IS INCREASED PRODUCTION DESIRABLE?

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLIV, Issue 2484, 23 September 1922, Page 3

IS INCREASED PRODUCTION DESIRABLE?

LABOUR LEADERS’ VIEWS

The above question is one which has been much discussed by Labour men iti New Zealand, and it . will therefore be of interest to know what are the views held by leading Labour men in the Old Country. We present ■ here the opinions expressed by a number of these Labour leaders whose names are a sufficient guarantee - 'of their standing Ernest Bevin (Dock workers’ representative) : “Deliberate reduction of output, or not rendering proper service, is ' a mistake. If Labour came into power and hoped to be successful, we should have to call for greater service from the community, not less.” C. W. Bowerman, M.P. (secretary Labour Parliamentary Committee) : —“The point on which we must concentrate is increased output and continued production.” J. T. Brownlie (Letter to Trades Union Congress) : —“The Trade Union movement is more powerful to-day than at any period of its history. With power comes responsibilities. . . . The econo-

mic situation of this "Country and of Europe is very grave, and it appears to me that responsible Trade Union representatives must do something to alleviate the situation.' The mere raising of nominal wages without an increased production in the necessaries of life is no solution of the difficulty.”

J. R. dynes, M.P.: —Speaking at Oxford in August, 1919, Mr Clynes said: “The workers can make, no more lamentable mistake than to . encourage under-production. . . . Workmen who deliberately resti'ict output, or who fail to accept any form of industrial development which could make their labour moi - e productive, arc* punishing their class without knowing it, and they are imitating the profiteer who thinks only of himself. Ca’canny is an ignorant act which deprives many people of their real needs. . . .. . It visits the greatest loss, upon the poor people with low wages.” Philip Snowden: —Dealing, with the question of over-production, which excites the fears of so many manual workers, Mr Snowden says: “Bad trade has been due -in the past to the excess of goods in the world-market over demand. The limitation -of demand lias risen from inadequate means at the command of the great mass of the people. What has been called ‘over-production’ was in reality under-consumption. At the present time the world is suffering, not from over-production, but from lessened production. “The economic reconstruction of the world after five years of devastation can only be achieved by increasing the volume of commodities. An increase of wages, if accompanied by a reduction of output, increases prices.” G. H. Stuart-Bunning (President Trades Union Congress) : “The world is five years behind, the wastage must be repaired, the lost time made up; and so there must be an increase of productivity. . . . . . Let it be clearly understood that increased output can only be obtained by the co-operation of employers and employed, and that we are willing to do our share.” J. H. Thomas, M.P.: —Speakingat Derby in condemnation of the “Work to "Rule Strike,” on May 2nd, 1920, Mr Thomas said that people sympathetic towards the aims of Labour and willing to support a sound Labour policy, asked themselves: “Is democracy majority rule?” The obvious answer of a method such as “work to rule” is that it is not. The Executive Committee has not sanctioned this “go slow” policy, and if its members do not reflect your views, get rid of them; if you do not trust them, choose others. But in any case, choose between anarchy and democracy. The first to suffer from sueh a policy are the workers themselves. It is the one certain method of increasing the qost of living. ... It is nothing short of a war on the community, and has . all the elements of gas-poisoning. The ‘working to rule’ or the ‘slow gear’ movement is not only unfair to the community, but also weakens the raiiwaymen’s organisation. . :■> . . The ‘work to rule’ movement not only, does not help the workers/but it does them an incalculable amount of harm.” Ben Tillet, M.P.In support of Mr J. T. Brownlie’s call for increased production, Mr Ben Tillet said if all classes helped, production could be increased 100 per cent. “If Labour must fight, let it at least have the sense to fight on a full stomach. By their present policy the' workers will starve before they can seriously start.” Herbert Hoover (quoted by J. T. 0 Brownlie): — “Unless production can be readily increased there can be nothing but political, moral and economic chaos, finally interpreting itself in loss of life oh a scale hitherto undreamt of. No economic policy will bring food to these stomachs or fuel to these hearths which does not secure the maximum production. There is no use in tears over rising prices. They are to a great degree a visualisation of decreasing production.” (Contributed by the N.Z. Welfare League.)