BRITISH LABOR REPORT

Hokitika Guardian, 10 August 1925, Page 2

BRITISH LABOR REPORT

[Australia & N.Z. Cable Association.]

LONDON, AUG. 7

An interim report from the Labour Party’s Committee investigating sweating, recommends that the importation of the products of prison or slave lahour should he completely prohibited bv Britain.

The Committee concludes: “The progress of industrialism necessitates the establishment of international standards of labour and conditions. The manipulation of tariffs provides no remedy tor sweated goods, as discriminatory tariffs leave untouched the competition of sweated -goods in foreign markets. The discriminatory tariffs only drive the offending country to produce even more cheaply and to sweat its workpeople more disgracefully. The labour standards are thus degraded. International labnitr conventions provide the elements of all international code of labour conditions. T he persistent refusal of any nation to carry a convention into effect should be followed by the exclusion of its sweated goods by all the signatory states.”

Owing to the impossibility of fixing an international minimum of subsistence owing to differences in climate and physiological needs, especially in Asiatic countries, this proposal is not included.

The committee does not propose that the definition of sweating should include wages, but it says: "It is possible to call a convention to establish minimum wages, machinery for the different countries, and to raise the wages in all the industries, and to give a percentage of wages for average unskilled countries. LONDON, AEG. 8. The report of the eonnnitte appointed hv the Labour Party to investigate sweated imports recommends international action against sweating lor which purpose the existing mncliinerv provided in the Peace Treaty should be utilized, supplemented by a resolution of the International Labour Conference binding the signatories to enforce a boycott, which shall only he applicable where an alternative supply is available, against goods produced under conditions not conforming to the Washington Hours Conven-

At the same time the Committee emphasises the uselessness of tariff manipulation as a remedy against sweated goods. The “Daily Herald” describes the sweated gooiH report of the Labourites as "a clear-cut, definite alternative to the protectionism of the Tories and to tin' doctrinaire free trade of the Liberals. 'l’lie “Daily Telegraph's" Parliamentary correspondent says: “At the outset* the Labour enquiry (re sweated imports), those favouring departure from a rigid free trade policy were in a minority. Their views gained increasing support as the investigation proceeded. IL is Understood the report was unanimous.

Should the Labour ((inference at Liverpool in September adopt tlie recommendation. a definite bfoac~ will have been made with the Socialist Free Trade traditions.”