THE INDUSTRIAL WORLD.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 13996, 31 August 1907, Page 13

THE INDUSTRIAL WORLD.

NEWS AND NOTES,

BT TIIE Hon. J. T. PAUL, M.L.C,

Items of information and brief comments on questions coining under this Loading are always welcome. Books, pamphlets, etc., sent lo the editor of this column will also bo noticed.

■ MEETINGS FOR THE WEEK Tho following unions will meet during tho week at'tho Trades Hall:— To-niglit (Saturday).—Carpenters, Slaughter-

mcu. Monday.—Saddlers, Tailors, Bricklayers. Tuesday.—Tinsmiths, Gas Stokeis, Sawmillers. Wednesday.—Labour Day Association/ Thursday—Trades Council. Friday.—Engineers. •

A REMARKABLE ADMISSION. To determino just where collcctivo methods should supercede the individual in industry is always a point worthy of ..discussion. • To tho extreme Socialist .tliia point has no significance except its relationship .to the proverbial r«<l herring. But thoro can bo no denying that many who agree that tho post office and railway business is best done by flio State, suddenly call a halt i when asked to subscribo to 6omo proposal to extend the functions of tho State. A fact which seriously., weakens their position is that the same school.in different countries differs widely as to exactly what should bo m the bands of the State, 'llio fact that the Socialistic individualist in New Zealand is prepared to uphold Government ownership of railways, whilst Jiis prototype in Great Britain and America fight for company control of railways, fOveals a weak spot in the armour of this school. Sir John Brunnei', chairman of Brunner, Mond, and Co. (Limited), and M.P. made a. remarkablo admission last month as to the principle of collcctivo ownership. Ho was appointed a member of a Royal Oommision to inquire into tho collective ownership of canals in tho North of France. Belgium, and Northern Germany. Sir John is a successful business man, chairman of a concern which has just paid 30 per cent., and ho has doubts about tho 'wisdom of le-aving everything to private enterprise. Ho. speaks as follows: —

~Wo havo b3en very deeply impressed by what wo have scan, and I con tell you to-day, speaking as a man of business to men of business, that tbo.fact thai-'in those threo countries tlicro is communal effort— that is to say, that tho State acts as a whole, using the wholo power of the State in money and in credit for tho benofit of too national iirado—has brought to thoec three countries enormoiw, almost incalculable, benefits; and I think tot ray man, titiy intelligent man, who studios this matter a-3 I have studied it for a great many years, will come to the conclusion, as I havo come very cloarly and decidodly, that the old policy which v/o havo adopted for generations of leaving all public works to private enterprise—tho old policy, so called, of "laisfor fniro"—is played' out completely, and I am of opinion, very firmly, that, if wo moan to hold our own in matters of trade, wo must learn to follow the example that has been set us not only by France. Belgium, and Germany, but by the United States and by every one of the colonies of our Empire. Evorywheio do yon find that trade is holpod by tho effort of ihe community, by tho forco of tho State, and I shall bo very heurlily pleased if those who hear me will think tho matter over and deoiclo for thcmsolves whether or not wo as business people—pre-eminently the buiness peoplo of the world—are to twain/tain the old policy of leaving everything to private enterprise, or whether wo aro to act together fc-T tho good of all in this important matter of the national trade.

A PEN PICTURE OP JOHN MITCHELL.

John Mitchell, ono of the most famous of Amorica-'s labour leaders, is not inuch known in tho colony cxcept to students of American labour struggles. It was John Mitchell who Jed tho miners in tho great anthracite coal struggle of a few years ago. To-day 400,000 men place their destinies in his hands and tho liappincss of two million people are in bis keeping. Ho roccntly attended a banquet given bv tho American International Correspondence Schools. Two thousand people were present- from different parts of the world, it being the fifteenth anniversary.of the school. Great men were there to speak. John Mitchell was one. Elbert Hubbard prints this pen picture in the Philistine: —

Jolm MitoJioU's face shows oarc, and his sober, earnest ways tell of grave responsibilities. He is a distinguished man in appearance and manner. No man wou'd ever approach him and ask, !' SiT, aro you anybody in particular?" Jolm Mitciicll made tho best speech of tho meeting. His voice is neither loud, high, nor deep, but it is so finely modulnted and so vibrant with feeling that it stills every .buzzing whisper and carries conviction home. A very brave and manly man is Jolm Mitchell. Ho has battles in front of him, for his barque is not yet in peaceful waters, but if ho 11003 as much in tho next 10 years as he has in tho past, he'll anchor for four years in the White House, if some of you follows do not look outl lie has made mistakes, they say, but I do not remember just what they are; yet one thinks of the mobs he has faced in their fury, not to mention that five days' fusillade of Wayne MacVeagh, you are astounded that he has not made more. Yet he v.ns born in Illinois!

But hero ho fdta, smiling, silent, poised, and when In* arises to speak he does net rough, splitter, rant, harangue, scolil, grope, nor apologise, but pvocoeda with a fnio and very gentle reserve to spetik ot "tho people whom I have the honour to serve.'' Ho chooses his words with ewe, and marobes them T.'ifch precision, spacing each paragraph (ind packing each pause with feeling, 110 says just, onougli, siiul aits down at a timo when everybody wishes he would go on.

