly or in part. On this point one might suggest that 'charity begins at home,' and moneys provided tp assist ■ . the British coal miner might have been advantageously employed this winter and next in assisting unemployment in New Zealand." ■■••'■*■■ .