The Guardian And Evening Star, with which is incorporated the West Coast Times. WEDNESDAY, MAY 26, 1926. REALISATION AND RESULT

Hokitika Guardian, 26 May 1926, Page 2

The Guardian And Evening Star, with which is incorporated the West Coast Times. WEDNESDAY, MAY 26, 1926. REALISATION AND RESULT

Jin-: relations of capital and labour m the United States has its icsson lot' Great Britain and the won'll at large. riio.se relations are a desire to co-oper-ate, thus producing harmony. It is the ideal. The realisation of what can be attained, the result achieved, is something worth while studying. Jhe happy relations growing up in the industry in America, prompted the proprietary of the London “Daily Mail” to send an industrial mission of working men to the Suites to see and hear lor themselves how the end was being, achieved. The trip and an extensive tour eventuated in duo course, and the labour tourists must have had an interesting and enjoyable time. One of the speakers whom they had the opportunity of hearing was Mr Green, the head of the American Labour Movement. His speech was clear and to the point, and as cabled to England, is worth reproducing as indicatng the trend of the labor movement in America. He said: “We want you to see us at our worst, as well as at our best. Me have not yet attained a perfect America. Many industrial problems arc still pressing for solution. Soon alter the war our employers made a tremendous drive on high wages in favour of what they called “the American plan.” The drive was not successful. The American Labour Movement is committed i to very foundamental principles. We are endeavouring to work out industrial salvation by 'emphasising our economic power. I do not mean to say that we do not attach great importance to the consideration ol political questions, hut we emphasise in all our undertakings the economic factor. Wo arc seeking here to promote cooueration and harmony between employers and employed. We are accepting a given situation and are dealing with facts as they are. The existing industrial system is a fact. We know that those who own factories and those who work in them are both dependent on industry and that the enjoyments if life by the working man and of reasonable profits by the employer must alike come out of industry. We believe that the success of industry depends on high wages and great production. With our high wages we have succeeded ill bringing about the most economic production of manufactured commodities in the world. In the Labour movement here we attach the utmost importance to efficiency in the working man. so that he can develop the maximum of productivity without over-working, or over-exertion and thus justify his high wages. Therefore wo are cooperating with the .managements in the elimination of waste, because the working man suffers most of all as the result of waste. We are also co-opera-ting with the managements in the elimination of duplication of effort, and we are not opposing the introduction of improved machinery, for our conviction is that if prosperity is to prevail the purchasing power of the worker must keep pace with the increasing power of productivity. The great mass of workers must buy back the things they produce.” The keynote of the policy, it will be seen, is to study the economic side. In other words more cannot be taken out of an industry than is put in. Mr Frank Hodges in his summary of the late strike failure at Home, has been emphasising the economic side as the true aspect to consider before plunging into a national hold-up, and the advice is sound. It is the economic side of the coal crisis which is the crux of the whole matter, and till that is adjusted by some form of reorganisation. wages and hours are in abeyance. Finance is a difficulty to overcome when presented as a barrier. Something has to give way or some adjustment made and that is a matter for reasonable, and not unreasonable action.