THE BLOCKADE

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LIII, Issue 103, 2 May 1919, Page 5

THE BLOCKADE

CAUSES UNEMPLOYMENT IN BRITAIN

j UNEMPLOYMENT DONATIONS,

£25,000,000 FOR CURRENT YEAR

POLICY JUSTIFIED

(Australian & N.Z. Cable Association.)

(Reo. May 2, 8.55 a.m.) LONDON? May 1

In the House of Commons, Sir R. S. Horne (Minister for Labour) defended the unemployment donation, for which the estimate for the current financial year is £25,000,000. The mam reason of unemployment was the deliberate policy of maintaining the blockade and the country could not say that the unemployed should not receive compensation owing to conditions which were necessary to achieve the full fruits of victory. A million have been drawing the benefit, whereof 250.000 were demobilised soldiers. The latter were guaranteed for a year against unemployment. Also 100,000 workers in the cotton trade were drawing the benefit. The scheme had been greatly abused but there was little foundation for criticism, It was intended to appoint a committee to enquire into the administration of the fi cheme. The greatest diffculty was the question of domestic servants. After munition work, girls would not return to domestic service. Unemployment donations to 17,000 girls had been cancelled. Industry had reabsorbed since the armistice _ 3,000,000 workers, 80 per cent ex-soldiers. The mjost hopeful feature of the new labour -arrangement is the formation of industriaT councils to bring the workers and employers together to negotiate. 31 existed covering 2,000,000 workers. 22 drafting committees covered another 1,000,000. Though the unemployment donation could _be justified as a temporary expedient it could not be maintained in order to preserve industrial peace as labour was anxious. ■Owing to the Government’s _ failure to provide employment there might be a serious position next winter unless something wa s done. He (name missing) deplored that Sir R. S. Horne had not hinted at an alternative policy to donations. He urged the Government' to explain why the blockade was maintained. It was a blockade of ourselves, causing unemployment and checking industrial

expansion. Sir F. G. Banbury urged the stoppage of donations at an early date, except for ox-soldiei’s. The donations were ruinous and demoralising.