THE LABOR MOVEMENT

Evening Star, Issue 17542, 23 December 1920, Page 5

THE LABOR MOVEMENT

[By Veteran.] Brief contributions on matters with reference to the Labor Movement are tnvited. CHANCE OF REVOLUTION "iN BRITAIN. In September last the ‘ Morning Post ’ published the text of a document which, . that journal stated, made it clear that the Labor Party had used the machinery of the Council of Action to ensure the success of a revolution in Britain in the occurrence of a favorable opportunity, and stated : The Council of Action was formed on August 9. A few days later it was stated in the ‘ Morning Post ’ that arrangements were being made to establish local Soviets. The committee and sub-committee meetings, whose doings are recorded, took place between the 16th and the 20th of last month. It is true, states the journal, that the arrangements refer to a general strike to prevent a war with Russia on behalf of Poland—the ostensible reason for calling the Council of Action into existence—but it is clear that the machinery thus created will be available for a general strike with other objects in view. The* resolutions passed by one of the sub-committees specifically refer to “the struggle that is to come, whether by reason of the present position or later on.” The main features of this scheme for bringing about a revolution are : (1) The capture by Labor of the local Co-operative Society, so as to ensure the distribution of food to the strikers and their families (the rest of the community is of no concern'for the authors of the plan). (2) The commandeering of transport, including petrol,_ for the obtaining and storing of which the EaUwaymen’s Union apparently has a method already worked out. (3) A propaganda and publicity department. In the operation of this (as all the newspapers may be suppressed) the telegraph sections of the Post Office Workers and the Railway Unions are to co-opeate as “ special sources of information,” which clearly means tapping the wires and the telephones. (4) Formation of cycle corps to keep centres in touch with each other and with the National Council of Action. (5) Conscription of Labor; for, in the words of one of the sub-committees, “the thing that is most to be avoided and likeliest to produce disorder is idleness, and hard work would provide an outlet for the energies of all.” On the other hand, Mr Ramsay Macdonald and others who should know poiiiv thing about the aims and objects of the Council of Action say that there is no likelihood of a revolution in Great Britain. ******** CITY COUNCILS AS DOMINATED BY SOCIALISTS. A week or two ago I gave an account that showed what could be done by City Councils when they undertook to' carry out their large works, such as water supply, etc. I quoted the case of the Bradford City Council, where their own engineer’s estimate for constructing a larva reservoir was £140,000 less than the lowest tender received, and the engineer was authorised to do the work by day labor. I am now able to give more” instances of the success of the employment of direct labor instead of having the work done hy contract. This is also in connection with ( the Bradford City Council:— Last Christmas the city engineer’s department of the corporation undertook the renovation and decoration of the Town Hall. The total cost is estimated at £7,000, and twelve months’ time, from the beginning of the work, will he necessary for its completion. Forty of the most highly skilled workmen are employed, who aro rendering the highest quality of work in return for the highest. wages in the trade and the best conditions of labor. The whole scheme is being carried out under the direction of a clerk of the works, who provides the best materials and demands the best work of his men, with results that are already a triumph. Many other large jobs have been similarly undertaken by the corporation, and in not a single instance has failure been reported. On the other band, private employers are rapidly becoming afraid of the corporation's popularity with the workmen. Clear evidence of this was given in a recent conference, called by the plastering contractors with trade unionists, when the contractors offered special terms and conditions if the union would pledge itself that none of its members would work for anyone except members of the employers’ organisation! There was a strike in the furniture trade which lasted several months. Many of the men were given employment by the corporation works department, and the masters alleged that the corporation were taking sides in a trade dispute, and paying 4d per hour in excess o'f the standard rate for the district. The corporation’s action -was described oy the. local Chamber of Trade as “iniquitous arid immoral,” but the Finance Committee, to whom their communication was referred, have taken no action in the matter. Bradford’s councillors, therefore,_ are rapidly proving that it is within the municipality’s power not only to secure opportunityof useful work, for the common good, under igood conditions, to its citizens, but also to win good work from them. **#»***« NEED FOE MINISTRY OF PRODUCTION. “ Gray Quill,” in the Liverpool ' Weekly Post,’ says Ot the making of officials there is no end And yet I would certainly like to set- a new Ministry formed on sensible lines—a Ministry of Production. Looking round the industrial world one sees im numerable instances of waste where there should be reconstruction. In view of the terrible state of our National Debt, the inchoate nature of our whole system of production, and the lack of an intelligent system of production, it is amazing to°find ourselves as well off as we are. What would be the work of this Ministry of Production ? Personally, I think it should act as a liaison department with all other Government departments, and that it should place its services at the disposal of any manufacturer who wished to develop his output. And then it should put an end to the ridiculous system whereby over-production causes unemployment. Where can one find a more tragic instance of this than the case of the bootmaking operatives of the Midlands, who were called upon to make a special effort in in- I creased output a few weeks ago, and, as a result, found themselves placed on short time, in the case where they were not actually out of work altogether. I am surprised that more study has not been given to the admirable ' system in which the Germans built up their pre-war overseas trade. Much as I have always detested the Prussians as a race, I have always. admired their thoroughness, and the scientific .system. in which thev have created new industries, and entered into successful competition with other races which had centuries of experience behind them. The most remarkable feature rf their system was the manner in which they co-ordinated the manufacturing, trading, shipping, and banking sides rf German commerce. Let ns give the devil —and the Kaiser—their respective dues. Apart from his work as the greatest manufacturer of widows, orphans, huge debts, and international hatreds that has ever lived, the Kaiser was an admirable commercial traveller, and in this manner, aided and abetted. by our conservative manufacturers, and inept Consular service, and our Foreign Office, with its proverbial contempt of trade, he ensured to Germany huge business deals which once would have been transacted in this country. * . * * * * ■ * * , EFFECT OF SHORTER. WORKING HOURS. ■ ! The annual report of the Chief Inspector of Factories and Workshops for 1919' in England says the reports received from inspectors show that the shortening of the

