AMERICANS PRAISED

Hokitika Guardian, 24 June 1926, Page 2

AMERICANS PRAISED

A FLATTERING TRIBUTE. [Australian & N.Z. Cable Association.) NEW YORK, June 22. .Sir E. Elder, of Australia, in a farewell address to the British Luncheon Club here said:—“There are many phases, particularly industrial, of the life of the United States which Australia and the British Empire might do well to closely study, and which point to a lesson that we should heed. The wonderful prosperity which the .Americans are enjoying is due to their particular psychology and to the methods they have adopted in practically all their industrial activities. American industry is blessed in the possession of a wonderful home or domestic market. The factories hum, the furnaces blaze, and riches are wrung from the earth for at least 144 hours out of every 168 hours, and where, in any other part of the world, can we see such educational and welfare work being carried on amongst the workers, and where does such cooperation between Labour and Capital exist? The American workmen now firmly believe that the more laboursaving machinery there is used the better it is. not only for tbe employers but for the workmen themselves. The American employer pays well, and ho believes in the principle of payment bv results. The hours of work have been decreased, and the rates of pay have been raised, and, extraordinary as it is the co-operation between the employer and the employee, in no less measure is the co-operation between ! the various units of each industrial activity of the nation iust as remarkable. It would almost seem as if most of the Americans have no secrets in ■their business, and they are willing to impart their knowledge to all enquirers whom, they may consider deserving of their courtesy. There is a very clear understanding on the part of American industrial men of the benefits to be derived, individually and collectively from honest, friendly, frank co-operation. Every phase of the industrial life of America seems to he standardised, and mass production has greatly cheapened the output. and has materially lowered_ the overhead charges. Americans desire to he our friends. They wish to know us better. Let us respond to the openhearted and generous hospitality of ' their flag. Let us go closer together, for .American manhood, as 1 have met it and understood it, is of the quality that commands the highest respect and is altogether worthy of the wnrm- . est response on the part ol the citi- . zens of'the British Empire.”