THE INDUSTRIAL WORLD

Otago Daily Times, Issue 20644, 16 February 1929, Page 21

THE INDUSTRIAL WORLD

NEWS AND NOTES. By J. T. Paul. MEN AND MACHINES. At a time when unemployment is causing widespread distress and considerable difficulties for Governments of all shades of political colour, an American discussion on the effects of machinery on labour displacement is of considerable interest and value. The matter is featured in a recent issue of the Literary Digest, and arises out of the annual convention of the American I 1 ederation of Labour recently held at New Orleans. ‘‘ One of the most important problems affecting labour to-day,” said President William Green, “is the displacement of workmen by machines and by devices which automatically, do the work once done by. trained men.” And be went on to declare that “ organised labour will oppose with every bit of power it has the turning adrift of men replaced by machinery and for whom no position is made. The federation will never allow a human scrap heap to be built up in this country.”

Of the subjects discussed at the tenday convention, the intensified production resulting from the rapid improvement in machinery seems to have caused the greatest amount of editorial comment. But newspaper in such widely separated cities as Now York, Milwaukee, Birmingham, Washington, Minneapolis, Iroy, Ohama, and Columbus do not agree with the federation officials that one of the most important problems affecting labour to-day is the displacement of workmen by_ machines. “In any case, the process is inevitable,” concludes the Birmingham Age-Herald, and the Brooklyn Eagle agrees that

President Green is undertaking a difficult—probably an impossible—task, if he proposes to fight to a finish against automatic machinery. Logically followed up. Ins aggressive utterance would mean an endless senes of strikes and industrial anarchy. And talk about a ‘ human junk heap is not consistent with the dignitv of the American workman. He is his own master. If one opening is closed he seeks another.

It is fairly significant (remarks the Minneapolis Tribune) that the United States, where machine production has reached its greatest efficiency, '• offers wages and a standard of living unequalled in the entire world.” Here (notes 'he Washington Post) “ every worker has at his elbow the _ equivalent of 345 Im'ners, and the machines of the entire country furnish the equivalent of 3,000,000 000 men.” As the Wall Street Journal points out:—

“ The use of power-driven machinery ushered in the industrial revolution and from that time progress in human betterment has been constant. Every laboursaving device and every new machine that has cheapened production has added to the sum total of human welfare. “Machinery is not the enemy of r he working man. He has to-day four or five times as much of manufactured goods as the man of a generation ago. This is because of the enormous increase in outfut per person. _ The production of tluse goods in which capital finds employment depends upon their consumption by the masses of the people of whom labcur forms a large proportion. Consumption depends upon a right adjustment of wages and the making of goods plentiful and cheap. This is the way to a higher standard of living and to human betterment, and without machinery this would be impossible.”

At the same time, too (observes the Troy Times), “machinery has been the biggest factor in the neduction of working hours.” In fact, the Columbus Ohio State Journal considers the federation’s fight against the displacement of workers by machinery _“ a perfectly hopeless undertaking. It is a fight which has been going on for centuries, _ and the machinery always wins.” Quoting President Green’s statement that the federation’s objective “ is human betterment," the Omaha WiwldHerald has this to say:— “ Human betterment is a magnificent ideal, and no one will deny that the labour movement in general and the American Federation of Labour in i-a-ti-cular have achieved great results in fighting for that ideal. Its further progress is not to be helped by resisting machinery, which releases more of time and energy to be used in non-productive pursuits. It is _ rather to be made in fighting for a fairer, more equitable distribution of its benefits.

“It is true that in the process of replacement of man power by machine power, violent upsets are temporarily occasioned in particular fields of labour. When a machine is introduced into industry which does the work of 10 men, those 10 men, thrown out of work, are momentarily in distress. But as soon as the industrial adjustments are made, everybody is better off than before, including the 10 displaced men, provided the adjustment permits them to share in the benefits of the leisure thus created.

“ Old-time newspaper men can remember how the old printer at the eases opposed the coming of the typesetting machine. Now the typesetting machuie and other mechanical aids to the publishing industry have made possible a progress which makes employment for an army of men. It is something that never could have been attained under the old conditions. It has meant bigger and better newspapers and magazines and books, and better conditions for those employed in the industry.” Another source of complaint by organised labour is the “ wholesale violation of the immigration law,” particularly in industrial States along the Canadian border. It was charged at the New Orleaus convention that at least 20,000 residents of Windsor, Ontario, for cxamplq, cross the boundary each' day to work in the factories of Detroit. The enforcement of the quota law, say Labour delegates, has become a farce along the Canadian border, because of the dual responsibility of the Department of State and the Department of Labour.

Summing up other phases of the New Orleans convention, the Duluth NewsTribune informs us that — “The American Federation of Labour is a great institution in this country. For nearly half a century it has worked with marked success for the betterment of conditions among workers, until to-day the American workman is better paid and enjoys a higher standard, of living than the workmen of any other country in the world.

Union labour had a healthy growth during the year just past. The report shows an increase of 81,387 in paid-up memberships, with a total of 2,833,013 members on August 31, not including some 500,000 members who were on strike or unemployed, and for whom no dues were paid to the federation.

“The federation claims that workers not affiliated with the union, and still unorganised, have not progressed as rapidly as union labour, and that the organisation of these groups will form the basis of its work during the coming year. The federation also will continue its efforts for a five-clay week. This movement n quietly but gradually gaining ground, and there arc now said to be more than 165,000 union workers in 20 industries enjoying the short work week.

Prospects for labour are bright, and workers are undoubtedly facing an era of prosperity and well-being. The incoming administration, has pledged to labour the right of collective bargaining, and has gone on record ns opposed to the unfair use 0 , ( '!l junctions in labour disputes. Employers in genera] now recognise the human element in labour, and no longer consider it as so much machinery. realise that their own prosperity and the stability of industry depend upon the well-being and contentment of their workers. There is a better understanding and a greater spirit of co-operation between employers and employees than ever before.”