A World Menace .

NZ Truth, 15 March 1924, Page 1

A World Menace .

0 According to the latest .statistics y there were at the beginning of Decem--8 ber about 3.G00.000 people; m Germany, 8 reckoning m both occupied and unoccupied territories, who were "on the dole"; that is, In receipt of unemployment pay. Put ln another way, 23 per cent, of such trade unions' as mado re- & turns were out of employment These i conditions though at present they are a affecting only Germany • will before a long react on the world. Officials point 1 out that lt looks as though Germany f for the next ten years would be obliged - to dump all over the world goods pro"i duced by sweat labor, for there must come a time when the burden of supj porting the unemployment will become r unsupportnblo and wages will suffer I very material reductions while hours ie will bo lengthened. That means that j German goods will be rble to undert cut those produced In countries where c tho standard of wages and hours is d higher nnd lt ls not Hkely that even - Australia and New Zealand with their B natural protection of distance nnd - their fiscal protection of tariffs will bo ? altogether able to withstand tho pres- - sure. That ls one of the main economic y dangers brought about by the French - occupation of tho Ruhr and the conses quont upheaval of the whole German - Industrial system. It threw a monkey wrench Into the machinery.