"MISUNDERSTOOD"

Evening Post, Volume CX, Issue 117, 14 November 1930, Page 9

"MISUNDERSTOOD"

BEITAIN'S UNEMPLOYMENT

OCCASIONAL WORK

It is being recognised in England that unemployment is not a phenomenon that can be traced'to-a specific cause, such as the World War, but is a problem integral with modern industrial and commercial conditions and calling for definite consideration with each new development of industrial activity, says the Boston "Christian Science Monitor." When the Poor Law Commission of 1905-09 was conducting investigations, unemployment was one of the essential subjects into which it had to inquire. An important part of the remedy proposed for relieving distress at that time was that proper steps should' bo taken to stop tho pressure of destitution by a rational organisation of the labour market. The basic idea was that industry should take care of its own occasional unemployed by an insurance scheme, but that rational control of labour reserves should prevent the accumulation of worklessness in such volume as to become a menace to the community. EASY TO VOTE. ''What has happened," according to the "Financial Times," "is that insurance has been developed to au unhealthy and inordinate extent while practically nothing has been doen to put tho labour market^ m order" except for minor instances. The paper maintains that it has been relatively easier to go on voting money to meet unemployment payments than to face the inevitable alterations in economic habits and methods. The August review of economic conditions issued by Barclays Bank, Ltd., contends that the unemployment problem in Britain is much misunderstood, particularly abroad. An analysis of the figures supplied by the Ministry of Labour reveals that the idea is erroneous that an enormous number of persons in this country have been continuously out of employment for long periods. The review quotes the Minister of Labour to tho effect that only about 8 per cent, of unemployed males and 2 per cent, of unemployed females have been continuously out of work for 12 months or more; the overwhelming majority has been employed for a. comparatively short period, not exceeding 3 months, A report on unemployment and its causes, with proposed measures of relief, bus been submitted to the Government by the executive council of the Association of British Chambers of Commerce. The report was prepared by the council after the executive had sought the views of more than 100 chambers throughout the country. "AN OPEN MIND." The council concludes from the replies received from the chambers that the main reasons for Britain's loss of trade are traceable to the "unprotected state of. the home market" and "the high cost of production, which makes it impossible to meet world competitive prices." The council believes that the most effective course to adopt in order to lessen unem- J ployment is to extend the system of safeguarding (the protection of industries by tariffs), and to adjust the wages paid in "sheltered" (already protected) occupations. Very decided changes of political views will require to be adopted by the present! Government if practical consideration is to be given to the council's recommenda-1 tions. Although many organisations and political groups are flirting with Protection ideas, the fact remains that Labour and Liberalism are, in the main, staunch to the old British tradition of Free Trade. Recently, Mr. E. D. Simon, prominent Munehester Liberal, expressed the view that he held an "open mind" on the question of Protection—an opinion that caused, considerable excitement at the Liberal Summer School at Oxford.