A COSTLY LUXURY.

Hawera Star, Volume L, 5 February 1931, Page 4

A COSTLY LUXURY.

The Lancashire cm ton trouble, which scorns to bo parti}’ ,n strike iiiul partly u lock-out, coraos :it a time when tin' iinlustry etui least afford such a luxury. Wore both parties sworn friends, and united to do their best for cotton, it would still be difficult for the industry to make headway against foreign competition and other foes. There is a certain measure of poetic justice in Mr MacDonald's present dilemma in regard to this dispute. British Labour has always upheld the right to strike, and for this reason has rejected compulsory arbitration. It is true that compulsory arbitration has been much less of a success in the Dominions than

was hoped, but it is by no means certain that it would have proved so disastrous in Britain as the present system of voluntary negotiation. At any rate, now that the Labour Government is responsible for peace in industry as well ns in international relations, the folly of strikes and lock-out is brought home to it. The truth is that the recurrence of these industrial disputes is a very serious obstacle in the way of British recovery. The very advance that trade unions have made in status and power is a handicap in the necessary process of readjustment. Discussing this question of change, the last " Round Table" says that "to meet the changing circumstances of the world we "must show the utmost resilience, elasticity, adaptability, efficiency and " openness to new ideas, methods and "inventions. Rigidity of ideas among "employers and men, trade union re"strictions, heavy taxation, in particu"lar all that is covered by the word " ‘dole,' the Socialistic tendency to be- " little and depress private enterprise, "are rendering us a very inelastic na"tion industrially."