THE INDUSTRIAL WORLD

Otago Daily Times, Issue 19583, 12 September 1925, Page 18

THE INDUSTRIAL WORLD

NEWS AND NOTES. Bt J. T. Pact* TITE SOCIAL, SINS. According to Canon Donaldson there are seven social sins in the world. They are; 1, Politics without principles. 2. Wealth without work. 2. Pleasure without conscience. 4. Knowledge without character. 5. Commerce without morality. (>. Science without humanity. 7. Worship without sacrifice. MONEY SPENT ON RESEARCH. The eiectrical industry to-day (said hr Baldwin recently) is spendm g a quarter of a million a year on research —an impressive figure in this country; but there is one company in tire United States of America that is now spending f1,000,000d0l a year and lias 3000 trained workers in its research laboratories, and is going to increase that number to 5000, and there is no doubt that victory in the long run will go to the nation which can harness most efliciently and more securely science to its industry. AMALGAMATION PROPAGANDA IN AUCKLAND. Writing in the Auckland Star “Industrial Tramp” reports progress;—Mr Robert Semple is in Auckland on a mission to secure the linking-up of the local trade with the Alliance of Labour, as recommended by the open conference of trades unions held in Wellington last Easter. On Wednesday evening last he addressed a meeting composed of tiie e\cutivo of the local unions, and laid before them the pressing need for a united labour body in view of the gone "a 1 election this year, and also from an industrial standpoint, to meet the great tide of immigration that the Government is promoting to (he Dominion. It was a good meeting, over 100 members of executives being present. Ho stated that during the next 12 or 18 months it was contemplated to land uj)wards of 50,000 immigrants on these shores, on an overstocked labour market and without a reasonable prospect of finding housing accommodation for their wives and families. In outlining what had been done in the direction of the unions who had hitherto stood aloof from the Alliance of Labour deciding/ to affiliate, he stated (hat the Otago trades and Labour Council had decided to fail in with the scheme by a vote of !) to S. Canterbury and Wellington Trades Councils had turned the proposition down for (he present, so ,the Alliance had deputed him to come to Auckland as the largest industrial centre in the Dominion, to impress upon the Auckland unions the need for them to show a line example to the others in amalgamating. The mooting was not unanimous in its attitude to the recommendation, as shown by the Questions oskixl of Mr Semple, and also by some of the speeches by delegates Ono and ail were impressed with the pressing need for industrial unity, but whether under the banner of tho Alliance of Labour or tho Trades and Labour Council was a disputed point. Several of the delegates intimated that they could not voto ono wav or the other, because their unions had already decided that they could not link up with tho alliance. Eventually a motion was adopted that tho time had arrived when all industrial unions should affiliate with a national organisation to give effect to a decision arrived at by tho recent open conference. In furtherance of Mr taempie s mission a special meeting of the Auckland Trades and Labour Council has boon summoned to consider tho proposea amalgamation. A BERATED OFFICIAL. The meeting of executive members on Wednesday evening wan (says “Industrial Tramp’’ m Auckland Star) composed ot men of all shades of thought and opinions, from the most pronounced Communist to the staid and sedate unionist somejames contemptuously termed “reactionary. As a consequence, such terms as class conscious.” “wage skives.” and exploiters were frequently in evidence. Lvon t.u-much-abused “paid secretary’ came m tor hi" share of condemnation, as several speakers laid tho blame of the apatny of, the trades unionist in the maintenance and administration of his union on the unfortunate official. For years past it has been the custom of certain employers to lay the blame of much of the existing industrial unrest at tho door of the union secretary. Ho has been accused of leading the members of his union by the nose, n use a favourite expression. Even union members in general terms blame the olnci. for “running tho union. as they term it On Wednesday evening, however tho wind had veered round to the opposite quarter for the luckless official came m for much denunciation for not loading his union into the amalgamation with the Alban of Labour. ’The undoubted right of thr rank and file to decide their own destim was completely lost eight of m this charge of dereliction of duty launched against th paid secretary. There were paid score taries in the meeting, but it was noticeable that as a body they left the o the motion to amalgamate to the ran) and file, so that it could not be said that undue influence was brought uRO" bors in anj action that might bo taken for the paid secretary, “he dunno where he are,” in tho words of the old vaudeville song. national economic COUNCILS National Economic Councils to assist the Governments in dealing with industrial and economic questions are m °P or^° r ' Franco, Germany, Japan, and FortugaJ. Recent developments on these lines, o. which particulars are given m the Indus trial and Labour Information, the weekly publication of the International Office, have been taking place in lolaml and in Rumania. The Rumanian Government proposes to establish by legislation a system of Omml.ers of Labour and a Superior Labour Council. The latter body is to consist ol representatives of tho State, the workers, and the employers, mid to advise the Ministry of Labour on legislative or other measures relating to labour questions, as wol as to servo as an organ of conciliation ami arbitration. , , . , In Roland an Act has been promulgated for the establishment of a Council of Social Assistance, partly elected on a district basis and partly nominated by tho Government to aid the Ministry of Labour and local authorities, in a consultative capacity, in the handling of social legislation and problems A scheme has also been prepared for the setting up of a Central Economic Council to advise the Government on social, economic, and financial policy. UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE. Under the title “Unemployment Insurance ” tho International Labour Office has just ’published a volume of some 130 pages containing a comparative analysis of national legislation concerning insurance against unemployment. The volume begins with a short account of the origin and development of unemployment insurance, first as a trade union enterpise, and later as a national undertaking. At present, it points out, there is a system of compulsory unemployment insurance in seven States. Some of the common characteristics of present-day insurance institutions and laws are pointed out, and special attention is drawn to the system known as “productive insurance” adopted in Germany and Austria. Five chapters are then devoted respectively to the study of national systems from tho 'points of view of (1) the scope of insurance; (2) definition of “unemployment”; (3) nature and duration of benefits; (4) financial organisation; and (5) administration. The conclusion drawn from the analysis is that, while insurance organisation is subject to great differences from country to country, it might be possible to lay down certain general principles, based on practical experience, to serve as a basis for a Recommendation by the International Labour Conference, dealing not only with the principle of insurance (as in the case of the Recommendation of tho Washington Conference ot 1919) but with certain methods of organisation. Among the problems which, it is suggested, might be considered for tho purpose of such a Recommendation, ore :—- Compulsory or voluntary insurance. Limitation of the scope of insurance on an industrial or occupational basis. Definition of “suitable employment.” Indemnification of involuntary unemployment due to trade disputes. Inclusion of seasonal unemployment. Extension of insurance to foreign unemployed workers. pJiort-timo or intermittent unemployment. Re-absorption of labour into i mployment. Money benefits, in relation’ to wages and family responsibilities; duration of benefit. Distribution of the financial burden. Administration. Unification of unemployment insurance with other forms of social insurance, Tho last-mentioned problem, add.- the report. now seems ripe for exhaustive international examination, as it not only affects unemployment insurance, but ig closely connected with the problems, examined by the Seventh Session of the Conference, relating to the organisation of social insurance in gonoroL