LIBERAL POLICY

Evening Star, Issue 19782, 4 February 1928, Page 5

LIBERAL POLICY

REPORT ON LABOR & ECONOMIC PROBLEMS Pres* Association—By Telegraph—Copyright. LONDON, February 2. The report of the Liberal inquiry into Britain’s industrial future, from which the Liberals hope much will result, is an exhaustive volume of 503 pages, covering the entire economic held. The authors are Liberal leaders and business men and trade unionists, and they worked under the auspices of the Summer School Committee, in collaboration with Mr Lloyd George. The report opposes direct State trading, but favors the development _of public boards of control of utilities, particularly electricity, and advocates large-scale semi-monopolistic private concerns. Public companies, which are controlling more than lialf the products within Britain, should be registered and subjected to 'stringent inspection by the Board of Trade. The national savings should be employed to develop transport facilities, public utilities, housing, and agricultural equipment, the Board of National Investment taking over the functions of the National Debt Commissioner. An economic general staff should be established and associated with Cabinet and the economic departments to study the problems and co-ordinate information and plans for stabilisation measures. The report suggests a measure to improve training and education, develop marketing, methods, .extepd. profit-shar-ing, avoid wage disparities, and enforce a minimum wage in each industry. It says that after a careful study of Australia. and New Zealand _ the experiments in compulsory arbitration cannot be recommended for adoption in England, because it is a reversal of the voluntary policy of the industrial court. It is also impossible to define the principles governing wage levels and to enforce the non-acceptable decisions ou powerful organisations. The report, dealing with preference, says i thiu any large system of duties meeting the dominions’ requirements would make the Empire burdensome to the poor classes of Great Britain and cause impoverishment, preventing her from doiqg what she now. can for Imperial development. The system should be mutual only regarding the dominions. It should not be applicable to India, and should not bo enforceable in the Crown colonies or protectorates, ior which it is impracticable and likely to be more harmful than beneficial.— Sydney ‘ Sun ’ Cable.