LABOR UNREST

Taranaki Daily News, 24 February 1919, Page 5

LABOR UNREST

PREMIER CONFERS WITH MINERS ROYAL COMMISSION PROMISED. . FEDERATION DEMANDS.' i _____ Received Feb. 22, 5.5 p.m. London, Feb. 20. Mr. Lloyd George, at to-day's conference with the executive of the Miners' Federation, stated that the Government was prepared to appoint immediately a Royal Commission, with full powers of investigation, to report on hours and wages not later than March 31, and on the question of nationalisation at some later date.

Mr. Smillie stated that the federation might be willing to defer its decision on nationalisation, but must press for an immediate reply to their demands for an increase of 30 per cent, wages and a reduction of hours.—Reuter, DEBATE IN THE LORDS. PESSIMISM AND OPTIMISM. (Received February 23, 6.5 p.m.) London, Feb. 20. Tho industrial unrest debase was resumed m the House of Lords. Lord i.mmott said it would be a hard struggle in this and the succeeding years lor Britain to keep her place in industrial competition, and, if she failed, her commercial and iinancial supremacy would be gone for ever. Immense damage had been done to the export trade by the blockade. For instance, we forced countries adjacent to Germany to manufacture goods which we formerly supplied. Only by increasing exports could higher wages be paid. He was convinced that the total excess profit paid to wealthier classes had not exceeded one hundred millions, while the same classes paid out over one hundred and fifty millions. On the other hand wages had doubled, and the workers were receiving between seven hundred and fifty thousand and one million more than before the warl.oid Lcverhulme said that unrest was the healthiest sign in the country. At the present time there was no unrest of the Bolshevik type among the returned soldiers. It wa's a deplorable fact tliat salaries had not advanced during the war. except where strikes occurred, Ho could not see how they could conscientiously deprive the men of the right to strike. We had no reason to be afraid of labor. Nowhere had strikes been more effectively handled than in Australia, under the Labor Government. He reminded the workers that if they had received tho whole of the profits during the war, their wages would only have advanced by ten shillings instead of a pound weekly. The workers were acting against their own interests by limiting the. output of the country, which must produce so cheaply that articles could be sold throughout the world. Wages were higher in the United States because the workers did not 'discourage output.—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn.

A SERIOUS OUTLOOK. GENERAL PTRTKE TO BE SIDEREDSTATEMENTS BY MR BEE'BY. (Received February 23, 6.3 p.m.) London, Feb. 18. The Government is fully alive to the seriousness of the labor outlook. Ministers invited the Miners' Executive to a conference to-day. It is expected Mr George will attend. The miners officials, however, express the view that unless Government advances proposals important enough to warrant another National Miners' Conference a strike cannot be avoided, if the ballot gives the necessary twothirds majority. Conservatives ar.d Laborites admit the outlook is grave, particularly in view of the transporters' refusal of arbitration, and the postponement of •negotiations till March 4, when the result of the National Industrial Council will be known. It is anticipated that the miners negotiations will luve a great influence on neyt Tuesday's meeting of representatives of the miners', railwayman's and transporters' organisations, when a joint strike is to be discussed. Tt is I<iiovni there are differences of opinion between the leaders of the three organisations on (lie question of a general strike, and it is doubtful whether Messrs Smillio nn<) Williams will he able to persuade the rnilwarmen to participate. ,

\lr Wnde gave a. luncheon to Mr Bee by. Mesm Amery, P., Fiddes. Morash, Coghlan. "Frederick Young, Bishop Long. Sir Newton Moore and the Agpnts Rpnpral wore present. Mr Tipebv protested against Hie nernicious teachings of the syndicalists, but iuati(W labor's aspirations for a standard working day and living wage, also the regulation of juvenile and women's lnbov. The present mirest was. lie said, international, every nation being imnellpd to adopt, a new industrial charter. Tie believed the Whitelv scheme would avi'rt commuistie socialism. —Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn. THE WHITELEY SYSTEM. A FAVORABLE CONFERENCE

(Eee. February 23, 5 5 p in.) London, Feb. '2i\. A conference between tlie Government officials and representatives of a number of trade unions was held to discuss the application of the Whitely system to Government establishments. The Minister for Labor declared the Government was ready to apply a aysfern giving workmen a share of the management in all Government workshops anrl yards. The object of the scheme is to secure that grievances will be handled immediately they arise, thus preventing strikes and securing harmony in industry. A committee representing the en--1 sincere, shipbuilding, building and other trades was appointed to draft a constitution for the proposed Whitely ..qpuqetfj^—

LABOR'S TRIPLE ALLIANCE.

i A WISE DECISION SCOTTISH MINERS URGE STRIKING, Received Feb. 22, 5.5 p.m. London, Feb. 20. Mr. Smillie presided at a meeting of Labor's triple alliance, which discussed the miners', railwaymen's, and transporters' national programmes. It decided, in view of the Government convening a national council, that nothing be (lone precipitately which would bring trades unionism into disrepute. The Scottish miners' executive endorsed the Soutliport conference's decisions, and urged members to vote for a strike.—Aus. N.Z. Cable Assoc.