LABOUR IN GREAT BRITAIN.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 17239, 15 February 1918, Page 7

LABOUR IN GREAT BRITAIN.

UNIONS PROVE LOYALTY. CAUSES OF UNREST REVIEWED. (Melbourne Herald Cable.) LONDON, February 1. British trado unions have played a magnificent part in the war. Strikes have been infrequent and unimportant, being largely limited to districts where local grievances existed.

Tho production has been enormous, owing to the general acceleration, the abandonment of holidays, the acceptance of piece rates, and tho steady dilution of labour. Tho best observers believe that most of the anxiety existing to-day is without foundation.

J.here is restlessness, but this is largely superficial. It is due to long and continuous overstrain, tho ever-increasing prices, wives' shopping hardships, and the shortage of meat and beer, which are regarded as essential by such men as the engineers, who work 10. to 12 hours a day punching rodhot rivets with. 121b hammers. A striking instance was tho Coventry strike, where a week's aeroplane output was lost. The workers have made tin for the whole of tho lost output during the four -weeks since the resumption of work, thus showing tho effects of rest.

Tho immediate trouble concerns the combout Most of the unions executives have accepted the Government's proposals, but some of the rank and file are repudiating the executives. The bulk of the- workers show no sympathy for tho selfish young slackers entrenched in highly-paid industries. The main difficulty lies with the miners, whose executive is favourable, but has suspended judgment, and with tho engineers. Although strikes may be expected they are not likely to extend or be prolonged unless thoy aro mishandled. Eighty per cent, of the members of trade unions aro supporting tho war to victory . Bolshevik and pacifist, doctrines have mado little impression on tho British unions. Perhaps 20 per cent, of their members seek tho earliest ending of tho war, viewing it as the cause of their troubles. These are inspired by leaders like Murphy and Cassidy at Sheffield, and . M'GaJlacher and M'Lean on tho Clyde, who resent tho war as interfering with their class war designs; also by the Union of Democratic Control, the. No-Conscription Fellowship, and tho Laboitr Herald, edited by Mr Lansbury, which .preach class war. Bolshevism gets little support. One of ihe greatest students of industry said today:—' Tho British workers look on tho Bolsheviks as they would on clever contortionists They admire, applaud, and laugh, but have not tho slightest intention of outting their ligatures and soaking themselves in vinegar in order to play the same tricks. Thus they applaud ' Citizen' Litvinoff at tho Nottingham Labour Conference, and then pass an overwhelming voto supporting the Lloyd George Govornnrcnt."

Mr T. S. Delmer, formerly professor of English at tho Berlin University, telegraphs to tho Daily Mail from Berne as follows: — "The Prussian strikers must win their spurs before experienced observers will think that Germany's mind and morale, which have become, mechanical by a century of military drill aro changed." A message from Amsterdam points out that the employees in Germany's pivotal industries have been highly paid during the war and induced to invest their savings in war loans, an 3 a.re not likely to sacrifice them. Others regard tho Prussian military authorities capable of such domestic ruthlessness as will at last ronee the country.