INDUSRTRIAL WORLD.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 17158, 10 November 1917, Page 12

INDUSRTRIAL WORLD.

NEWS AND NOTES. Br thb Hon. J. T. Paul, M.L.C. TO CORRESPONDENTS. J. 8., St. Clair.—Thanks for your letter. The matters you bring under mj notice are of primo importance, but, unfor- • tunately, are unsuitable for this column. J. li. H.—l agree with your estimato of Mr H. E. Booto as a Labour journalist. His work only reaches a very small circlo of readers in New Zealand, however, and on that account your article would not bo appreciated. Other contribution juet received. W. K., Caversham.—Yes, the facts are as you state them. BRITISH LABOUR, IN POLITICS. A short' time since the cables informed us that the Labour Party , was making preparations to contest a large number of seals at the next election for the House of Commons. And it has been intimated that Mr Arthur Henderson, some time member of the War Cabinet, but who resigned owing to a misunderstanding Over the Stockholm Conference, has undertaken the organising work preparatory to the campaign. In this connection, however, the surpriso of the week was the election of Mr Ben Tillett with a majority of three to one over the National candidate. Mr Tillett has made several unsuccessful attempts to enter the Hor.se of Commons, and his election at this time is likely to mark the turn of the tide in favour of Labour. In his time Mr Tillett has trenchantly criticised many of those who to-day occupy high places, and his advent to the Roasa o? Compons adds additional interest to Brnisii politics. A NEW MINIMUM WAGE LAW. According to American newspapers, the new minimum wage for totoii announced by the California Industrial Welfare Commission has now become effective. Henceforth no experienced woman oiiaii be employed in any mercantile industry oE the State of California at a wage- of less tlian £2 per week, or £8 13s 2d per month. A lower swage is provided for. learners, starting with a minimum of £1 4s a week for girl learners under 18 years of age, and a minimum of £1 12s a week for girls starting to work between 18 and 20 years. In each case the wages will be automatically increased 2s a week every six months until the minimum wage of £2 a.week lor experienced workers is reached. Learners starting work at 20 years or over begin at a minimum of £1 12s a, week, and receive an automatic increase of 2s every six -months until £2 is reached. The regulation provides that no woman ox minor will be allowed to work in a mercantile industry more than eight hours in any one day or 48 hoars in any one week. THE PROMISED LAND. To the fow employers who believe that all their troubles arise from trades unionism the West Indies ia apparently the promised land. ' An ordinance prohibiting trade unions has been approved by the British Government under "special circumstances," and the operative clause reads:— "Any person who forms or is concerned in the formation of (a) any trade union, (b) any labour union, (c) -any trade and labour union, (d) any combination, whether temporary or permanent, which has for its objects or one of its objects the regulation of the relations between masters or employers of labour and servants or labourers, or-the imposing of restrictive conditions on the conduct of any trade, business, or plantation, shall be guilty of an offence against this ordinance, and shall be liable, on summarv conviction thereof before district magistrate, to a penalty- not exceeding £50, or to be imprisoned for a term not exceeding ' six months, or to both fine and imprisonment, as the district magistrate may direct." The prohibition is extended against any person soliciting subscriptions, advising anyone to join, printing, or publishing any cirtralaf , or leaflet, or, in shdrt, who does anything in the direction of promoting a nnion. The police have most ample powers of search, and it would appear that a trade union organiser in the West Indies would have an uncomfortable and exciting time. THE FUTURE OF ARBITRATION. The Arbitration Act has successfully withstood many assaults during us 20 odd years' existence.' For many years during its early history it was strongly opposed by a largo section of, employers. In later years it was subjected to a vigorous onslaught from the more advanced section of organised Labour. Its existence was seriously menaced in the years when many unions cancelled their registration under the Act. To-day a new opposition is growing up against the ■Arbitration Act. The more moderate section of Labour is considering seriously whether or not arbitration is a good or bad thing. It is alleged that the system -has robbed the workers of fight—indeed, of' simple self-reliance. No trade union can exist except by the possession of some degree of militancy.. In its very nature a trade union is a protest against things as they are. And if arbitration breeds tho flabby workman which some critics declare it does then certainly the time has come to consider its place in the industrial scheme of things. The growing dissatisfaction with arbitration was voiced by Mr E.- Kellett at a social function given in his honour this week. Mr Kellett is certainly not an alarmist —his career as a Labour leader has been ever marked by moderation. Speaking of the influence of arbitration on the younger generati6n of workers, ho declared that the Arbitration Act had taken away initiative. They had grown up under a system. of spoon-fee<Ung, and the result was that "they cared nothing; they knew not; they cared not." Mr Kellett's indictment is not singular. . An increasing number of moderate Labour men are losing faith in arbitration. And unfortunately the Government does nothing by way of antidote. Several machinery amendments are long overdue, but as they are not "war legislation " nothing is done. By-apd-bye when the. revolt spreads the Government will awake and make a frantic rush to close the stable door.

THE CONFUSION OF COUNSELLORS. Russia at the moment is an example of the results following a division of the progressive'forces. ' The ultimate outcome of the present chaos might easily be a total failure of democratic rule.' That a complete refprh to autocracy is unlikely may be granted. But obviously a country menaced by euch a foe as the -Germans cannot afford to be divided in its own household. How far-reaching that division is may be gathered from an informative article in the current London Clarion. Mr Julian West is the writer, and ho writes on tho spot. After referring to one of the numerous street speakers, he proceeds to say:— " The man was speaking extremely good ■sense. There are too many parties here, and the nearer they are, curiously enough, the greater the distance between them. Tho insuperable somehow divides the inseparable. A and B. two Socialists, in agreement on everything that matters, will find some point of detail on which to differ, and will form separate parties. Then 0, a kindly theorist, will say: 'Why this thusness? Let us unite.' And a few of the followers of A and E will leave them and come under Cs banner, thus making. a new party. Hali the parties here seem to be the result of somebody's efforts to unite the other The people who try to compose sectional differences succeed only in decomposing the existing organisations. "To see how Socialism has been affected here by this 'tendency to .split up in the name of unity let us glance over tie party makeup of the great All-Russian Conference of Workers''and Soldiers' Delegates—about as representative .a body as one could : hope to find. There were in all 1090 delegates. 285 Social Revolutionists. 248 Mensheyiks. 105 Bolsheviks. 32 Internationalists. 73 Non-Party Socialists. 10 United Social-Democrats (Bolshevik . and Menshevik). 10 Btmdists (Jewish S.D. - Party). 3 The '.'Edinstvo" (Unity) Group. 3, National. Socialists. 5 Labour Group. ''_' • . • 1 Anarchist Communist. "The'total falls a good deal short of 1090 because my list does not include various representatives of provincial organisations, the army, the navy, and tho peasantry, who were not selected on a party platform." The steel works proprietary at Newcastle (New South Wayes) has issued a re-employ-ment card calling upon the- applicants to state—(l) Name; (2) age; (3) number of children; (4) union a member of; (5) friendly society, if any, (6) height, eyes, complexion, ami build; (7) hair on , face; (8) anything conspicuous or peculiar in appearance; (9) name and place of former working.