CO-OPERATION

New Zealand Times, Volume XLVI, Issue 10716, 9 October 1920, Page 7

CO-OPERATION

NATIONAL; INDUSTRIAL SUGGESTION TO THE WOAIEN’S NATIONAL COUNCIL. On the subject of national industrial co-operation, Air F. G. Dalziell writes to the editor of tho "New Zealand Times” as under:— Sir, —May I suggest for the consid oration of the meeting of the National Council of Women, to be hqjd on Monday evening next, the following demonstrable facts; — (1) Nothing has ever been done in life except by the process of co-op-eration, because everything that exists in the uniyorsc is a body composed of members, and the power of every such body is regulated wholly by the degree of co-operation of its members in a common purpose. (2) Every unit in a body should bo so organised that it. tends to co-oper-ate with its neighbours; otherwise, while some may develop at the expense of others, the" net result to the body will bo loss. (3) A true industrial co-operative movement must be directed to the co-operation of existing firms, because if it takes the shape of employing more capital and labour in industry, it merely adds to the cost of living of the community, though a few may benefit.

(4) In every industry there arc three essential factors involved: (a) capital (i. 0., property); (b) employers actively engaged in the industry; and (c) the consumer.

(5) In all successful industrial cooperations there has been an arrangement under which these three factors have participated in the ’ profits upon a mutually satisfactory basis. (6) All industry depends for its success upon efficient management, and efficient management requires the organising faculty and experience in the kind of acts involved in the industry- . , (7) National industrial co-operation can only be brought about, efficiently by people experienced in the control of all essential industries. (8) It is a practical impossibility to efficiently control labour employed- in industry’until the employers are them, selves obedient to their own leaders upon an agreed basis of co-operation. (9) There is a tendency on tho part of the employers to concentrate public feeling, arising out of the present unrest upon extreme Labour; but the voice of extreme ALabbur is merely the discordant outcry? of members of our body arising from friction in the national machinery. It is valuable as indicating trouble that should bo attended to. just as in the case of mechanical machinery. The true remedy is not to suppress the outcry, hut to remove tho evil of which it is the voice, and that can only be done by better co-operation. (10) The essential preliminary to national industrial co-operation is the coming'together of employers. They can be brought together either voluntarily or by compulsion. Our greatest industrial leaders would be only too glad of the opportunity of organising- national co-operation, but the majority of the employers want individual independell(ll) It is the function of the Government to bring the employers into co-operation. But .in a democracy Government is tipi’ to wait fan a blear ’indication from’ the ;people>’ that they are agreed upon a particular movement. (12) Let the Women’s National Council, as the representatives of those who have control of our homes and children, organise a popular movement wherein nil existing associations and unions formed in the_ interests of labour or the general public, will show by demonstrations that they desire na-tional-industrial co-operation, and the Government, will arrange the matter with the employers. (13) Tile popular argument against national industrial co-operation is that we would lose the advantages of competition, but in British experience competition in co-operation has been the greatest incentive we have had to en. terpriso.