THE INDUSTRIAL WORLD.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 15826, 26 July 1913, Page 7

THE INDUSTRIAL WORLD.

NEWS AND NOTES,

Bi the Hon. J. T. Paul, M.L.C.

Items of information and brief comment* on questions ooming under this heading ira always- welcome. Books, pamphlets, etc., sent to the author of this column will also be noticed.

MEETINGS FOE THE WEEK. Mondays-Hotel Employees (special); Tramways; Jewellers; Metal Workers (committee). fiaasday.. — SawmHlersj Slaughtermen; Canister Workers; Piumbore (committee).

Wednesday.—Labour Day Association; _ Tramways Saddlers. Friday.—lbginsois; Plasterere.

THE. STOKEHOLD OF THE FUTURE.

Many of tho authorities best able to judge declare that the ship of the future will be propelled by oil fuel. The necessity of getting control of the oil fields is thus of paramount importance. But one 6erious sido of tho question is the' threatened displacement of labour. The use of oil instead of coal moaTvi a tremendous saving of labour. That saving will tako place in tho coal mines, at the railway sidings,-on the wharves, and in the liner's stokehold. In connection with tho latter eeTeral newspapers are printing companion pictures of a stokehold in which oil fuel is used and of another in which stokers aw piling in tho coal It is remarked &at "if oil fuel were introduced the services of all these, men would bo dispensed with..' "That's all. very well from the capitalist's point of view," (says an Australian Labour exchange), "but what's the good of a labour-savior device if it benefits the few and leave the many stranded, a 6 most 6Uoh devices do on their adoption? Man's ingenuity ought to be allowed to benefit his fellows as a whole, instead of merely piling up wealth for thoso who already have more than they know what to do with. Mammon may think ho is wonderfully clever in picking the brains of inventors for his own especial, use, but the I tune will have to come when all people l willlj be made happier by inventions and im-, provamenfa." ! j

THB OTAGO TRADES! AND LABOUB

COUNCIL ON IMMIGRATION,

It will be remembered that tne Otago Council recently issued a manifesto on immigration as a protest against the metho/te adopted to induce immigrants from the Old Cotmby. The London Daily Citizen publishes the following ooinment on the nutter ■

"We are contiitnaUy receiving from representative labour bodies and other oorrespondents in the cobniea—more especially in Western Canada and New Zealand—statements in respect of labour conditions "which make it appear that until they have made Tery full inquiry intending emigrants from this country should postpone action wiioh they may regret. Alluring offers aro' heid out of. employment at high wages; but it is frequently the case that those who are 8o anxious apparently to assist the underpaid workers of this oountry to change their surroundingß are really concerned to, secure cheap labour in the colonies." Then follow various communications from Canada, showing the fate of British workers who have been induced to emigrate to that country under promise of work, after which & communication from the Otago Trades and Labour Council is dealt with:— - "From New Zealand there is etfll a longer manifesto, dealing with a more'-per-manent situation. The Trades and Labour Council of Otago have investigated carefully the reason why, in Bpite of the constant Etream of , immigrants to New Zea: land, it is balanced by an equally constant stream of .emigrants. They lay ;it down that 'it is a flagrant and unwarrantable waste of public money to assist immigrants to this oountry when all experience shows that a large proportion of them must go elsewhere to earn a livelihood.'

"The manifesto asserts that the guarantee of 'permanent employment' is worthless. It is largely women and children who are desired for the labour market, in the interest of low wages, and 'if 100 or. 1000 women workers came here to-morrow under a guarantee the employer could next week, when ho 'has too many workers for;his work, say that these were not skilled or were not competent according to hi 6 method of manufacture.'

"The shortage of farm labourers is allowed, but 'thle farm labourer of to-day is tho city kbourorof to-morrow.' The manifesto, -which is signed bv Mr Jl'Allen (president) and Mr J. T, Paul (acting secretary) concludes:—"We claim to have given this question every consideration. Wo do not desire to keep this country as a preserve for its present inhabitants. But. wo see the menace of wholesalo immigration to the wage-earners who are here, as well as to those who como and do not find work. Above all, we emphasise the serious and dangerous position of unemployed women immigrants. They will be forced to accept, under pressure, wages which they would refuse under fair, conditions. And we emphasise, too, the practical difficulties of a policy of immigration which seeks to bring onlv women and children to a strange country."' SOCIALISM AND SYNDICALISM. A notable addition to the literature on these questions should arrive ia New Zea land in the course, of a few days. "Socialism and Syndicalism, by Philip Snowdcn, Labour M.P. in tho House of Commons, forms tho first volume in "Tho Nation's Library." a, new shilling venture of Collins Bros, and Co., the well-known London publishers. Mr Snowden's book is a wellreasoned discussion of the outstanding features of Socialism and tho new creed of Syndicalism, _ which has already attracted much attention and a few adherents. It is well first to see, through Mr Snowden's eyes, the Socialist ideal:—

Tho ideal of Socialism is a democratic,; educated, self-reliant community, in which all the indiTiduab co-operate together to ptomoto the highest development' and fhe greatest happiness of aIL This is surely an ideal worthy of human effort. It is not an impracticable ideal. AVe who inherit tho knowledge of the past may move with firm step whero others trod with hestitatiwr feet. To rescue from material poverty and physical disease tho countlesß millions of underfed and undersized workers of the world is a task which might well enlist the effort of this a#e. Brit to open the gates of an intellectual Edom to the yast masses who aro now condemned to ignorance outside, and to bring the joy and fellowship of life into

their hearts and homes, is a still worthier work. That is tho call which Socialism

makes—that is the promise wbioh Socialhrmgrves.

