Meeting Needs of Rearmament

Manawatu Times, Volume 63, Issue 81, 6 April 1938, Page 5

Meeting Needs of Rearmament

Discussion With Employers

SIR T. INSKIP’S MISSION

(British Official Wireless.)

Received Tuesday, 7.5 p.m. RUGBY, April 4.

At a meeting of the executive council of the Amalgamated Engineering Union, Sir Thomas lnskip, Minister for the Co-ordination of Defence, said the accelerated armament programme would place a new strain on the capacity of plant and labour in industry and suggested representatives of the employers and workers should meet to discuss how to meet the needs of the situation.

Sir Thomas to-morrow meets the management board of the Engineering and Allied Employers’ National Federation and will point out the necessity for the assistance of employers to carry through the programme. It is expected that after to-morrow's meeting a conference between employers and trade unions will take place. PLAIN SPEAKING BY UNIONISTS FOREIGN POLICY DISLIKED Received Tuesday, 7.5 p.m. LONDON, April 5. Sir Thomas Inskip heard plain speaking from the leaders of the engineers, who raised the question of the profits of armament firms and said union members disliked the Government’s foreign policy.

Mr. J. C. Little, president, asked if the arms were to be used to defend collective security. Mr. Fred Smith, secretary, asked what sacrifices the employers were prepared to make. The leaders after the meeting said they received no reply.