NOTES AND COMMENTS

Grey River Argus, 8 October 1941, Page 7

NOTES AND COMMENTS

THE PROPERTY OF THE NATION. “The wealth of labour and its productive power are the property of the nation. The same cannot be said of the machinery and plant of industry. What, have the employers given up ? They are still in control of -their plants, fat dividends are still being paid, they are safe-guarding their future with big reserves and valuable additions to their plants. The Government has been operating a cost-plus-profit system of payment for munitions and the machines of war. This offers no incentive to make processes and production more economic and so to use skilled labour and plant to the best advantage to the nation. The employers have not been prepared to forego THEIR interests in the common cause.” —Jack Tanner President of the Amalgmated Engineers, Union, Great Britain. “Union Record” August 1 1941. THEIR BRAND OF “SOCIALISM.” “It is expected that all railway systems in the United Kingdom will shortly be merged into a gigantic combine under Government control The shareholders will, of course, be guaranteed their interest, probably at a higher level than pre-war, and thesame directors will be appointed as controllers.” —British General News Service.

WARTIME ECONOMY. The fifth report of the Select Committee on the National Expenditure disclosed, in June, 1940 contains some lovely examples of how public money is, wasted. One of its sub-commit-tebs enquired into‘the acquisition by the Air Ministry of a site for a' repair depot in Scotland. It was an undrained bog on a bed of clay with a covering of peat and was acquired at a cost of £26,637, and accorciing to the report, it would be difficult to find any site likely to prove more difficult or expensive. The site wa's abandoned after about £438,000 had been spent. Perhaps when the oldschool tie has to consult with buildindustry experts before public money is spent, some economy may be affected 1 1 —“Union Record” August 1, 1941. For every woman who makes a foci out of a man there is another woman who makes a man out. of a fool. Gas will decide future wars, says an army expert. It has already de cided many a political battle. Lord Halifax, British Ambassador to the United States,-, has been under criticism in that country lately for spending time in fox-hunting. —“Progress” August 25, 1941. PUZZLED—AND THEN HE WINCED. Moscow radio says that the following story is being told among German prisoners of war:-—Hitler was inspecting Nazi forces on the Eastern Front, and he asked a German soldier, “What would be your last wish if a bomb fell near you?” The German soldier replied: “I would wish that my beloved Fuehrer could be by my side.” —“ln Print,” Sept. 24, 1941. EQUAL PAY FOR WOMEN. FIRST TIME IN BRITAIN. LONDON, September 10. The Industrial Court ruled that women workers in a British guncotton factory are to receive the same rates of pay as men. This ruling, (unique in British industrial history, iis regarded as the first step towards equal pay for men and women in certain industries. —“ln Print,” Sept. 24, 1941.