INDUSTRIAL PROBLEMS

Evening Star, Issue 17087, 4 July 1919, Page 6

INDUSTRIAL PROBLEMS

GOAL AND RAILWAYS. GOVERNMENT HEDGE ON NATIONALISATION'. Press Aesooiation—By Telegraph—Copyright Australian and N.Z. Cable Association. LONDON, July 2. ! Ac-ked in the House of Commons whether the Government accept Mr Justice Sanke/sOoal Commission report, Mr Boitar Law replied : " I cannot make a statement untu the Government have given the snhjeet the fullest consideration." During the Transport Bill debate in the House of (Commons, when pressed 1 by a Unionist threat that many would dissociate themselves from the Government if the latter adopted the principle of nationalisation before appealing to the country, Mr Shortt, Home Secretary, assured the House that nothing would be done under the Bill to make nationalisation inevitable. Ho waa unable to give a pledge whether or not improvement in transport might or might not affect the question of nationalisation, but he declared that the Government would not knowingly or willingly do anything under the Bill to advance the question if it arose. Sir Auckland (?) Qeddes was equally emphatio that the question was as open to-day as ever it was. MB HUGHES'S ADVICE. LONDON, July 2. Sir Newton J. Mooro ; M.P., entertained Mr W. M. Hughes at luncheon at the Hcuso of Commons. Mr Hughes said he viewed the industrial future of Britain with apprehension. JHe predicted the greatest trade wav in history, adding: England is. the worstequipped nation to meet it. Australia paid the highest labor prices of any country in the world, yet could beat England in the world's coal markets if freights were normal, not because the price of labor was high or low, but because of greater production. He urged England to realise that the question was not whether there should be Capitalism or no Capitalism, Socialism or no Socialism, but whether men would work or not work. Mr Hughes urged more rapid and cheaper means of communication* and interchange of ideas with the Dominions. THE LANCASHIRE. STRIKE. LONDON, July 2. The Lancashire Cotton Conference resulted in a <&adlock.