The Dominion. MONDAY, JANUARY 18, 1909. THE BOOT TRADE DISPUTE.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 408, 18 January 1909, Page 4

The Dominion. MONDAY, JANUARY 18, 1909. THE BOOT TRADE DISPUTE.

'We should imagine that the Freetraders 'and Tariff Reformers of, Great Britain would be deeply interested in the dispute now current : in the 'boot trade in this country, and not. a little puzzled by the curious attitude which the, operatives have taken up. The dispute is one of the usual kind: the operatives are demanding new concessions -, from* their employers, and the employers, who havo already been much regulated oy the Arbitration Act, are resisting' the :demand and declaring that they can afford to do no more .than they are doing. With the merits of the dispute wo have no present concern; what is of far more interest is the manner in which the operatives propose. to carry out the war on the masters. Their executive 'has lesolvodto "take the necessary step to secure the abolition of the duty on imported boots and shoes, as it considers the workers' of the Dominion should not be taxed to support an industry which cannot provide a decent condition of employment for the workers connected therewith," and the executive has further expressed the opinion "that the only solution of the boot and shoe trade difficulties' is for the Government to start State boot factories throughout the Dominion." In an interview, the secretary of the Boot Trado Union has amplified the views of the executive. "If the benefit from- the increased duty is to accrue only to the' manufacturer and the retailer," he said, "then, in our opinion, it would be far better to sweep the duty away, and allow < tho public to get cheaper boots and shoos, aad the bootmaker to get bettor wagos,

and conditions in another class of employment. We spent no end of money and time in advocating the increase .in the duty." Did we do so to put more profit in tho pockets of the manufacturers by them raising the price of the colonialmanufactured article on the consumer? We did it not only to put the trade on' a better footing, but to get improved conditions and increased' wages for tho workors.'-'.: Under State control, he added, "the public would get their boots at least 25 per, cent, cheaper, and would bo. able to pay the workers fair wages and give them decent'conditions,"

'.. Here wo have a fiscal theory of a kind that could be propounded only in a country teeming with the fallacies engendered by a course of State Socialism; and incidentally we have illustrated for us some of .the disadvantages of a highly Protective tariff. If, as is alleged, "the high duty on boots and shoes'is merely a gift to,theboot manufacturers from the general public, the duty should be swept .away, unless it can be shown that" it is advantageous to the country that the payer of Customs duties should keep the boot, industry alive for the employment that it, gives to a number of workers. On. that point the Boot Trade Union is quite sound. But that its soundness' on a/point which is not actually in issuo is accidental is clear; enough from the confusion of ideas in its treatment as quite distinct the object of "putting the trado on a better footing," and the object of "getting improved conditions and increased. wages for workers." The Union obviously cares nothing for the duty ex-' cepting as a means of securing high wages "to the workers. That is the only kind .of ;duty that it can see any reason for. Now,; what doe's such .a duty as. that, if it fulfils its' object, amount to I Surely to nothing more, than" the taxation, of,. the general public in order'to. give high wages to the: oporative bootmakers.. Butirl the - same sentence' in which it "considers the workers of the Dominion should' not be taxed to support an industry, which, cannot. -pro-' .vide a decent condition of. employment for.the workers," the - Union expresses the.' , opinion that' the. State should establish boot factories to sell boots for':next. to! nothing and to provide tho employees in! the factories with high wages. If the. boot industry, unaided, cannot provide high wages in private hands, it can certainly not do so under.State control. ,-In".'order'; that State factories shall pay high wages,.: the., consolidated f und '. must be ". drawn upon, or ' loans, must be raised, for - the ; purpose. The workers would, therefore, still, be taxed,to provido the wages-and l conditions required by' : the .boot operatives... ''■ - ".'.•' -\

The believers in high Trotectiori will do well.'.to -give some thought to the attitude of tho'boot operatives towards Customs duties. Whafrtheso workers are saying is doubtless : agreed' in [ by: the workers . in all,,industrial trades; and,'we-question whether..,the.,average . Protectionist; .can look with equanimity on. the perversion of.his fiscal'method into a-plan Jor securing high; wages. -If all.the duty,is: to .go into the '.workers' pockets, - of what u;e" is the duty, asasprotection.to the manufacturer ■?■.After a' certain point there, is. aclose relation between/Protection and State Socialism. 1 We,have'before .us a. body ; of .workers Who. evidently regard tne; tariff as a .'means, of getting ''benefits at tho'expense of;the general consumer, and. who. are if - tho 'benefits'- aro ■■.'''. riot' large and immediate,, to go a step further and call for the abolition;of the.duty and the establishment of State factories; How tho State can compete against the outside' world on equal terms is a .question of 'no 'moment to the ..boot operatives/. Of course, the>State; could not' stand-, outside competition for: a day if tho factories were run on libnest business principles. ■ What the boot: operatives expect,' of. course,', is that the .general taxpayer shall, make good; the' annual, deficit. In .otherwords, ; the -demand 'that they put forward is 'a - demand . .for '■ State relief works. : A -southern - newspaper of some .standing, says, in. a. passing: ,com'mentj.that it has "littleidoubtlthat sooner or/later we shall seo. State boot factories in._this.: country." ; If State, boot ';■;. factories; why not State factories of 'every kind 1 them State Socialism and high. Protection have a,good deal to answor for ■■; in .encouraging, the.. movement; towards the completo ■ socialisation.of industry.:. , ."'.':-)'"■■■'■'