APPEAL TO LABOUR.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LII, Issue 16020, 11 September 1915, Page 8

APPEAL TO LABOUR.

OUTPUT OF MUNITIONS. -Z artificially KEPT down. More workers needed, mr. Lloyd GEORGE'S PLEA. . (Received September 10. 7.30 p.m.) London, September 9. - In response to an invitation, Mr. Lloyd -George attended the Trade Union Congress at Bristol to explain the following telegram he had forwarded to the president:"We already control 714 munition firms in the majority of the important towns ■ I of the Kingdom, and profit-monger- " ing is impossible. The Munitions .- Act limits the profits, and the bene"L fit of any suspension of trade union v: regulations accrues to the State, and , i *•_ not to the employers." -' v; k The Chancellor, who received an -. ovation, said■:—-'' I am grateful of the: ; opportunity of unfolding the .;'situation. You represent one of the " most powerful forces in directing the "j. 'country's life. With you victory is assured. - Without you our cause is - lost. -I' come here as the greatest employer "of labour 'in the country, and I am also a trade unionist. You pledged yourselves yesterday as the representatives of organised labour to assist the Government in successful prosecution of the war. lam sure you meant it. lam here to take you, on behalf of the Government, at your word. ' --' . Avalanche of Shells. " I want you to clearly understand the problem to which we have set our minds in order to equip the allied armies in the coming months to enable them to crack their way! through to victory. The German! workman worked quietly and persistently without stint or strife through the autumn, winter, and! spring. Then came the terrible avalanche of shot and shell, which broke the great Russian armies, and drove them back. The German advance in Russia is a victory for German trade unions, not for' Generals von Hindenburg and von Maekensen. It is the Workma J who has won it. the workman wno has won it. "The war resolves itself into a' conflict between the mechanics 0 Germany and Austria and the mechanics of Britain 'and France I The sooner we thoroughly under! stand this the quicker will be uS mate victory I believe the British workman, is the better of the two if he choose to put his back into it. Shortage of Workmen. . " The Government as established - 16 national arsenals, and is constructing.!, more . At the present t%V§£.& : s™»* °-° 00 — 'skilled - ; "SSf ltaon to 200 - 000 ski »ed. ■r- '<X? wr men - Wf> are no* try- :• SkS mS: ace skillcd men by »- aft,' ' S

! "I was recently talking to FieldI Marshal Sir John French, and he said* he had never seen troops more fearless and contemptuous of death, more ready to face any odds, than those he commanded. I here ask you to 1 back them up. The Admiralty and the War Office Munitions Department estimate that if the workmen, for the period of the war, suspended the custom of keeping down the output, the increase in output would be t3O per cent, in some places, and 200 per cent, in others. That makes the difference between victory and defeat It is entirely a labour problem. You can assist.'' A Voice So can the employers. Mr. Lloyd George: "I am not going to spare the employers. (Cheers.) The machinery that might be applied to the making of war material is not working night and day. Only 15 per cent, of the machinery is being worked by nightshifts in turning out cannon, rifles, and war material. "With plenty of labour the factories would be occupied continuously. Think what material could be supplied! The problem is not one of destroying, but of saving the lives of our young men. Suspension of Restrictions. " If every skilled man were employed, there would still never be enough labour for the task in hand. The Government is unable to equip the army unless the trade unions help in three They must suspend during the war period all restrictions . upon the best use of skilled labour by allowing the employment of unskilled men, under skilled supervision, for all work in which highly skilled labour is' not absolutely indispensable. Secondly, they must suspend all practices preventing men from turning out as much work as their skill and strength I permit. Thirdly, there must be no stoppages in the essential trades. The profits have been restricted by bringing practically the whole of the workshops employed on .munitions under the Munitions Act, those under the Act embracing 95 per cent, of the labour engaged in these industries." An Unpleasant Question. Mr. Lloyd George said he was going to ask an unpleasant question. Had the other side of the bargain been kept? It had been maintained honourably in many oases, but in far too many it had not been carried out. If the Government, when tryj ing to do the best for the gallant I fellows in the field was hampered tat every turn by little technical | objections, it would be impossible to do the work that the country demanded. He mentioned as an irstance the restricted output of S' a <w a i, wasvitall J needed and asked: 'Will anyone defend that?" (Cms of "No!") He said he had no more to say. That was exactly w hat he came for.

Several questions were asked and answered, and Mr. Lloyd George was thanked for his attendance aid speech.