AFTER THE WAR.

Oamaru Mail, Volume XLVII, Issue 13047, 9 January 1917, Page 5

AFTER THE WAR.

NO LIMIT ON EITHER. OUTPUT OR. EARNINGS. MERIT THE TEST. . * (By Lord Sydenham.) In the period of peace which followed •the conclusion of the great, -wars, lasting almost without interruption from 1775 to 1815, the British people showed vigor unsurpassed in their history. Great inventions followed 'in rapid success-ion. Industry and commerce rose to heights never before approached. I cannot discuss the psychological causes of this astonishing assertion of national efficiency following great economic losses and unchecked by heavy taxation. It must suffice, to say that increase of production, on a vast scale, converted Great Britain into the premier workshop of the world, rebuilt her financial position on • a firm basis, and in less than thirty years far more than compensated for the ravages of a series of exhausting conflicts. GREATER PRODUCTION. We now ask ourselves what is.to happen when this greatest and most destructive-, of all wars is brought to~ an end. For various reasons we cannot expect to see such a mighty development of British' activity as occurred in the last century, when wo forestalled all other nations in deriving advantages. from the use of steam. ,

It is.'not possiblej accurately to. compare the proportion of our economic loss, to pur'resources with that which confronted; our forefathers in their task of national' reconstruction. It; is certain* only ;that our financial burden will bo crushing, and) that nothing • except a great increase in the amount, combined with a.)high standard! of quality, of our production can bring baqk prosperity and secure the welfare of our people. If that condition can be f u'lfilled, a general increa'se of wages above pre-war rates s;houlcl be.' certain, although present rates?;cannot in all cases be maintained:* The. future thus absolutely depends upon the relations between employers and. employed, and the efficiency and goodwill" of both. • On the one side there must be enterprise, the fullest application of all that science can'give, I the best administrative ability, careful j organisation of distribution —which, as Mr Hichens points out, is now,lacking —and thoughtful regard to the conditions in which labor is carried;on. On the other side there must-be- honest, thorough, and intelligent work, inspired by a sense of'the dignity of all labor as an. essential contributor to the national well-being, and associated with tlie ambition to rise by merit —an ambition more easily realised in this 'country than in any other. Erarik interchange of views between both, sides, engendering mutual confidence, is vital" if the methods of cooperation and profit-sharing are to become part of our industrial life. Mr Gosling says that he has "a bargain,'' -and is "going to see that it is Fulfilled." He need have no fear that every privilege of the trade unions will not automatically return to them. T-.ie nuestion is whether they will continue the. - policv of restricting production, which has'effectively prevented the rise of wages. ... : If they persist in limiting the out-. put of the worker, in countenancing, -strikes oh trivial, grounds, and in throwing' over agreements, no measures that employers cari take will turn the country from' the, downward path. :' NEW INDUSTRIES. The Weakness of our industrial posi*, tiqn-'ih regard to our most dangerous:. future 1 -competitor is that the averageoutput of the American worker is. from two to three times that of the Briton, and "other competitors are not less favorably circumstanced- Better machinery and business methods may in some 'cases account for this- startlingfact; but nothing that the employers, can do will ever compensate for the regulated limitation of effort, which is economicallv and .morally disastrous. * In-many, ways the State can aid thereforms in our commercial- and industrial systems which are imperatively needed; but the idea that by the manipulation of tariffs alone we can secure prosperity is futile. New industries, which must be created if ..we are to bo rendered self-dependent in matters of production, and decaying industries, which can be restored, may require temporary protection, and the home market, 'which would directly benefit from good wages, may thus be strengthened. ■Some measure of preference in the countries of the Allies may be helpful for a time but in all neutral markets we must face sharply increased competition, in which nothing except brains, applied' science, organising j'ower, and honest labor will ava<il us. Preference in neutral countries will fail in the long run unless we are able to hold and develop any initial advantages which it may provide, and sentiment is not proof against superior articles better suited to local requirements or more expeditiously obtained than our wares. Upon patriotism, intelligence, andsense of duty in all classes, the fate of the nation in the difficult years following the war must ultimately rest.