A MISUNDERSTANDING.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CXVI, Issue 16808, 18 March 1915, Page 6

A MISUNDERSTANDING.

We are sorry that a contemporary has read into Lord Kitchener's careful observations on a phase of industrial difficulty in Britain support for the contention that trade unionists at Home are traitors to their country. On the basis of the War Minister's speech, the amazing assertion is made that "trade unionism in Britain is almost as good an ally as Germany can have." " Germany," it is declared, " is delighted, as one would expect, with the way in which the spirit of trade unionism is hampering Britain in the discharge of her important function of supplyingarms and explosives for the Allies; France, just as naturally, is staggered' by the news that the trade unions are not joyfully helping Britain to press to the utmost her great manufacturing advantages." Of course Lord Kitchener said nothing to warrant these sweeping conclusions. He said the output of war material was unequal to requirements. A large numbed of orders had not been completed, " through lack of labour and the necessary plant." He cited "an instance" where men's absence from work and irregular timekeeping had caused serious diminution in the output of factories, and said' his attention had been directed more than once, to the fact that restrictions by trade unions undoubtedly added to the nation's difficulties. But he expressed confidence in the patriotism of the workers, confidence that "all concerned" would' waive restrictions during the war, and frankly admitted the right of labour to ask'that its patriotic work should not be used to inflate the profits of shareholders in industrial armament firms. The Government is obviously convinced that there has been such improper trading on the loyalty and industry of the workers, since it is assuming control of armament works and arranging a scheme whereby industrial workers are to "reapsome substantial benefits from their industry." W© certainly believe that this is no time for industrial strife, but that does not disqualify workers from expecting, or from demanding, reasonable increases in wages that may be warranted by the prosperity of their employers on the one hand and tho enhanced cost of living on-the other. If such increases are withheld, the charge of unpatriotism, if it need be made, should be levelled in the right quarter. The extreme meassures taken by the Government to overcome the difficulty, in eliminating private profit, are certainly suggestive, but neither those measures nor Lord Kitchener's words imply that trades unionism in Britain, is a good ally of Germany. Quite the contrary, in fact. They show that it has become absolutely necessary to give labour more equitable reward than it.has been securing. The new movement is instructive. It is only about eighty years- since greedy employers in England secured the transportation of farm labourers for daring to unite in defence of their rights. The world has moved along since then. To-day the Government settles a serious difficulty by quietly taking the place of the employer who delays vital works in order to haggle over wages. Our contemporary seems to have misunderstood* the situation.