AN INDUSTRIAL TRAGEDY. A lato American newspaper conveys the information that John 13rislin, inventor of tho massive rolling machinery by which teams of iroti weighing tons arc run'through the roils, and through which Andrew Carnegie mado most of his mill ions, died at Pittsburg at the age of 72, blind ami in poverty, .

Brislin. was a boyliood chum of Carnegie, and while employed in the Homestead mills ■met Anion Vinnac, a Frenchman. Together they patented tho modern roll tables, by wheih large beams can bo Tolled into shape automatically. They eharged the Carncgio Steol Company with stealing their patents, and in 1697 a decision sustaining their contention was handed down by Judge liuflington in tho United States District Court. The eieel company offered to settle for 100.000 dollain, but the inventors refused, claiming that tho patents were worth 40,000, COO dollars. T.he steel company carricd the ease to the Federal Court, of Appeals, ami the decision of Judge Buffingtou in favour of the workmen was ravereed. Brislin and Vinnao wore without funds to fight the case further, and Vinnac died of grief. Brislin lost his eyesight and'became morose. JOTTINGS. Mr John Hayncs, the energelic secretary of tho local branch of tho engineers, has written me a very informative letter ancnt tho activities of the union. He tells me that eince the Duncdin branch lies filed its claims in the Arbitration Court the Auckland branch filed fresh claims, and the Wellington branch is taking the necessary stops to obtain an award. Mr Haynos further sfiys that tho Duncdin branch of the A.S.fi. "intends for the future to render move active assistance to those who are striving to improve the conditions of tho workers, and with that object in view has just- liccome affiliated with the Otago Trades and Labour Council. Mr J. N. Michael, Mr Q. G. M'Kinnon and himsolf have been appointed the delegates of tho union on that body. We are also at, tlio present time considering tho advisability of affiliating with the Independent Political Labour League, but owing to our high contributions it is very difficult to arrange the financc." • Messrs R. lirecti, J. N. Michael, and John Hayncs havT been appointed by the Engineers' Union to present their claims to tho Arbitration Court in tho Duncdin case. Mr J. B. Lindsay, Inspector of Factories in Duncdin for some time, has been transferred to Auckland.

Tho Monthly Journal of the Society of Engineers (per Mr .1. Haynes) and the Monthly Report of the Carpenters' Society (per Mr James Brown) are to hand and acknowledged with thanks. 'Iho general opinion of tho Apneal Court decision in connection with the slaughtermoil's strike appeal case is one of eatisfact'on so far as I have been able to ascertain. ■Mr James Brown, secretary of tho local CarpcntiTj' Union, writes mo that three Duncdin members of tho union have returned from San Francisco. Tho opinion air Brown expresses of tho American workman is not complimentary- to that individual, Tho local tradesmen easily held their own both as hustlers and tradesmen. Mr Brown continues: '"the Yankee is nowhere as ft tradesman. Tho statements supplied as to their methods of doing work are Jaughable. Tho best work is done by Britishers and Australians, Germans coming _ third._ The Yankees dislike tho Bntishenc intensely, and are always sneering at them. By tho way, anyone who oa-mes a, tool basket is put down as a Britisher. Tho Americans have no basket; an adze, saw, an<l a few tools rolled' up in a bit of canvas is all tlioy require. The men from our land, on the other hand, simply detest tho Yankee workman and his ways. While tho Duncdin men wore in Frisco Ihero Avas a great dearth of plasterers. The mighty Yankco had tho town placarded with big canvas advertisements—" Plastering Learned in Four Hours." in s&trcli of a job—tho ragtag of all nations—wont in, and thoro beheld a largo lathed partition in front of them. Instructors told them to get their coats off and qualify for 6dol or 7dol a. day. With tho material and floats they wero taught io float on the first coat, and were then drafted on to tho jobs. Others with more aptitude were taught to apply the finish, and another gang of smart American tradesmen went forth (o astonish tho world, and especially the Dnnedinitcs, who thought it was a great joke. As tho New Zealand and Australian plasterers had a good knowledge of cement and cornice work, they had tho pick of tho jobs, ajid commanded Ihe very highest wage it was possible to got. The same thing applies to our own and other trades. Tho only men who can do all parte are tho foreigners, whilst tho Yankee system is for ono to hang doors, another to Toof, another for floors, and so forth to completion. Common sense reveals the rottenness of this system." Tho Rev. R. J. Campbell declares that tho first great economic commandment for the people is to "Get hold of tho land."

Sinoo the persecution and prosecution of its leaders—Haywood. Moyer, and Petiibone—the Western Federation of Miners in tho Unitod States lias added 15,000 names to its momhership roll. New York female Stale school teachers have organised themselves into a strong union, with the object of scouring tho saino salaries 03 male teachers.

Premier Prico recently gave notice in tho Assembly to move for wages boards iu the following trades of—(1) Agricultural machinory and implement mafers, (2) bookbinders, (3) brushmakcrs, (4) carpenters and joiners, (5) coopers, (6) hairdressers, (7) laundries, (8) painters and decorators, (9) plumbers, gasfit.tors, and galvanised ironworkers, (10) saddlers and harness makers, (11) sawmills or timber yards.