CURRENT TOPICS.

Taihape Daily Times, Volume XII, Issue 3598, 9 October 1920, Page 4

CURRENT TOPICS.

(By Argus.)A The present state of the textile industry in America docs not give any indication of a reduction in the prices paid by the users in the manufactured articles. A cable message published on Wednesday stated that the textile workers of America were establishing, a million dollar fund for the purpose of combating any effort to reduce wages paid iu the industry. During the war, the slogan in America was “Production, and still more produc-. tion. ” After the war, the workers honestly believed that by increasing production they would solve the problem of the cost of living, and they were urged, through their unions, to produce to the limit of itheir capacity. They did so, an 3 the result was that when the textile workers had -filled the demands of the market by increasing production, the profiteering manufacturers in the industry showed very clearly li'hat, on account of a probable reduction in prices, their co-operation In the matter of increased production was only sincere while they derived: the benefit of the high prices. The next move of the manufacturers was to decide to close 75 per cent of the big factories in order to create a shortage which would still keep the prices up. The uproar among the workers' in consequence of this decision led Mr. Samuel Gotnpers,. the American Labour leader to threaten a general strike, which he hinted might develop into a revolution on -account of the general discontent caused By prevailing prices. Following upon this, a long statement was recently issued in New York on the dismal outlook for the textile industry. A large number of manufae- j turers closed down, and retailers made up. their minds that prices were too high’and that the demand would be affected thereby. This apparently suited the manufacturers, who are now refusing to make up stock ahead, as: they have announced that they will' manufacture goods only upon . receipt of orders from the retailers. Seeing that the workers in the industry have now organised to combat a reduction of wages, it would appear tha tthe workers have become weary of waiting for prices to fall after < their efforts to in- < crease production, and thalt the idea of the manufacturers is that wages should come down while prices remainat the profiteering level. The limit of production had been attained by the workers and mamffacturcrs working towards one end and increasing production; but the partnership was dissolved when, increased production was likely to cause reduced prices, and the manufacturers . are now adopting methods to create a shortage. A cable ’ Snessage published yesterday stated that dividends of from 30 to 60 per C9ht. were being paid in the textile is- 1 dustry in Germany, which indicates' that reconstruction has been rapid* - since, the war. Apparently Germanmanufacturers intend to take advantage of the prices created by the profiteers of other countries' for a while,, and are likely to gain as much industrially, in spite of losing the war, as rhe manufacturers in the Allied countries. If German manufacturers can ! undersell in the world’s markets and , make profits of from 30 to fid, per cent,, ' what enormous profits must the American manufacturers have been making?; The Minister of Lands, in a statemeat regarding the limitations im-

; posed on advances under Section 2 of i the D.S.S. Act for the purpose of en- ' abling soldiers to purchase private | houses and land, has indicated that | appj ications for the purchase of j dwellings would be considered except j in such cirsumstances* as a soldier or > his family being homeless, the policy | °f the Government being to encourage the erection of new dwellings. The principle outlined by the Minister is entirely sound, and meets with the approval of the soTfMers themselves; but the trouble is that the Department controlled by the Minister does no- assist in the direction of giving effect to its own principle in this respect being given effect to. Previously, a soldier could obtain £IOOO for the purchase of a but was limited to £750 to enable him to build a house for himself. In addition a "can of £250 (maximum) could be'secured for the purchase of a section Even if timber could be procured suitable houses could not be erected for £750 each* and the soldier is up against the shortage of labour, scarcity of timber and the high cost of building. If The Government would ensure an adequate supply of timber at a reasonable cost, the policy of encouraging the soldiers to build houses would f be practicable, and would result in jijepsSt to the soldier and to the generally, as it would rclieyftf the housing difficulty. But wb<m the Prime Minister puts up a bluff and states that ort’y West Const and North Auckland timber is being exported from Now Zealand, when he knows very well that tbe greater parti of the -~h«r mil'cd on the Main Trunk goes to Wanganui and otherports for shipment, can the soldiers

or anyone else assume that Government Departments are even willing or anxious to do anything to relieve situation? Unless an adequate *uprfy of timber is made available, the present attitude or the Minister of Lands towards the housing of soldiers amount's practically to cutting out the advances altogether. In effect the offer is the .'loan of an inadequate sum with the full knowledge 'that timber is practically unprocurable.