MEN AND MATTERS

Matamata Record, Volume II, Issue 65, 17 January 1918, Page 4

MEN AND MATTERS

3. Y Fen N i B

By a certain section of labor state socialism has long been held up as the ideal. With the war has come an extensive application of state socialism. The plant is controlled by the state now, and operated not primarily for the profit of the private owners, but for state service. The state does not go tho whole length but it has got a considerable distance.

From all accounts there is a deep undercurrent of dissatisfaction among the industrial wageearners in England. Glimpses are obtained of the same thing ill France, Italy and Germany. A conservative organ like the London “ Times ” talks about “ the ferment of revolution.”

Workers appear to find this state control something much more formidable and intractable than the old private control was. Being the state it changes laws at will, and a vast body of public opinion is unquestionably at its command. Formerly the worker depended on his trade union; but that reliance is beginning to break. The' overwhelming state demands an extensive dilution of skilled labor—meaning that great numbers of unskilled workers shall be admitted to the shop and taught the trade, though they have little or no attachment to the union and are but slightly amenable to its discipline.

The right to strike is rather effectually suspended, for striking against the state comes close to treason. Even the worker’s ancient right to better his condition by leaving one employer and going to another is restricted. In some cases he is the state’s industrial conscript and must have the state’s permission before he can leave.

Wages have advanced greatly. War workers are making big money. So has the cost of living advanced. The worker appears to have less effectual voice in the industry than ever. The new boss is more powerful than the old. He is not only the law but he pretty largely public opinion. There is no one to whom the worker can take an appeal from him. He is more remote from the worker than the old boss was, a far more formidable, invulnerable thing which lives nowhere and everywhere. When the worker does meet this mighty new boss face to face he finds that he is really his old boss, with more power. The state controls, but an abstraction cannot sign orders and write checks, it must have a personal representative. For its personal representative it chooses, in most cases, the man whose experience qnalifies him to manage the business. With half of her best male labor out of the country and merely consumers Britain is producing practically as much as ever. People are thinking and saying: What if we produce at this rate with all the soldiers working too, and all turning out useful goods ? Would there be any excuse for any lack of useful goods ? They see that this increased production was brought about by a searching reorganisation, which largely cast aside the old scheme of competitive individualism, co-ordinating industry to broad common ends. How much of this reorganistion will be retained when peace comes? The war has produced a unity undreamt of in peace. How far will the lesson be accepted and applied after ? War labor is dissatisfied. Practical experience of state socialism is making it restless.