THE H.B. TRIBUNE. SATURDAY, MARCH 22, 1919. BRITISH LABOUR MILITANT.

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume IX, Issue 83, 22 March 1919, Page 4

THE H.B. TRIBUNE. SATURDAY, MARCH 22, 1919. BRITISH LABOUR MILITANT.

The cables to-day tell us of notable concessions made, by the Government in resppnse to the demands of the coalminers of Great Britain. These demands were of a triple character, involving increased wages, reduced working hours,, and the J nationalisation of the mines thern- ’ selves. To all three the Government 1 has acceded, though with regard f o the first two, wages aid hours, not to the full extent of the miners’ demands. There is ,of course, nothing strange about the Government giving way at what may be called the point of the bayonet, for that has come tc be quite a customary thing. There is, however, something of a new note in Mr. Bonar Law’s declaration, on behalf of the Government, that it had "gone to the utmost limits and would fight any strike.” It remains yet to be seen whether this ostensibly hold front will be tested, and, if tested, whether it will be maintained. Whatever may be the feeling with regard to the attitude adopted by the miners and their associates in the Industrial Triple Alliance, the railwaymen and the transport workers—and we imagine that there will be a good deal of sympathy with them in their legitimate claims, though perhaps not with their method of advancing them—there can be no doubt but that the dealing with industrial troubles in a sectional way cannot make for industrial stability. It has been one of the greatest disappointments f the ending of the war that, so far, we have had but little evidence of the working of the better feeling between employers and emplayees which we were led to expect and of whose practical materialisation there were so many promising indications. But we imagine that this disappointment is not to be attributed so much to the suggestion that such a feeling is in reality non-existent as to the undoubted fact that the extreme and impatient, and possibly revolutionary elements in the Labour ranks have given it no time to operate. Evidence to this is to be found in one almost universal feature in the strikes and threats of strike that have taken place—that they have been without the sanction of the responsible executives of the unions concerned. These executives, it may be fairly assumed, are composed of men who are just as eager and earnest as their fellow-unionists to see the condition of the workers improved to the utmost possible extent. But they realise that the utmost, must still have a limit, and that, where the various industries upon which national prosperity must depend are so intimately dependent upon one another, no true solution can he reached unless all . are considered with a- view to their mutual relations. These men realise that, if the commercial position of the country is t.o be restored, and to be maintained in the keen international rivalry that is inevitable, some firm general basis of co-operation between Labour and Capital must be sought and found. But no such solution js to be reached it each section ot Labour insists on its demands being given preierenee in consideration over the other o or even if two or three ot the moit impvrtint sect ons liceril s <t the rest, threaten general dislocation unless thev are heard and aniueie I at once —and with no assurance < ven then of anv permanent peace on th* n part. It is douotless a realisation 1 tin a°pc< t f the M nei il Mtuition th it has induced the Government to mak the declaration it has—whether it means to abide bv it or not. In ant event, there is no doubt but that m tluintii* Is oi the o itdt inrss cf the people, it is essential that som< stub firm stand should be made in inter to admit ot a general re-adjustment which will be fair all round, gtviti_, t the - noi i] b< de oi Bnti h v oik* t a more equitable and therefore a 1 n ger share in the results ot the j unt employ merit oi their physical tin gies and other people s capita] I n less this is done there can be n< u< ‘i finality, or even limited permanence as can alone give hope or sue* * stui rimpctiiion with the rest of the in dustnal world, and the conseqi <nt * must be inestimable loss and <l* privation for all. A letter in a lon don exchange to hand this week pu s the matter well when it savs it impossible to meet the danger uh n now exists by examining the dt 1 n ot eacn dispute, or bv vaguely ip pealing for reasonableness to men yvbo Iranklv disclaim anv ucli temper. It lias become necess uy it go to the root of the matte) to challenge the maxims by yvlnch St it» policy is noyv being directed, and to maintain that they are ueithei con sistent yvith common sense noi u n as reasonable men should be asked to endure with patience. bo much indeed he adds, "has already btti done, if the votes given at the General Election in favour of Pir Lament government and against th dictatorship ot the proletariat hate anv meaning. But a mere Parlia mentary majority does not create a supreme national authority in England any more than in Russia; and at this moment, although Mr. Lloyd. George may speak at the Peace Conference in the name of Great Britain, the broad fact remains that in home affairs he is at the mercy of Mr. Robert Smillie.” Then, in conclusion, he says that the ideals of social equality, of the uplifting of the health and education of the nation, and of the increase of material comfort and prosperity, are all unattainable and therefore mischievous dreams unless somewhere there is maintained an authority which has the means and the courage to speak for the nation as a whole, and to insist on the subordination of all sectional claims. There is no generosity in indiscriminate raising of wages of men in particular trades, which by depreciating the value of money only renders life more difficult for others. "Nor is the war. ‘practically over.’ for the nation yvhich first regains its industrial strength yvill have the most potent voice in the council of the nations. We have to some extent a new Government and new men. but they will fail in their task unless they can initiate an industrial policy and carry it through to the end, whatever may be the opposition.” Mr. Bonar Law’s declaration looks like being a reply to this appeal on behalf of the community, as a whole, as well as to the miners’ ’demand.