Tho London Socialist paper, tho Clarion, says that " Socialists will read his chapters on Syndicalism with , interest. Mr Sncwden agrees with tho German Social Oeraocrats that 'tie general strike is general nonsense.'"

The advocates of tho general strike have never shown a proper appreciation of tho' enormcTis_ difficulties in the way ofroch a etriko being successful. They have assumed a working class onity for which there is no support either in experience or They have nover measured the strength of resistance of the middle and upper classes. . . . They have counted too much on the public inconvenience which would imediately result from ft general stoppage of work. Tho miners' 6triko of 1912 was a great disiJ'xreionment

in that respect. It revealed resources possessed by tho community which hod never been imagined. It had boon confidently asserted that a general strike of miners

would paralyse tho whole country in a

■week or two ai tho most. Mr Snowdcn is opposed to Syndicalism. Iffi worst feature, to contends, is its enmity to tho State. "Tho attitude of philosophic Syndicalism to tho State is," ho fays, " not om of m«ro passive indifference to ite existence, but of active hostility to it." In tho last analysis tho Syndicalists are at war with society, just as are some New Zealand advocates of tlw general strike. Tho workers foim &e major portion of society, and they wotdd always bo hardest hit. As Mr Bi«w--dun cvfihasiscs tho point: —

In every general strike which has taken place rt \6 tho -workers who have suffered mi *tt So_ it would be in Iho general strike which is the dream of tlic Syndicalists. A general strike which was bojiun unoxppct«ily, as in tho caso of the first postal strike in Paris, might very con- ■ ceivably wring- concessions. Burt it would simply teach the capitalists and tho community to bo prepared for tho next. Tho second postal strike was a signal failure for that reason. Tbons who desire to underetaid Syndicalism hwa iho choice of three oheap volumes, of wlurib Mr Suowden's is tho latest. The others arc "Syvidicaliam," by J. H. Harloy, M.A. ("The Peoplo'6 Books" series. pnbbshed m cloth at 6d net) uud "Syndicolwm: a Critical Examination, " by J. RaniBay MafdonaJd, ALP. (Constable and Co.; cloth, lfi net). Mr Tom Mami has also written p. now work—"From Sraglo Tax to Syndicalism"—bat no copies have yet nviciicii New Zailaud.

JOTTINGS. Gopd progress is reported in' connection with, the newly-formed Hairdressers' Jnwn in Wellington. Tho Amalgamated Society of Carpenters and; Joiners has now on ; its international 81,773 members!"

One of the statements included in tho Westralian Governor's Speech indicated that a State factory for the manufacture of agricultural implements was being erected. Registration of a federation of tho Woollen Mills Employees' Unions of tho Dominion lias been effected. It comprises tho Wellington, Christchurch, and Otago Unions.

_ The Industrial Registrar, giving evidence in' Melbourne, said, regarding the industrial laws, that so far as ho could learn the immigrants were 6low workers compared with the Australians. '

Bishop Mercer, of Tasmania, presided over a meeting of the Clerks' Union at nobart recently, and in reply to a vote of thanks, tho good bishop complimented the union on its constitution.

Writing of the recent Unity Congress in Wellington and the largo number of delegates in attendance at the opening, the Sydney Worker said:—"The record is not one that any practical Labourite need envy the Dominion—a conference of 60 would probably work more effectively." The prophecy was fully verified. According to information reoived from tho builders' workers organisation in New York, the wage for skilled labour varied between 3|dol and 6dol in the past vear; for unskilled labour between 2 l-sdol and 2£dol per ,eight-hour day, 1 A draft agreement between the Welling■ton City Council and tho General Labourers' Union has been prepared for , final signing by the parties. It is certain [of execution. A wage of Is 2£d.,per hour for casual labourers, and'of £2 12s 6d per week of 46 hours for permanent hands, is provided in the agreement. The- net profits of the American Stool Trust for 1912 were £15,415,043. Approximately this is at the rate of £1,300,000 a month, or £52,000 for every working day in the year. Thfe number of employees of the Stool Trust in 1912 was 221,025. To nils' great army the Trust disbursed in salaries and wages during the year £37,870,220, being an average of £140 for tho year. The great, majority of these work 12 hours a day, and seven days a week.