The Guardian And Evening Star, with which is incorporated the West Coast Times. TUESDAY, JUNE 23rd, 1925. BRITISH TRADE UNIONISM.

Hokitika Guardian, 23 June 1925, Page 2

The Guardian And Evening Star, with which is incorporated the West Coast Times. TUESDAY, JUNE 23rd, 1925. BRITISH TRADE UNIONISM.

Tiik unsheltered unions in England are in a had way. Natural forces, says a writer in the Mercantile Gazette, are breaking them, schisms are destroying their unity, and although the more uneducated of the leaders declare that it is a fight against capitalism and must continue to the end. their words do not inspire that confidence which they did twelve months ago. The solidarity of labour is no protection against the operation of economic laws. Buyers will patronise those sellers who are prepared to vend their goods, quality lieing equal, at the lowest price. From that position there is no escape. The miners are, perhaps, in the worst plight, because they realise most that the mines can be run only at a loss under present circumstances, and they now underdstand that owners cannot delve and export coal unless at least the price which it brings will cover the expenses. They will also realise that the concessions they have won during the past three years have been largely

responsible lor the po-qion they ur< now in. They have been taught to ,gi\i little and to demand a great deal, 'fin eansatixe factor ol their present p-i-i tion may be found in their leader- pul icy. relentlessly pursued, M make..ml mining economically inipossi nc to tin

owner. The\ luiv- brought about tin* result which theii leaders advocated. The owners’ business has become unprofitable, and those mines which cannot be carried on unless their owners .supplement the income hy yearly capital drafts arc closing down. It is hard, very hard, upon the miners, hut if ;m industry upon which they are engaged cannot lie made to pay expenses it certainly is not just to suggest that the maintenance of themselves and their families must he borne by the employer who has, from no fault, ol his own, been compelled to terminate his industrial activities. The real cause ot the trouble is not the intransigence of the employer, hut his inability to supply coal at a loss. In some eases owners have offered to hand their mines over to the men to work co-operatively and without reserving rent or royalties. Some have gone, further and have offered, in addition to permitting the men to retain every shilling of profit, to give a guarantee for a time to meet, any. loss, hut we think, with one exception, those offers have been dec lined. It lias been suggested that the curtailment of working hours in the mines is one of the causes which has materia.lly increased cost. It this is so. then, rather than accept the unemployment dole, we think the miners are badly advised to have refused their assistance to keep the mines open. Wo, however, doubt very much if the extra numbei of tons brought to the surface would have been of any assistance against the intensive competition of the Germans. As with tin* coal industry, so with the others, price tells. British contracts go outside, and unless some change takes place tilings will get worse before they mend, fn the end. when disillusionment comes to the men. when they realise that whatever social change could he* made, that event if every industry became nationalised, purchasers will still buy in the cheapest market, then they will bring England hack, if not to her old supremacy, which is impossible, to a position toremost amongst the leaders. We do not agree for one moment that Britain will lx' crushed out of all markets. She is never to lie more feared than when things look their worst.