NOT TIME FOR LESS WORK IN BRITAIN

Rotorua Morning Post, Issue 5308, 22 January 1947, Page 5

NOT TIME FOR LESS WORK IN BRITAIN

(Press Assn .

labour's dilemma whai support willcabinet receive?

—Rec. 9.30 p.m.)

LONDON, Jan. 21. Britain 's Labour Government in danger of being "hoist ' ffith its own petard"? This question is being asked on the eve of Parliament reassemblin? after the Christmas recess. While in Opposition, the Labour Party policy was parlly based on the demand for higher wages and shorter lionrs. Now that it is in power, the party is faced with Ihe fact that the benefits it promised the eiectors cannot he bestowed without higher production. For months uow Government leaders havo heeu nrging people to work ■harder. D ' : he echo has been tlie overton* »( iioiermination on the part 0f the workfos to secure those higher .va,re^ and ;■ i i jrter hours which had ■heen i for so many years. Tht- m'citt talling out of troops w iriven ri.-e to a suggestion that the poi: t hn- int'iv been reaehed where ! workers may he universally prepared to stiite un "ifieially against the adyieo of tin ir unions to secure their demawb- • it is »:«•! that unionfc are against ! lower hotu - and higher wages, for Ithe polifv "f the Trades Union Con(rnss is •'» >" are a 40-hour week despite (iovfiti i.ent disapproval. The worker- . "unofficially" because tliev aro •hed of cumbrous union maeiiiiu'ry. They are determined to jjet re.salts. "Keep the Wheels Tiuning" IVhat ik-tr.ei Is the Government goinsr to take in ture uf this mood and tlie nation *s needs? An answer may he provi ied when Parliament debates iiiiltisirial relations and Britain's eeon -iiu • needs. But the feeling at present i- that it will he oue thing for the 'h vermncnt to outline its policy aroi another to secure the workers' -npport. In line with Government urgings for higher production, the Minister of Health. Mr. Aneurin Bevan, recently cleelared: "Avoid strikes. 1'se the maehineVy of arbitration. For Heaven's sake keep the wheels of industry tr.rning or else this Government's plans will fail." And he tent on to say: "This is not the tiaie to he pushing claims for shorter ho.irs: Not the time for throwinst snanners into the economic ffleelnntism. It is time to i)Ut goods \t> the shi'ps. equivalent to the money inoar pookets." And aioiost siavultaneoulsy, thje Minister 4 I-ael. Mr. Emmanuel Shinwell. was lieclaring: "Without inereast'd production and greater effoi't.m ihe p:irt of everyhody we shall fail." Addinj; truu *he Government could not direci ■.eiuiii in neacetime or impo>e discniiine. he sa'nl: "We must, tlim'fnie. ii'iv on the commonsense and "'DiMio.ii ihe workers." New ( oiu'eption of Rewards IIow mueii eifeei will sucli exhortations liavi- .i *t: ihe people? 11 is ailmitted lii.a u; ihe past year they have had \e> litlle, and it is now heine ur e : ; iutt the Government must ex-.hi ihe people in simple terms vviiy ihe-,- i.nsi work harder and why, if waL'i ase raised in "uuattractiv'cv iiidusi ies iliis must not justify a similai ri • « \ery where. It is being >aiil that the coneeption of v. ay.e- as payment for the hire of lahoitr must be changed, that ii mii-t }>e linked more . directh with proceeds, that more leisure at a time when higher production is needed just won't do. U is impe-.i tua the White Paper on manpiiwe and tiie need for stahilising waae will yo some distance towards providii g a reinedy. But that will oidv i ecar if its recommendations are ae.-epted. and there is not 100 per cei.t. •is.i ind in that the unions tvhieh htiVf aniu .ived the White Paper trill got this in.iiey adopted by the t'ank and tiie. Reduction of Taxes Sought Other suuaesi ions are tliat a substantiai reduction in taxation is needed as an uvenrive to itroduction, aitd this pniiey is advocaLed by the Federatioi; ,,f iiritish Industries. b is oiit* of i'oiu" rerommemlations 'ti a stati'nieiit oi policy sent to the Chancellor of ihe Excheqiuer, Dv. H«tth Dalton. It is common knowledge," says the ' ederat ion, "that many wage-earners do not give tiie extru etfort or put in Ihe extra time of which they are capahle because of the tax imposed on jheir extra earnings. At a higher jevel of salaries. there is an unwil'igness to assume added responsibiliItaving regard to the small net naditional reward." ^any believe tl.at Dr. Dalton will t'educe taxation. Ihese questions of production, Jages and taxation will be of preoniinating importance in Parliament uring the conung months. They are a causing concern at Westminster, aM are regarued as the most import"t doniestic subjeets with which the ^vernment has to deal.