NEWSPAPER SERVICE

Evening Post, Volume CXL, Issue 22, 26 July 1945, Page 7

NEWSPAPER SERVICE

Strike Shows Importance NEW YORK, July 24. Surveys which were made for , the Newspaper Association during the 17-day newspaper strike show that at first 76 per cent, of the public were dissatisfied with radio as a complete news service. The percentage of dissatisfied listeners rose to 89 after the second week. Seventy-nine per cent, of the women readers said they missed the advertising very much. The report concludes that the combined score of two surveys demonstrates the continuing indispensability of the newspapers to the public and at the same time indicates that the longer people are forced to do without newspapers the more convinced they are that there is no adequate substitute. ..uimiiiiiimi.i.iiiii.iii.iiiiiiii iiiiiiiiiniiiiHiHim •"" short; and footwear, which is 30,000 short. It is stated that there is no prospect whatever during the. next six months of making good this deficiency of over half a million workers. Three million people are free to leave industry if they desire, under the new regulations removing wartime directions. This figure is made up of 1,000.000 men over 65 years and women of over 60, together with 2,000,----000 younger married and single women who have domestic responsibilities. It is hoped that the majority will remain in industry during the difficult period ahead. The labour position will be improved or worsened according to their decision. DISPUTES IN INDUSTRY. There is some anxiety about the duration of and temper created in the current disputes in British industry today. There are go-slow tactics in dock and transport undertakings and widespread attempts to force acceptance of high wage conditions. Workers in several sections of the engineering industry are reported to be holding out for piecework prices that are 100 per cent, higher than pre-war figures for similar work. Where settlements have been reached they are mostly on the ■ basis of a 50 per cent, increase, which is becoming established as an acceptable standard. This attitude is due to the increased cost of living and income tax. It is reported also that a certain amount of lassitude pervades all industry, due partly to weariness, but also due to a desire to make jobs last longer and avoid redundancy during the period of reconversion to. civilian industry. The go-slow policy in the London docks has reached a critical stage, with men refusing the advice of their union leaders to return to the normal speed of working at once so that negotiations for" improved rates of pay and conditions may be opened. As a result of this refusal the Ministry of Labour has announced that only food ships bringing supplies to London will be brought into the Thames, and that measures will be taken to ensure the expeditious handling of these cargoes. This1 is taken to mean that members of the forces will be brought in to keep supplies moving if insufficient dockers are found willing to work at normal speed. Six hundred troops are en route from the north of England to'work ships at the Surrey docks, London, where 10 ships are idle out of 11, though normal working has been resumed at most other places in the Port oE London. The shortage of labour is being felt in the reaping of Britain's harvest.. Schemes to provide workers include the employment of 150,000 prisoners of war and the granting of 28 days' agricultural leave to farm workers in the British Army on the Continent. In the meantime farmers will continue to j engage all the" casual labour they can get. .