The Guardian And Evening Star, with which is incorporated the West Coast Times. TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 8, 1927. INDUSTRIAL PEACE.

Hokitika Guardian, 8 November 1927, Page 2

The Guardian And Evening Star, with which is incorporated the West Coast Times. TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 8, 1927. INDUSTRIAL PEACE.

There can lie no doubt that the industrial conflicts of tho past two ycais at Home have been succeeded by a widespread desire for industrial peace. To some extent the failure of the mining strike and the so-called general strike opened the eyes ol the workers to the futility of such methods of securing redress for their grievances, a-.d this consciousness of failure prepaicd the great mass of the wage-earners to accept any reasonable alternative method which would not involve the possibility of such disastrous disorganisation and loss. For the moment Mr Baldwin’s inopportune Trade l 1110,1 Act revived the hostility between employers and wage-earners in an acute ami bitter form. But even in spite of this many indications suggest that the workers arc now ready and willing to enter into more amicable relations with the employing class, il only they can be assured of more sympt'Mic and intelligent comprehension of l 'ieir needs. A striking proof of this strong-ly-marked tendency toward industrial peace, comments a northern paper, is provided by the gathering of representative employers and Labour leaders held lately at the Mansion House. It is interesting to note that this meeting was convened by the Lord Mayor, at the instance of Mr Phillip Snowden. For Mr Snowden, in spite of unfortunate controversial mannerisms has always favoured constitutional methods of ‘improving tho position of the worker; and his antagonism to the ‘‘class war” dogma and other Marxist tenets have rendered him highly unpopular with tho “left wingers” of his own party Entirely in keeping with Mr Snowden’s opinion were the views expressed by Air Amnion, one of the ablest a lid most respected Labour M’s.l’. He spoko strongly in favour of co-operation between employer and worker, suggested the establishment of Wages Courts, appealed for the maintenance of a decent standard of living for the wage-earner, and took the opportunity to assert, on behalf of his party that-, while the workers rightly condemn the existing economic system, vet “deep down in their hearts they are nil actuated by the love of their country.” From Air Frank Hodge-, formerly secretary of the Aliners’ Federation, and one of the most noteworthy figures in tke British Labour world, came even stronger testimony to the necessity and value of “saner methods in tho conduct of industrial relations” than those generally adopted hitherto. The strike and the lock-out are, in Air Hodges, opinion, completely discredited, and should he superseded henceforth by systematic efforts to secure closer and more amicable cooperation between employer and worker to promote their common interests. Ah Hodges ,ns well as Ah .T. H. Thomas, spoke with approval of the conferences between the management and the employees already inaugurated by some of tho railway companies, and proposed also in the chemical industry. Tt is clear from the opinions advanced at th e Afansion House meeting that the workers are concerned not only about wages and the standard of living, hut about their economic status, and that peace will he well served by any scheme that gives them some share in the management. and control.