The Guardian And Evening Star, with which is incorporated the West Coast Times. TUESDAY, DECEMBER 30, 1929. PEACEFUL INDUSTRY.

Hokitika Guardian, 30 December 1929, Page 4

The Guardian And Evening Star, with which is incorporated the West Coast Times. TUESDAY, DECEMBER 30, 1929. PEACEFUL INDUSTRY.

few days ago the cables recorded news of a meeting of representatives of the British Trade Union Congress, the National Confederation of Employers and the Federation of British Industries adopted a scheme for “consultation and co-operation’ between the bodies concerned, In many ways considers an exchange, this decision represents an extremely important for ward step on the. road to industrial peace. Even the phrase “formal and friendly relations” carries a specia significance; for many of the employers have hitherto refused to recognise the right of the Trade Union Congress to speak for the workers as a whole. On the other hand, there has been no corporate organisation to represent the employers as a collective .body, and tne fact that this new programme has been approved unanimously by the conference augurs well for its prospects of success. Though no special reference lias been made in this connection to the Melchett-Turne.r conferences, we may fairly regard this definite proposal for the solution of the great problem of industrial peace as the direct outcome of the discussions initiated by Lord M.elehett while lie was still Sir Alfred Aloud. It may be reniembereo that last year, on the employers’ side, the engineers did their best to obstruct Lord Arelcbett’s policy, and even circulated a strong protest against it. This difficulty has apparently been got. over now, and as the adoption of the report at the recent conference wiid moved by Air A. J. Cook himself, we may fairly assume that the workers in general and the recalcitrant Miners' Federation in particular are better disposed toward “consultation and cooperation” than ever before. We may thus conclude that Lord Alelcbett’s labours in the cause of industrial peace have now produced tangible results, and that the leaders of British Trade Unionism are. convinced that prosperity for the workers is not to be attained by the methods of industrial strife. The positive effects of the new policy may not manifest themselves for some time to come; but the principle# on which it is based are undoubtedly rational and sound. Until wage-earners and employers appreciate the fact that, to make a success of the enterprises in which they are engaged, they must recognise the community of interest ny which they are united and work together for the common good, progress and prosperity must continue t<> be empty names and the prospects of our industrial and social life must re- 1 main depressing and gloomy. But so soon as the employers admit the necessity for conceding a share in the direction and control of industry to the workers, and organised Labour abandons now and for ever the delusions based upon the pernicious doctrine of the Class War, the world may for the first time contemplate as a practicable possibility the realisation of the great ideals of industrial peace.

'J II e coal crisis in the northern coallields of New South Wales is still with us. The hopes that the spirit of Christmas might spread a benign influence over those concerned, have not been realised, and the trouble seems to be no nearer a settlement now than it was when it started. In fact the whole industry seems to have got itself into a deeper maze than ever, and the way out is more obscured than it was. It was bad enough says a Sydney correspondent, to have the Miners’ federation and the coal owners at logger-heads, but it is infinitely worse to have bickerings among the unions, and the Labour Party itself divided. During the past week or so there have been all sorts of rumours as to the desire of the Federal Labour Government to bring about a general strike in the industry so that it woud lie able to step in and take charge. The main trouble in this connection was associated with a promise made by the Treasurer (Mr 'Theodore) that Labour, if returned to power at the last elections, wouid open the mines on a pre-dispute basis within a ! fortnight. When Labour did get into power it found constitutional difficulties in the way of interfering with a a dispute that was confined to. one State., but any suggestion that it proposed a method of extending the dispute can be dismissed from the mind. No party, not even the Labour Party, would make such a grievous blunder in tactics. When the Federation Ext ... eciu.ve agreed to a compromise with the owners it was hailed as the greatest Christmas box that the State could have had. But the people, greatly relieved at the time, were soon disillusioned, for the ’ militants on the coal fields at once organised, with the result that the settlement has gone overboard. The miners have rejected the terms at a number of open meetings, and it is a fact that miners from ail over the fields have been permitted to attend each meeting, with the result’ that' the ■ militants have invariably turned up in force, and they have been able to sway the others to some purpose, insofar that the terms have been rejected on each occasion by a substantial majority. There are still many who feel that there would be a different tale to tell if the terms were put to a secret ballot, but that does not seem possible. One lodge did propose a ballot,,but the militants took such an active part in the meeting that the move was easily defeated.