CAPITAL AND LABOR

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIII, Issue 169, 26 October 1910, Page 5

CAPITAL AND LABOR

LEGISLATING FOR THE WORKERS. SOME SERIOUS CHARGES. By Cable—Press Association—Copyright. Sydney, October 25. The Sydney Chamber of Manufacturers has decided to convene a conference to consider the trend of industrial legislation and other matters all'ecting the industries of the State. Some strong speeches were made against some of the laws now being placed on the Statute Book. The mover of the resolution claimed that manufacturers were surrounded with a net-work of laws enacted to benefit the emplo.yees without due consideration of their fairness or possible results.

Mr. Wunderlieh, president of the Chamber, claimed that no one. could shut his eyes to the gravity of the situation. The ultimate object of all this legislation was that the men should rule the masters. Already they dictated hours and w r ages and the class of labor to be employed, and the next step would be the governing of profits. Once that point was readied the final step would be in the direction of laying hands on profits on the plea that individual welfare should yield to national interests. In the near future they would have to face the danger of an attempt at the wholesale nationalisation of all sources of industrial wealth. Who. he asked, having capital and life interests in an industry were going calmly and weakly to submit to such revolutionary methods?

One speaker warned the Chamber that the proposed conference would be a great mistake. It would he like holding a red rag to a bull. It was better to leave well alone.