BRIGHTEST SPOT IN BRITISH LABOUR.

Taihape Daily Times, 26 July 1919, Page 5

BRIGHTEST SPOT IN BRITISH LABOUR.

TRIBUTE TO THE LEADERS. ' i BY YAN AMERICAN FINANCIER, j Mr "frank Vanderlip, one 'of the ! great financial powers in the United J States, was recently in England. In j the course of an interview with a re- j presentative of fthlp Exchange Tele- j graph Company, Mr Vanderlip said: — ! There are still many bright spots in Europe. The brightest one I have seen is the improved relations between capital and labour in England. I have come to believe that this relationship between capital and labour is the most fundamentally important thing in the whole world situation, and I have been trying to make some special study of the subject. The British Government has been extremely courteous iu arranging "a great number of interviews (for m:c with 'Cabinet /Ministers, iabour leaders and great employers, and I have given practically all my time since returning to London from the Continent to these'lnterviews. I certainly take off my hat in great respect to some of the Labour leaders, as well as to some of the great 'employers for I find on both sides men of great understanding and ability, with deep patriotism, and a disposition to .accommodate their views so as to bring about unity and prosperity to England. Some of the leaders of union labour are

really extraordinary- men. I have seen at least one who shows such all-round grasp .and .ability as to leave one with the impression that he was made of such material as Prime Ministers may be made of. These labour men have studied economics, and in that knowledge lies their greatest strength. The improvement that, has taken place in the Labour situation since last February (continued Mr Vanderlip) amounts to an almost complete faceabout. There is a disposition on the part of employers to recognise the labour point of view, and to meet new responsibilities. There has undoubtedly been an advance in the direction of accepting 'the idea of a minimum: wage.*. "Thenaspirations- of•■.labour, for a largecontrol ■in -management, so , . far: -as-, .management affects labour's immediate surroundings,' is recognised by \ many great employers .as just, and inevitable, and seems likely to bo. gratified. I have everywhere encountered a spirit of liberalism toward labour which has surprised me. On tho other hand, the moderation in the position taken by, most of the labour ]e'ad'ers..' J shawß that their long training in union leadership and the responsibilities that they have borne toward labour and the. public have trained many of them into able statesmen. From what I have learned, I judge there is a' 10 or 15 per cent minority in the labour'ranks Badical to the point of (latent Bolshevist. That minority wants 'no compromise with the capitalistic system, and- is frankly out'to change the social otdex. The stern questioning that,*is now going on in. the Coal Inquiry, where noble holders of coal royalties find theselvcs being "grilled" by inquiries that go to the very tap-root of property rights, is <a startling indication of how the whole subject of property rights is coming on the table for discussion. The business world here sees that and seems to have made up its mind that the way to prevent wholesale experiments in nationalisation is to meet in the most liberal way the reasonable aspirations of labour for better hours, and a larger voice in labour's working conditions. If the majority were not giving sign? here of a thorough awakening I would not take so cheerful a view as I do

! of the social outlook in England. But England is showing her great fundaI mental common sense. One employer told me that ho had 7000 employees, directed by the brains of 100 men. He was coming to believe that by giving his men a larger voice in management he could get the service of 7000 brains directed towards improving the output, and he was prepared to try some radical experiments in this direction.