“INDUSTRIAL INSTITUTIONS.”

Shannon News, 3 May 1927, Page 4

“INDUSTRIAL INSTITUTIONS.”

FOURTH W.EvA!. liECTUUB: The-, fourth' lecture" of the 1927 session was hsld in the Band Koom, Bath ,St., on .Tuesday, the. 26th inst., at 7.2 D Mr W. G. Bishop:presided. The lecturer, Rev.. J. D., McArthur, said institutions are capable of :i rough subdivision into those concerned with man's niaterialwell-rbeing; and thos.e concerned with spiritual development. These latter must be recognised because industry must contribute in some degree, to'the canity, and completeness of the whole ofi life .At first sight,'it seens strange to speak of industry at all as an. institution. An institution is created by, and is creative of character and will. An occupation in which a man spends most of his'waking hours, and the returns lie receives for his work, are more powerful determinants of the quality of his life than almost any other influence. \Vliat is questionable is not the fact, but the direction of its influence on character. * sential foundation of society. Every higher achievement of society depends on industry. .The artist, or the man of" letters is' made possible by industry. Those who have leisure from the necessity of having to work for their living by engaging in manual work, are able to engage in these higher arts because others provide for them the necessaries of life. There are many occupations which are not "manual"— scholar, musician, poet, teacher, minister,'and these niust of necessity ■be ■ so If'.' those who are engaged in them are to' do their best 'work. This does not mean that those who are in "cushy" jobs are not workers, it simply means that society has released them from the necessity of engaging directly in production. Quite a while ago man hit upon the principle of the "Division of Labour"—the idea that if one man did the job often he became more expert and therefore more productive. So to ; each'was assigned a particular task —to some to build, some to till the soil, some to herd the cattle. This specialisation means that each produces more than he ean himself consume, and the surplus of production over consumption is called "eapital." With the increase of this surplus society is able to release a certain number from the taek of production and these then devote themselves to the higher tasks —to sing, teach, preach, etc.. A fignificent point —sometimes overlooked in this study—is that by his industry a man acquires a standing in the world. He makes something, or renders a service whieh is of benefit to others, and he has a right to expect from others a share of the things they make.' Participation in industry is therefore a man's title to self-respect and the respect of others. Hence the phrase "The right to work." This becomes really a moral demand. CO-OPEEATION.

The outstanding industrial institution is co-operation. The various forms of work in any community must dovetail into each other, particularly work of the economic type. Toward the maintenance of life and health a multitude of differing tasks must contribute. Not only does the manual wonter add his quota but organising directing skill is needed,'and, this kind of work is as essential as the. other. The idea of productive co-operation has fascinated the minds of many during the past 80 years or so—the idea of a self-gov-erning workshop where capital and

labour are supplied by the V,arne people. The home of the idea is France and the first practical demonstration was in 1831. They generally sprung up just after a strike —when men feel that they will never again work for a <fboss." The history of the movement shows that it has not been a success and the three chief reasons are—--1(1) Problems of Discipline.—The workman may defy the foreman in the workshop and the latter has'no redress. (2) Too little attention paid to the marketing side of * the concern. Thu producer is not always a business man. .(3) Co-operative firms cannot—or do not—trust a manager whose decision in a deal may have to be instant. Before a committee meeting can be held the opportunity has gone. In agricultural co-operation history shows a better result, yet this department suffers from some of the above weaknesses. The fact that in one province butter and cheese concerns show widely varying prices for practically the. same article demonstrates the lack of marketing skill. LAND AND CAPITAL.

Labour is not creative—not even the labour of poets and artists. Labour of the more purely industrial kind -often consists in nothing more than moving material from one place to another. Besides labour there are two factors involved in the production of economic goods—Land and Capital. The original meaning of capital is the "capita," or head .of men and horses.used on, a farm. The present day use of The term is often terribly misleading.' WEALTH AND POVERTY.

The degree in which individuals or nations have valuable objects under their control constitutes their wealth or poverty. Money is not wealth —it is valued as the symbol of such control. The power of exercising such control —apart from the natural _ capacities of mind or body—is the chief circumstance that gives one human being superiority over another,; To what txtent should individuals have such troll ■ • ' 'competition.

Economic goods can in most cases be owned by only one person at any cue time. This possession means that when the supply is limited, some are (icprived. Here enters the element of strife —nearly always about possession. However bitter the strife, competition never operates unchecked. ;This- rei'triction may come from Legislative interference, penalties for adulteration, ihe issuing of licenses, as in-the case of alcoholic liqucr; ethical factors, such as business morality, nublie opinio 1, religious scruples; and the steadying effect of "inertia," which" means that the purchasers become used to a certain price and resent any alteration. There seems to be only one real rivh' to competition, and that is monopoly. The spirit of democracy is opposed to this. All Democracy's claims for greater opportunity,, moi;e open doors, more power to challenge any position in State or industry by any member of anv, class, are claims for the extension of* the field of personal competition. • THE COST OP EEFOEM. v

Someone has to pay for what the State or municipality provides to some free. The gaining of better conditions —such as reduction in hours of labour —is accompanied either by a lowering of the standard in some other direction, or else by a compensating increase in production. If manual workers do as I much in a 40-hour week as before they did in 48 hours, thtn the matter is easy, but if they do not—someone else has to pay for the shortened working week. <■ v 1 '

Indirectly the worker' himself ""has 1 " t"9 pav his share. "». "CA CANNY." Idleness is never creative. The ma.i who idles on the job never makes work for others, rather he creates burdens for' them. Whenever two men are" 'being'' paid to do what one can do, then tfhe ! consumer is paj r ing double—as far as" wages are concerned —what' "he ! dtight to pay. , The usual animated discussion' marii-' ed the close of the lecture.