INDUSTRIAL PEACE

Evening Post, Volume XCIX, Issue 126, 28 May 1920, Page 7

INDUSTRIAL PEACE

THE WAY TO IT

(Contributed by the New Zealand . Welfare League.)

The Industrial Council formed by the 'British Government in 1911, on the advocacy of Sir Charles i'.'acara, was a remarkable success.. It was composed of representatives of both Capital and Labour from every great industry, with Sir George Askwith, a most unbiased chairman. The success of this council was so marked that it excited the jealousy of the professional politician, wito | felt 'that it left him with nothing but a back seat, since it placed the control of industry in the hands of the practical men associated with it. The politicians pulled strings-to prevent' the council's employment, and it fell into disuse. Though the council wiis made inoperative the ideas upon which it is.formed are more widespread and more vital to-day than ever they were before. WHAT HAS BEEN DONE. ■ During the war the Cotton Control Board, framed upon the principles of the Industrial Council, proved most satisfactory in the guidance of the cotton trade. On-theee ideas President Wilson based his' suggestion which led to the settlement of the great American coal strike^ In France, Belgium, Italy, and Switzerland legislation has been passed embodying those ideas. . The same ideas are plainly evident in the proposals for Courts of. Industry in the United . States. The ideas are behind the' movement in South Africa*, on which the Union Government secured a National Industrial Conference in November, 1919—with, marked success. It is on tile same ideas that the National, Industrial Conference lias been called in Australia by the Prime Minister, the Hou. W. 51. Hughes.. What is the explanation of this widespread diffusion of the Industrial Council'idea? Simply that the idea is based upon logic, insight, and a , thorough knowledge of the requirements of industry. ! WHAT ARE THE IDEAS? First and foremost, industry should manage its own affaivs. Apart from the chairman only practical men associated, with, industry should sit upon the Council of Industry, It is eqully important that each industry should be treated as a. whole. When disputes arise there must be ready means of. discussing and I settling them by experts of Capital and' 1 | Labour in. the industry itself. If no settlement is arrived at there must be rdady v means of reference to a more central council, composed of representatives of 1 both employers and workers, Who have larger praciicnl experience of the working of industries. It should r be held ever in mind that in the matter of industrial disputes the final CovAt^, and the only one having fully effective means of compulsion, is public opinion. The great, desideratum is tp get an impartial verdict from mi experienced authoritative and representative body, and theii the parties will hesitiite to take any- step to 1! set ■ that verdict aside. Whoever did so would put themselves in the wrong with the supreme-arbiter— public opinion, which all will consider. This, of course, assumes that all vefdicta would-be giveil, the widest publicity, but that is a self-evident necessity which need not be stressed..

»In view of • what' has been done elsewhere the question stands-Mvhat will New Zealand do? .