Unoccupied Youth

Dominion, Volume 25, Issue 275, 16 August 1932, Page 11

Unoccupied Youth

Sir, —It is pleasing to see a start being made over the present-day state of affairs concerning unemployed youths. To-morrow is the youth of to-day. If the committee are really sincere, they must show a good deal more activity than they have so far in going about this most urgent subject. Reports suggest that they are afraid of the issue. First and foremost let this good committee get off the plank -they wish to raise, then'sweep it quite clear of all present-day overregulated labour ideas; and behold the plank will rise itself. What is holding youth down most to-day is the mossgrown ideas of their elders. Our youth are here to push in and take possession of the situation; they see no reason for idleness because ‘ the world is a little short of currency—less money must buy more. Official labour, if they had their way, would bar all youth from learning any trade -until every trades hall -member was buried. It has been ordained that every youth, male or female, and the cities’ unemployed, shall become farmers, and it is expected too they shall be welcomed with an open heart to become competitors in an industry suffering the greatest slump of any industry the world over. It has been typical of the farmer in the past to welcome all-comers, and will, I hope, always remain so; but not so with the city man—he has things better regulated, for it is laid down that there shall be only one apprentice to five journeymen, and innumerable other restrictions. Then the city workers have their pet fixed prices, and rather than touch these, down tools and businesses, and then switch over to undercut the farm labourer, and flood the world with more of the very material they have refused to manufacture. The farmer is not supposed to do any dirty work like downing tools; he is supposed to go on producing at any old price, selling on the world’s markets under the hammer, and. then buy with his pound ten shillings’ worth of goods in his local market. These are just a few of the little vagaries I could’mention. —I am, etc., W. SISSON. Hastings, August 11.