MONDAY, JULY 19th, 1920. WORKING CLASS ENTERPRISE.

Grey River Argus, 19 July 1920, Page 2

MONDAY, JULY 19th, 1920. WORKING CLASS ENTERPRISE.

THE fact that some political economists who are not professed Labourites have taken up the advocacy of guild socialism has among some Luuour circles been viewed as a xeason iur suspecting guild socialism. But every proposal deserves to be considered fairly on its own merits, rather than those of its advocates. A cable to the Australian papers recently recorded the most promising practical attempt of any originating in the Labour movement to deal with the housing prooiem in England as taking the lorm of guild socialism. It was stated that this attempt to cope with the serious housing problem in England has resulted in a most interesting experiment being made in London and Manchester, in the application of Guild Socialism, which, it is believed, is destined to revolutionise completely industrial control. Under the system a trade union ticket is a certificate of membership of the guild, which is designed to mobilise the necessary labour, and eventually undertake all braneiivd of the building industry, supplying skilled architects and engineers, and carrying on all necessary and Ctesirable public and private work. The ra»our of a guild man will no longer De a marketable commodity; but a gmmman will be "on the strength" for life. It is anticipated that the guild will be able to increase the purcnas- , ing power of its members ' pay by the scientific organisation of production. Discussions have been proceeding with the Ministry of Health in reference to the percentage of cost allowable for management. This has now been settled on a basis of 6 per cent, in addition to remuneration of £40 per house, payable by the local authority. A few months ago a conference of workers in the building trade was held at Mancheseter, the purpose of which vas to consider the subject of building guilds. They formed a guild committee for the north-western counties of England. The intention to make this fit into a national organisation when it was completed was expressed, as also a determination to make the movement national at the earliest possible date. Councillor Lewis Watson, chairman of the Manchester Building Guild Committee, occupied the chair, and fraternal delegates attended from Ireland and several parts of England. The conference urged upon all building guild committees in co-operation with the Federation of Building Trades' Operatives and all local u«maging committees of the trade unions concerned to organise a sufficient number of building operatives of all crafts to build not fewer than 75,000 houses in the north-western area within a period not exceeding three years. It authorised the existing guild organisation to take all necessary steps to attain that end. At a subsequent session, the delegates expressed buiiui,ernation at the decision of the Health Ministry to cut down plans for artisan houses to a standard of cheapness incompatible with the dignity ana amenities of the workers, and repugnant to that craft spirit by wnicn alone honest building could be undertaken. This matter appears to b« n«w settled, however, and excellent reseults from the movement may be expected. Should the workers carry out their programme on the comprehensive plans laid down, it will mean a telling demonstration of the power of the prole* tariat to dispense with the capitalist lock, stock, and barrel— not to men-, tion the tenement exploiters, the rackrenters, and tho hard-fisted landlords, 'it is merely a step for the workers v o !go from housing themselves to feeding themselves. The practical experience that has already been acquired by workers in many places in the work of superintending and directing big undertakings as the result of the cooperate selling movement, augmented by that to be gained by co-operatively housing themselves, should form an excellent foundation for a more ammtious effort. Mines, ships, railways, and indeed any branch of public utilities could ere long be brought under working class control if the present workers who maintain them only stepped to think. They need only realise, firstly, that they are all workers themselves (for tho drones are unnecessary to the enterprise under any system) and secondly, that they need but come together in a class-conscious spirit, formulate a working plan, and put it into force as occasion offered. It would merely mean substituting for tlie present predatory, monopolistic, capitalistic system of one of cooperative control by tho actual workers themselves and this control directed to use rather to profits. It would follow the trend of modern social reform by uniting workers upon a similar footing; it would utilise the present p orms of workers* organisation and develop them. It would also forestall capitalistic plans to keep the -workers, even at the cost of paying higher

l" '" * % "•ages, from taking sources of proft" out of capitalist lands. !„ any cas . not even tho most advanced socialist or communist could « bje c t ttat , t t-M Mvorso.y toaffect h n Hit t f S «*««-»* »-» mean