working hours has had a beneficial* effect on the operatives, perhaps more so than any other recent improvement in industrial conditions. Thj old system of long, dreary, monotonous toil is rapidly giving way to a new system of reasonable hours, so that soon it may be hoped, says the report, that the overworked man or woman in the industrial world will rarely be found. On all sides workers are securing by their own efforts shorter hours, and many letters are received asking whether periods well within these allowed under the Factory Acts are legal. Better time-keeping had resulted from the discontinuing of work before breakfast, and there were less frequent absences owing to sickness. In one large factory where some years ago the average number of absentees was forty daily, since the adoption of the forty-four hours per week the average had dropped to ten daily. Less fatigue and overstrain is found in factories, and one inspector reports that, although more men are employed in engineering and allied trades, the accident list has not increased, and it is claimed that fatigue is non-existent. As to. the effect of the shorter hours on production, the report states that when the production depended almost entirely on the speed of machinery—as in cotton or woollen spinning—the output was said to be reduced in a proportion nearly, if not fully, corresponding to the reduction in hours. In other machine operations which call for constant alertness on the part of the operator (e.g., weaving) output had not suffered to this extent, and, in exceptional cases, had scarcely been affected at all. ****,. * * • » NOTES. » Speaking on industrial accidents, at a conference in London recently, Mr Gerald Bellhouse, deputy chief inspector of factories, said during 1919 tire Home Office received reports of 1,384 fatal accidents, 40.000 accidents due to machinery, and 84.000 non-machinery cases. These accidents, he said, must generally be attributed to negligence, want of thought, or want of instruction. He urged the appointment of a safety engineer or inspector in every factory, and the formation of safety committees of workers and management. . • • • As the outcome of a conference of representatives of employers’ and workers’ organisation, held in the Liverpool Education Offices, a movement has been started with the object of improving the present system of apprenticeship. A committee, to be appointed by representatives of the employers’ and employees’ organisations, will be asked to frame the general principles of a scheme.