DILUTION OF LABOR.

Marlborough Express, Volume L, Issue 2, 4 January 1916, Page 5

DILUTION OF LABOR.

IMPORTANCE OF MUNITION* MAKING.

(Received Jan. 3/4.15 p.m.) ... .';■ :. .:' LOKDOtt.: Jan. .&*■: Official: .-Mr'-4:sqi!ri'tli-.airtil'.-Mf- ; Llpycl George received a deputation from the Amalgamated Society "of. Engineers. * ' ; , Mr Asqnilli stressed tho importance of the Whole-hearted dilution of labor on a. voi-y large scale, without Avhich neither cojild Mr Lloyd George meet the. necessities of the war nor *Kraid the armies carry on efficiently. It was pll-iinportant that \vo should get: thcs rcqnived output domestically instead of by foreign, means. • The seMons - financial problem was the oibKgationVJx) pay in British exports Tor munitions"supplied. Dilution ,v ould meaii ah jncalcnbible gain from i.hei- point of view* .of militery efficiency and financial stability. Nothing wa^s more' impiortaii,t than the inanufa'c-. tu.ro.' of' munitions on the largest possible scale nmler thobest possible conditions. Dnspito the Marcli «*;ree.inent, dilution had been sparingly aoobted.

Mr Asquith added that it wa« undoubtedly difficult to persuade skilled men to * forego their privileges and admit unskilled men to their work ? fearing that they woixld be unable to re-sort to old conditions after the war. Ho ;exhorted the unions to ;-use their ;nitmost^-]^*t«»r6'ei..^-iM?fi|^^^l^se^^ pici6n§: '^' ■ The ■ Mar oil agreement had not been effectively carried out. .Nine months had elapsed. This was a matter of absolutely vitial lieceßsity. Conditional upon the universal acceptance of dilution was the settlement of all grievances. He pledged the Government to enforce union rates of pay ■and conditions of labor in Government controlled workshops. • Thereupon tlie engineers resolved to> accept and actively co-operate m the scheme of. dilution.

: SIR J. A. SIMON RESIGNS

. (Recem^d Jan. 3. 7.10 p.m.) 5 LONDON, Jan. 3 Sir J. A. Simon ha» resigned.