BRITAIN’S WORKLESS VETERANS

Evening Star, Issue 18809, 6 December 1924, Page 15

BRITAIN’S WORKLESS VETERANS

TRADE UNIONS' ATTITUDE. The unemployment plague that has afflicted Britain in recent years is particularly hard, we are told, on ex-soldiers. In all European countries the problem of llnding occupation for former fighting men has tested the ingenuity of Governments, but however successfully they have coped with it, every so often cases come to light from which it! is apparent how very difficult, it is to repair this damage of the war. Characteristic is the instance related Ixv Oliver Madox Hueffer in the ‘ Manchester Guardian,’ where ho tolls us that he met a, former comrade in a municipal lodginghouse in London who had been out of work for two years, and saw no prospect of getting a, job. This veteran attributed his plight to the fact that he was an exservice man, and that the trade unions have a strong prejudice against such. He was not alone in this belief, according to Mr Hueffer. who avers that among the many unemployed ho has talked with the great majority are convinced of the trade unions’ antagonism. Mr Hueffer goes on to say;- _ , I had not seen my friend since the autumn of 1917, at which time, being considerably my junior, ho still preserved some of those illusions which gave to England’s entry into the war the aspect of a crusade, ifo has lost them all now, and ha gave me some of his reasons. Before I come to them, let me say that ho is very typical of his kind. Ido not instance him as a man for whom it would bo easy to find appropriate work, for ho is not. “ My friend was gassed badly and twice slightly wounded. After the armistice he received his gratuity and what was left of his inheritance, and, like a good many others, proceeded to spend them. In about six months he had done so, which was, of course, foolish, if comprehensible. Before then he made one or two effortsto find a position in the profession for which he was more or loss qualified. His qualifications were not sufficient, or his health was not sufficiently restored, or there wore no vacancies. He applied on various occasions to one or other of the societies which do their best to provide employment for such as he. Excellent in themselves, their efforts arc, of course, but a drop in the ocean. One, for instance, after a year of genuine effort, recently reported that in the course of the year it had found work for 119 ox-otiicers. My friend was welcomed and encouraged, notes taken of his capabilities, and further results assured. .In no single case, after weeks of waiting, was it possible to place him suitably,” Since then, wo are told, this ex-service man has found no permanent employment, despite very earnest endeavors. Occasionally ho'has succeeded in picking up temporary jobs, sue!) as a clerk in a drygoods store, but the cough, which is a legacy from his gassing, was found to he an annoyance to women customers, and he was soon discharged. Ho oven tried selling newspapers, hut wc are told (bat he was forced to give this up because ot vho professional jealousy of the regular, practitioners, and wo read: “At the present time I doubt whether ho is employable at all for any more olevoted position than caretaker or nightwatchman, for both of which lie has applied many times in vain. Not only is his bodily health at ils lowest clil), hut hope deferred has so reduced his morale that 1 honestly believe only the accident of our meeting has saved him from ending his miseries in the river before new.

“ To give some idea of In’s cxperia ires I can not do heifer Ilian quote what came under my own observation. While we wore chatting in the dosshouse m tiler guest said he had hoard tfiat, wirk ’-us to be found in Woolwich. My faeml decided to go thither, and 1 to accompany him.

“ There was no work to he found in Woolwich. They were turning away railin' than taking them on, everywhere—at iii«; Arsenal, the big oil works down I y the. river, metal works, timber yards, everywhere. Nor was our reception any.ihere too friendly. At one works •••.here n.y friend, having me for company, inquired almost hopefully, he was told they were not, looking for cripples. I suggested a' Labor exchange; he told mo ,hat alter the ticatment he had received at one such institution, quite apart from the fact that it did absolutely nothing fo: him, 1 c would rather starve than go ::,r r rich a place again. “ Later we happened upon a clergyman who had been an Army chaplain. He made one ov two suggestions which proved fruitless, but at least his svmpithy was valuable. Finally he promis'd to c'o in's best to find something for my fiiend, a promise which, ns it lias proved, he has kept handsomely, though up to (be present, unfortunately, without result.’’

.Mr Hueffcr tells us further that there is some mason for this ox-soldier s grievance against the trade unions. J!e finds, 1 it is said, that while the employers would i give him work if they had it, the trade I union absolutely refuses to let Jiis carol be even considered. What is mom, it is | an ominous fact, we are told, that tor the most part the men thus denied the chance of a living are past resenting it, and “ they are so disheartened, so cowed by their misery that they no more brink of .striking a blow for themselves than did a French peasant after the crushing of the Jacquerie, They regard the trade unionist very much as one may suppose Jacques Bonhommo regarded he Marquis of Carabas—as someone placed by an eccentric fate in a position of undeserved privilege who, having got more than Ids fair share, means to keep it *nd to crush any presumptuous under-dog who dares' covet any share whatever. Jarjousiy ; enough, most of them with whom I have I discussed the matter feel less Mrongly about the employers | " In mentioning employers, I must except one class, of whom they show tlie deopcst suspicion—those, that -s to Miy, who, in compliance with Roy.il desire, agreed to employ permanently a certain percentage of ex-servico men. .A largo number of them at any rate firmly _ believe that the employer, having gained credit for his patriotism, turns off the oxsoldiers he has engaged, at the first opportunity and replaces them by rubers hss handicapped. For it is an unfortunate fact---unfortunale. I moan, in that it indicates their loss of morale- that in many cases they quite accept the, fact that the employer" has ample reason for not engaging them if he can help it. One man with a wrioden toot, to whom I spoKo on (ho subject, became almost lyrical, pointing out that if he were an employer he would take jolly good cere, not . to have any cripples about Ji's work-! shop.”