BRITISH INDUSTRY

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXI, 7 April 1926, Page 8

BRITISH INDUSTRY

REPORT OF COMMISSION 'HIGHER WAGES. SHORTER HOLT."LONDON, March 2k>. [he committee, under the chairman ; Hh- ■■ f Sir Arthur Balfour, which ".i. apnoitited bv Mi Ramsay MacDonald in Julv. 192-4. 'tu im|uirt- into Hie- cc-udi-ij, ms aii-l pn-.-pe-ts of British industry ;i 11 :J comiiteivc. lias issued its io-ul repoil. !l is slatril that wages throughout Brili.-.li industry rose 70 t-.i i 5 |u*r cent he! ween 101-1 ami 1925. aiul llmsc of unskilled workers from G 9 to 90 per re lit. a; ei-mpare-l \\ itli a rise ul lrom (i oto 70 per nut for skilled workers. Sheltered trades i.Ltained advanees "I from GO to 120 per e-mt. contrasting w iiii a 00 per eeni adtnnee in Irade-s ex po.'-ed lo foreign compel it i' ii. The work ill;; week ill .191 <1 averaged 53 to 54 i-i-a, s Ini! to -lay il was do. Tile report emphasises A met tea s \ lew tli,ai welfare work :s essential to ye,-d business, and n"t merelv as a phi lant liropie measure. It i.« estimated that unemployment for the loin years. 1921-24. tost 74.000.900 man weeks of potential work, proving that the read past men I of per si:line! and plant from war lime to peacetime was still iiieomplete. li’i-viewin,!; eompttlsory ai hit rat toil in Australasia and Canada .the report com incuts that where eompulsinn is present, i i neiliai ion, in the true sense, w ill I" 1 neglect ed. Inking w;r_-e in London a* 100 points, those in other places were: New Vork 22‘f. Ottawa 1.95. Denmark lsii. tier many 65. Rclgium 59. Italy 50. Era nee 49 ■ The Dailv Mail urges more mercy for the British taxpayer and less sentimental enthusiasm lor everyone else. It saws it is significant that the l nited States. Italy. France, and Germany are not suffering lose Britain .